Senior Applications Engineer

Position Description

Date Issued:

September 2026

Department:

Capstone West Territory

Reports to:

Territory General Manager

Location:

Van Nuys, CA (West territory travel required)

Position Purpose:

Serves as Capstone's product and technical authority supporting the territory sales organization. Operate as the primary technical resource in customer, prospect, and EPC meetings, and the interface that translates product capability into site-specific technical documentation and permitting requirements.

Evaluates each proposed installation, electrical service, foundation/pad requirements, gas supply and fuel type, balance of plant connections, and equipment accessibility, to ensure microturbine systems are sized and sited correctly for performance and serviceability before contracts are signed.

Owns the technical thread of a project: product fit, drawings, and code/permitting compliance from quote support through commissioning. This role hands off a complete technical package at contract execution and stays engaged as the technical point of contact through startup.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Site & Application Assessment (Pre-Sale / Quoting Support)

• Partner with customers and the territory direct sales team during quoting to evaluate site-specific requirements: electrical interconnection, grounding/pad leveling and sizing, gas supply type and pressure, balance of plant connections, and equipment access (forklift clearance, panel removal, service access).
• Identify and flag site conditions likely to cause installation delays or post-commissioning service issues, e.g., enclosures sited without forklift or panel access, undersized pads, improper grounding, back pressure limit exceedance, or an incompatible gas source, before contracts are signed.
• Provide technical input to proposals, feasibility assessments, and cost estimates based on real site conditions.

Technical Sales & Product Expertise

• Serve as the primary technical resource in live prospect, customer, and EPC meetings, accompanying the territory sales team to field real-time questions on product capability, performance and system fit.
• Maintain deep, current working knowledge of Capstone's full product line (turbine, BESS, heat-recovery, and accessory systems) sufficient to answer configuration, capability, and limitation questions directly, without pulling in engineering.
• Provide technical input to proposals, feasibility assessments, and cost estimates based on real site and product-fit conditions.
• Support technical marketing and proposal development as needed.

Drawing Interface & Technical Documentation

• Independently produce preliminary layout drawings, and technical documentation for small, direct-sale projects. Translates site and application requirements directly into a complete, permit-ready preliminary package, without waiting on an assigned EPC or design-build partner to generate one. This production capability is a defining, hands-on requirement of the role. Preliminary packages are reviewed and stamped by a licensed Professional Engineer prior to construction issuance
• Maintain and apply Capstone-approved drawing templates and design-basis documentation so packages produced in the field are consistent, reusable, and fast to turn around across the territory.
• Review, interpret, and redline drawings produced by EPCs, contractors, and consulting engineers for constructability, code compliance, and fit with Capstone equipment requirements.
• Serve as technical liaison between customers, engineering partners, contractors, and internal engineering to resolve application-specific design questions.

Permitting & Code Compliance

• Own the technical content of permit packages (electrical, air, gas, structural/site) for small, direct-sale projects, and serve as Capstone's technical point of contact with the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) on larger, EPC-led projects.
• Track jurisdiction-specific code and interconnection requirements across the West territory and flag their impact on siting, design, and permitting timelines early in the sales cycle.
• Interpret applicable codes and standards (NEC, NFPA, local fire/building/AHJ requirements, utility interconnection rules) for product fit and required equipment configuration.

EPC & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Capture lessons learned from installation and service issues and feed them back to product management, sales, and the standard drawing templates to sharpen site-selection criteria, product configuration guidance, and design-basis documentation.
• Act as a primary technical point of contact for customers throughout the project lifecycle.
• Serve as Capstone's primary technical point of contact with EPC partners on assigned projects by coordinating RFIs and technical submittals, attending design-coordination meetings, and influencing basis-of-design documents toward Capstone equipment.
• Build trusted relationships with customers, EPCs, and distributor partners through clear communication and reliable technical support.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field required; equivalent hands-on experience considered.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license, or PE-eligible (EIT) with demonstrated intent to obtain, preferred
• 8-10 years of experience in power generation, distributed energy, or related field applications, with direct experience producing or reviewing engineering drawings and interfacing directly with EPC or consulting-engineering firms.
• Demonstrated track record of catching site/application issues before installation that would otherwise cause delays or service problems.

Skills & Abilities - Required

• Strong working knowledge of distributed generation / microturbine systems, electrical interconnection, gas fuel systems, and site/civil requirements for power generation equipment.
• Working knowledge of the AHJ permitting process and applicable codes/standards (NEC, NFPA, local AHJ, utility interconnection requirements) for distributed generation equipment.
• A practical site-assessment mindset, able to anticipate real-world installation, constructability, and maintenance access issues before they occur.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; able to translate technical requirements for both customers and internal teams.

Skills & Abilities - Preferred

• Prior experience in an EPC, AEC, or consulting-engineering firm role.
• Experience with BESS, heat recovery, biogas conditioning, or other distributed clean-energy technologies.
• Established relationships with EPCs, distributors, or contractors in the West territory.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• Sales and customers treat you as the definitive technical and product resource during quoting: site issues (access, pad, gas, electrical) are caught before contracts are signed, not after equipment ships.
• Preliminary technical packages (layout, SLD, PFD, permit content) for small, direct-sale projects are accurate and complete enough to move to permit and construction without rework.
• Customers and the territory direct sales team treat you as the go-to technical resource during quoting.
• Lessons from the field feed back into sharper site-selection standards, product configuration guidance, and up-to-date drawing templates.
• Customers and EPC partners view Capstone as easy and reliable to design around, permit, and install.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Primarily based at Van Nuys, CA headquarters, with regular travel to project and customer sites across the Western U.S..
• Frequent travel required for site assessments, installations, commissioning support, and customer meetings.
• Extended periods of sitting and computer use in office settings; extended periods of standing and walking on uneven or industrial surfaces during site visits.
• Required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) as specified for each site, which may include hard hat, safety glasses, hearing protection, steel-toe boots, and high-visibility clothing.
• Ability to lift up to 35 pounds unassisted; loads exceeding 35 pounds require a lifting device or a second person.
• Willingness to work beyond a standard 40-hour work week as project timelines require.

Employee Signature: Date: ________________

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employee(s) will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments.

All duties and responsibilities are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" relationship.

Pay Range: $124,000 - $187,000 per year