Senior Customer Support Engineer

Cognex Corporation • Natick, MA

8d • Hybrid

About The Position

Cognex is an international industrial machine vision company that develops vision and ID systems using optics, image sensors, and artificial intelligence software. The company describes its culture as inclusive, equitable, dynamic, and guided by “Work Hard, Play Hard, Move Fast.” The position follows a hybrid schedule of three days in the office and two days at home and is based in the Eastern or Central time zone.

The Senior Technical Support Engineer provides remote support for Cognex-designed systems and solutions used by system integrators and direct end-user customers. The role has substantial customer interaction and is responsible for delivering a high level of customer service and satisfaction. Typical applications include parcel and pallet conveyors, sorters, in-motion scales, dimensioners, label printer/applicators, scanners, sensors, and PLC controls software.

The engineer provides front-line technical guidance, investigates and reproduces reported issues, resolves problems or offers workarounds, and coordinates with global support, engineering, and product marketing teams as needed. The role also maintains case records and customer updates, develops and reviews technical knowledge resources, keeps product knowledge current through training, and contributes to continuous improvement of support processes. The position may include training junior team members.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a technical field, or equivalent work experience.
• 4–6 years of related technical support experience in electronics, robotics, manufacturing, automation, or IT industries.
• English proficiency, spoken and written.
• Ability to travel internationally as required.
• Ability to speak on the phone for extended periods.
• Ability to use computer equipment or work in an office environment.
• Strong attention to detail, communication, teamwork, organization, and note-taking skills; ability to prioritize, multitask, work under pressure, and hand off cases effectively.
• Ability to guide customers in using Cognex products and explain complex technical issues in understandable terms.
• Ability to maintain composure and professionalism with different customer types, listen actively, show empathy, build customer relationships, de-escalate frustration, set realistic expectations, and explain product capabilities.
• Specialized knowledge of image processing, analysis, and deep learning techniques.
• Advanced knowledge of machine vision systems, optics, and lighting techniques.
• Expertise in relevant Cognex products and technologies, including DataMan barcode reading, In-Sight platforms, VisionPro, and Deep Learning.
• Advanced knowledge of networking and industrial communication protocols such as TCP, FTP, EIP, DeviceNet, Profinet, SLMP, and Modbus.
• Ability to replicate setups, reproduce complex issues, resolve difficult problems efficiently, and identify what information to request from customers.
• Advanced knowledge of factory automation processes, industrial controls, industrial robotic controls, and general PLC ladder logic programming.
• Deep understanding of software programming and debugging for script-based and object-oriented applications.
• Ability to read and interpret complex wiring and engineering diagrams and programming documentation.
• Advanced knowledge of programming languages used by Cognex, including JavaScript, C#, C++, and VB.
• Practical hands-on knowledge of electronics, electrical circuits, hardware, and wiring.
• Ability to determine when to escalate a case and what information to include in an escalation.

Nice To Haves

• Prior customer service experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert front-line product support through web submissions and phone calls by asking troubleshooting questions, clarifying customer questions, and directing customers to useful resources.
• Maintain high customer satisfaction through timely, attentive, polite interactions and consistent communication and case updates.
• Ensure appropriate equipment is available to set up common troubleshooting use cases.
• Reproduce reported issues and resolve them or provide suitable workarounds.
• Create, update, and close CRM cases; maintain coherent case notes and capture relevant information.
• Develop and maintain technical bulletins and knowledge base articles for complex problems for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Coordinate with the global technical support group to troubleshoot issues and facilitate timely resolution.
• Create internal FAQs and share them with the Technical Support Team; review FAQs created by junior team members.
• Escalate product issues to engineering and product marketing, report product and manual bugs, and respond to engineering requests for additional customer setup information or troubleshooting.
• Participate in technical training to keep skills current with technology, products, industry standards, and trends.
• May deliver training to junior team members.
• Drive continuous improvement of technical support processes based on employee and customer feedback.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching
• Employer-paid disability insurance
• Family leave
• Life insurance
• Paid time off, including holidays
• Optional voluntary benefits
• Recognition programs
• Wellness programs
• Annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance or a sales incentive plan

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior