Product Application Engineer

Schneider Electric•Baltimore, MD

8h•Onsite

About The Position

The Project Application Engineer (PAE) – Drives serves as the technical owner for motor control and variable frequency drive (VFD) solutions, supporting opportunities from pre‑sales through early project execution. This role ensures Drive system architectures are safe, compliant, properly sized, and executable, acting as the technical bridge between Sales, Project Management, and Engineering. The PAE protects the customer, project execution, and Drives portfolio by ensuring only buildable, technically defensible solutions progress into execution.

Requirements

LV and/or MV VFD systems and motor control applications
Industrial applications and process understanding
IEC / IEEE standards related to drives and power quality
Strong technical communication and stakeholder management skills

Responsibilities

Own end‑to‑end Drives system architecture, including: LV and MV VFDs, Transformers, line reactors, and filters, Bypass schemes and control architectures
Validate application suitability based on process conditions, environment, and duty cycle
Own technical assumptions, risks, exclusions, and deviations related to Drives scope
Ensure compliance with: Customer specifications, IEC / IEEE standards (harmonics, EMC, insulation, etc.), Schneider Electric Drives application and portfolio rules
Review customer technical specifications and process requirements
Validate: Drive and motor compatibility, Constant/variable torque duty cycles, Environmental conditions (ambient temperature, altitude, enclosure type)
Assess application‑specific risks, including: Harmonics, Motor compatibility, Bypass, redundancy, and cooling requirements
Support Sales during technical discussions with customers
Define overall Drives solution architecture, including: Drive topology, Input/output filtering, Control philosophy and communication approach
Ensure alignment with standard and approved Schneider Electric Drives offerings
Review and approve concept‑level documentation: Functional descriptions, Single‑line and concept diagrams, Control and interlock philosophies
Lead or support the technical handover for Drives scope
Document and communicate: Application constraints, Technical assumptions and exclusions, Known risks (harmonics, motor stress, cooling, bypass design)
Support early execution phases to prevent rework and late‑stage changes
Collaborate closely with: Sales: Enable feasible, win‑ready technical solutions, Project Managers: Provide clear scope definition and risk visibility, Engineering & Factories: Promote standard, repeatable Designs
Challenge non‑standard or high‑risk Drive applications
Capture and share lessons learned within the Drives community