Aftermarket Applications Engineer

Blue Bird Careers•Macon, GA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Blue Bird is seeking an Aftermarket Applications Engineer to serve as a key member of its Parts Team. The role works closely with the Aftermarket Purchasing Team to identify, validate, and determine parts for Blue Bird equipment; maintain technical documentation; recommend alternative parts and suppliers; and support Product Life Management (PLM) projects. Reporting to the Director, Product Support, the role collaborates with purchasing, operations, engineering, field service, and manufacturing on projects and programs supporting parts initiatives. It also provides engineering design support for retrofit solutions and helps communicate changes for timely procurement and prepares technical source material for service, training, and parts publications. The position operates in both office and production environments, including exposure to heat, cold, noise, moving objects, and sheet metal. It involves occasional extended periods of standing or sitting, required PPE where applicable, frequent communication throughout the day, frequent weeks of 40 or more hours, and travel of up to 10% for supplier and dealer visits. Candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and authorized to work in the United States, with proof of eligibility required at hire.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related discipline.
At least 5 years of engineering-level activity and support within a bus, automotive, or heavy-duty manufacturing OEM environment.
At least 5 years of project management experience.
Comprehensive knowledge of automotive engineering fundamentals across chassis, body, electrical, and powertrain domains.
Robust understanding of mechanical and electrical components and their real-world vehicle applications.
Extensive knowledge of manufacturing engineering practices and systems, including PLM, ERP, and CAE programs.
Critical thinking in selecting service parts and understanding downstream supply chain and serviceability implications.
Strong analytical and rational decision-making abilities.
Ability to work independently, follow through on initiatives, and solve technical hurdles and problems quickly.
Detail-oriented with a high degree of accuracy.
Ability to collaborate with a team to solve problems.
Experience working with technical documentation, drawings, and specifications.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
U.S. citizenship or permanent residency and authorization to work in the United States; proof of employment eligibility is required at hire.
Ability to work in office and manufacturing environments and wear appropriate PPE when and where required.

Nice To Haves

Exposure to difficult or complex projects.
Ability to anticipate and understand customer needs and provide guidance.
Excellent interpersonal and customer relationship skills for handling difficult and sensitive matters.
Ability to influence stakeholders.
Effective communication skills, including communicating complex details clearly.
Flexibility in workspaces and work hours.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage Aftermarket Parts Engineering projects in the PLM system, ensuring timely execution and tracking.
Research, evaluate, and recommend alternative parts and suppliers to improve cost, lead time, and quality.
Ensure alternative parts and kits comply with industry standards, including FMVSS and DOT requirements.
Collaborate with Design and Service Engineers to identify and structure service-only parts and comprehensive parts kits.
Identify parts catalogs affected by new product launches and product design changes that require new publications or revisions.
Provide engineering-level technical support and direction to sales and purchasing team members to resolve dealer-submitted support tickets.
Support the Parts Sales team in identifying alternative service parts or repair processes when parts are obsolete or unavailable.
Support new part setup requests from CSR cases.
Facilitate engineering design work for retrofit solutions.
Communicate changes to support timely procurement and evaluate technical source material for service, training, and parts publications.
Travel to supplier and dealer locations for part qualification and investigation of chronic field issues, up to 10%.