Application Engineer -Columbia/Okura

At Columbia we come to work every day driven by the belief that innovation can transform industries, empower communities, and create a more efficient, sustainable world. With operations spanning five continents and a commitment to excellence in service and support, our purpose extends beyond engineering advanced equipment. We are pioneering innovation and paving a better tomorrow with factory automation solutions worldwide.

About the role

Reporting to the Sales Operations Manager, this position is part of a cross-functional commercial and technical team. This role plays a critical function in translating customer business objectives, operational requirements, and site constraints into practical, executable solutions. The Application Engineer works directly with sales, channel partners, internal teams, suppliers, and end customers to execute technical discovery, solution development, and proposal validation. The individual in this role will bring a collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset to develop accurate, executable proposals that align with organizational capabilities and customer expectations.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Sales throughout the opportunity lifecycle to ensure alignment between customer requirements, solution direction, and commercial strategy.
• Jointly perform technical discovery, including site assessments, system requirements definition, and evaluation of field conditions to develop viable solutions with the Sales Partner.
• Lead technical solution development activities, ensuring customer requirements, site conditions, and application challenges are clearly defined and addressed.
• Serve as the primary technical authority for solution architecture, component selection, and system approach during the pre-sale process.
• Develop and validate technical concepts, layouts, equipment configurations, and system approaches that meet customer needs while aligning with engineering and manufacturing capabilities.
• Lead technical engagement with suppliers, technology partners, and channel partners to evaluate capabilities, validate solution compatibility, and support solution development.
• Work cross-functionally with Engineering, Production, Supply Chain, and Service teams to confirm feasibility, timelines, and resource requirements for proposed solutions.
• Identify and communicate technical risks, assumptions, constraints, and information gaps that may impact solution feasibility or execution.
• Develop technical proposals, including system descriptions, layouts, and supporting documentation; participate in customer presentations.
• Ensure proposal integrity by reviewing and validating that technical solutions, assumptions, and scope definitions are accurate, complete, and aligned with company standards and execution capabilities.
• Contribute to resource planning by identifying technical scope, complexity, and inputs required for successful project execution, including installation and commissioning considerations.
• Support continuous improvement by providing feedback on product performance, application challenges, and opportunities for standardization based on customer and field experience.
• Travel as required to support customer engagement, site evaluations, solution validation, channel partner support, and project support activities.

Qualifications

• Associate degree, vocational, or technical certification in Engineering, CAD, or a related field required.
• Bachelor’s degree (Engineering or related technical field) preferred.
• Experience in applications engineering, technical sales support, or system design preferred.
• Bilingual/Multilingual (Spanish) preferred.

Skills

• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.)
• CAD Tools (e.g., AutoCAD, Inventor, or equivalent)
• CRM or business systems (experience preferred)
• Written and oral communication
• Technical problem solving and solution development
• Analytical thinking and attention to detail
• Project and process awareness
• Customer orientation and collaboration
• Cross-functional teamwork
• Critical thinking and decision-making
• Technical presentation and documentation

Abilities

• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional environment.
• Ability to translate customer needs into technical solutions.
• Ability to balance technical requirements with business and operational constraints.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate: Vancouver, WA 98661. Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required). Work Location: In person.