Application Engineer

Shively Diversified Management Services•Auburn Hills, MI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Applications Engineer is responsible for hands-on demonstration of CNC machine capability, customer application validation, cycle-time proving, and technical feasibility support for sales. This role plays a direct role in order conversion by ensuring machining performance, process integrity, and technical commitments are accurate, achievable, and defensible. This is a shop-floor, demo-driven technical role requiring strong machining, programming, and customer-facing skills.

Requirements

Diploma, Associate’s, or Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Manufacturing Engineering, or equivalent machining experience.
5–12 years of hands-on CNC machining, setup, and programming experience.
Strong knowledge of cutting tools, fixturing, and machining processes (turning, milling, multitasking, 5-axis preferred).
Experience with Fanuc, Siemens, or similar CNC control platforms.
Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to customers and sales teams.
Comfortable working in a demo-driven, customer-facing technical sales environment.

Responsibilities

Operate, set up, and manage CNC demo machines at the Tech Centre.
Conduct customer part prove-outs, machining trials, and test cuts.
Validate cycle time, accuracy, surface finish, and process repeatability within acceptable tolerances.
Ensure demo machines remain calibrated, properly tooled, and ready for customer demonstrations.
Develop machining process plans, tooling lists, and setup concepts.
Define cutting parameters, fixturing, workholding, and inspection approach.
Support Sales Engineers during RFQs, technical reviews, and customer meetings.
Validate application feasibility prior to quotation release to ensure technical commitments are achievable.
Provide technical leadership during sales meetings and customer presentations.
Clearly explain machine capabilities, process advantages, and application limits.
Address and counter competitor technical claims with data-driven justification.
Ensure all technical commitments accurately reflect real-world machine performance.
Train customers on machine operation, programming fundamentals, and best practices.
Support first-article trials and initial optimization following installation when required.
Ensure a clear and complete technical handover to the Service team.
Maintain application records, cutting data, demo results, and process documentation.
Document lessons learned from demos, trials, and customer applications.
Participate in technical review meetings and contribute improvement ideas.