Applications Engineer, Sr.

Rexroth•Lincolnshire, IL

About The Position

The Senior Applications Engineer serves as a technical leader and trusted advisor to customers, sales teams, and internal stakeholders, developing hydraulic solutions for complex application requirements. The role evaluates customer needs, selects and integrates products, designs hydraulic systems and integrated circuits, troubleshoots technical issues, and provides engineering support throughout the product lifecycle. The engineer leads complex customer application projects, provides technical guidance, supports engineering best practices, and mentors junior engineers as a subject matter expert in hydraulic systems and products. The position works across customer, sales, engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, and product management teams. It includes supporting customer visits, field evaluations, trade shows, and technical training as needed. The role has no direct supervisory responsibilities, but may provide technical leadership, mentorship, and project guidance. The work takes place in office, laboratory, manufacturing, and customer field environments, with travel up to 50% domestically and internationally as required.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
Minimum of 5 years of engineering experience in hydraulics, fluid power, mobile equipment, industrial equipment, or related technical applications.
Demonstrated experience leading complex customer applications and providing technical guidance to internal and external stakeholders.
Strong understanding of hydraulic systems and hydraulic symbols, including the ability to read, interpret, and develop hydraulic schematics.
Experience designing Hydraulic Integrated Circuits (HICs) and application-specific hydraulic solutions.
Experience performing engineering analysis and documenting findings through technical reports and presentations.
Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues independently.
Strong analytical, organizational, and project management skills.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence customers and cross-functional teams effectively.
Proven ability to mentor, coach, and support the development of less-experienced engineers.
Ability to work independently while leading technical initiatives in a collaborative team environment.
Ability and willingness to travel up to 50% domestically and internationally, as required.
Indefinite U.S. work authorization; future sponsorship for work authorization is unavailable.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Engineering or a related field.
Experience with mobile and/or industrial hydraulic systems.
Experience with electro-hydraulic controls, PLCs, sensors, and automation technologies.
Experience supporting OEM customers and field applications.
Familiarity with data acquisition systems, testing methodologies, and root-cause analysis techniques.

Responsibilities

Partner with customers to understand application requirements, operating conditions, and performance objectives.
Review system requirements and recommend hydraulic products and solutions that meet technical and commercial objectives.
Design and develop custom Hydraulic Integrated Circuits (HICs) and system solutions based on customer specifications.
Create and interpret hydraulic schematics, layouts, and supporting technical documentation.
Lead technically complex customer applications from concept through implementation and validation.
Provide hands-on troubleshooting and technical support for customers, distributors, field personnel, and internal teams.
Conduct testing, analyze performance data, and prepare engineering reports and recommendations.
Support product integration, validation, and application testing activities.
Collaborate with Design Engineering, Product Management, Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing, and Sales teams to resolve technical challenges and improve product performance.
Communicate technical concepts and solutions effectively to customers, sales managers, and engineering teams.
Investigate root causes of technical issues and recommend corrective actions.
Serve as a technical resource and subject matter expert for hydraulic products, systems, and applications.
Mentor, coach, and assist in training and developing junior Applications Engineers and other technical team members.
Support customer visits, field evaluations, trade shows, and technical training activities as required.
Maintain awareness of industry trends, competitor technologies, and emerging hydraulic applications.
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, engineering standards, and best practices.
Perform other duties as assigned.