Application Engineer I - Chicago

Festo inspires people and organizations around the world with innovative solutions for industrial automation. As an independent family business, we offer employees the opportunity to take bold steps, realize their ideas, and take on responsibility. As a team, we grow by tackling challenges together.

About the role

The Application Engineer (Level I) supports sales as a technical partner by providing application and technology expertise. This customer-facing role spends approximately 50–70% of their time at customer sites, working alongside Sales Representatives to support solution development, participate in technical discussions, and understand customer needs. The role contributes to customer solutions by assisting in technical discussions, supporting proposal development, and learning how to connect technical solutions to customer needs and business value.

Responsibilities

• Provides basic technical support to sales and customers on applications and production processes in factory and process automation
• Supports the development of customer-specific solutions, ensuring technical feasibility and alignment with standard products and application requirements
• Assists in identifying and qualifying opportunities by understanding customer applications, production challenges, and business needs
• Observes customer processes and recognizes potential improvement or expansion opportunities, communicating insights clearly to Sales Engineers
• Documents customer observations and opportunity signals and shares them with the sales team to support pipeline development
• Contributes technical input to proposals, considering both technical feasibility and basic customer value drivers (e.g., performance, reliability, efficiency)
• Supports the creation of requirement specifications together with the customer and internal teams
• Acts as a supporting interface between the customer and internal teams, including Sales, Project Engineering, and Product Management, under guidance
• Provides technical training and knowledge transfer to customers for relevant products and applications
• Supports Product Management with application and customer insights that may influence future product development (Voice of the Customer)
• Assists in project identification and execution, contributing to winning efforts through technical support and application knowledge
• Supports installation and commissioning activities and contributes to troubleshooting efforts under guidance
• Begins to identify standardized or custom applications and functional solutions to fulfill customer needs, under guidance
• Observes customer applications and processes to recognize opportunities for improvement, optimization, or expansion, sharing insights with the sales team
• Supports discussions on machine concepts and application approaches, contributing ideas to optimize performance and align with customer requirements
• Demonstrates curiosity and openness to new technologies and solutions, promoting relevant products when appropriate
• Supports the introduction of new products by assisting with customer training and early application use
• Contributes to the transition from legacy to new products by supporting recommended alternatives in solutions
• Begins to understand how standardized solutions and repeat applications can be used to increase efficiency and scalability across customers
• Works closely with Sales Engineers and Key Account Managers to support customer interactions, sharing technical information and contributing to opportunity discussions
• Collaborates with Distribution and internal solution teams to support technical solution development and ensure alignment with customer requirements
• Interfaces with Customer Solutions, Technical Support, and Engineering teams to provide and receive technical input needed for project execution and troubleshooting
• Participates in customer discussions and site visits, supporting technical conversations, asking questions to understand customer needs, and gathering relevant application information
• Communicates effectively with customers’ technical stakeholders (e.g., engineers, maintenance, operations) to clarify requirements and support solution development under guidance
• Has occasional interaction with external partners, such as system integrators or suppliers, to support technical alignment and information exchange
• Clearly communicates customer observations, technical findings, and potential opportunities to internal stakeholders and supports follow-up actions on identified opportunities in coordination with Sales
• Demonstrates a learning mindset by actively seeking guidance, feedback, and coaching from more experienced team members
• Builds collaborative working relationships with Sales Engineers and team members by sharing information, supporting discussions, and aligning on customer needs
• Shares technical knowledge and customer insights with colleagues to support team learning and improve solution quality
• Takes ownership of assigned tasks and follows through reliably to support team deliverables and customer commitments

Requirements

• Up to 2 years of experience in engineering, industrial automation, manufacturing, or related field
• Internship, co-op, or hands-on project experience in automation or controls is beneficial
• Fluent in English

Skills

• Basic understanding of industrial automation concepts, including:
  • Sensors, actuators, and control systems
  • PLC fundamentals and logic concepts
  • Basic motion control and pneumatic systems
• Exposure (academic or practical) to:
  • PLC programming environments or simulation tools
  • Industrial communication concepts (e.g., Ethernet-based systems, fieldbus basics)
  • CAD or basic mechanical/electrical design tools
• Developing ability to:
  • Interpret technical drawings and system layouts
  • Assist in selecting and sizing basic components
  • Support troubleshooting with guidance
• Basic understanding of how technical solutions support customer applications and processes
• Awareness of:
  • Customer production challenges
  • Efficiency, reliability, and performance considerations
• Ability to:
  • Recognize potential improvement opportunities during customer interactions
  • Communicate observations and insights clearly to internal teams
• Strong willingness to learn and develop technical and business skills
• Basic communication skills: Able to explain technical concepts clearly
• Comfortable interacting with internal teams and customers with guidance
• Ability to:
  • Work collaboratively in cross-functional teams
  • Manage assigned tasks and follow through on deliverables

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Flexible Spending Programs
• Short-term and Long-term disability
• 401k
• Pet Insurance
• Paid Holidays
• Paid time off
• Educational assistance

Additional global benefits include diverse opportunities for development, a strong team environment, freedom to drive ideas forward, and the ability to develop innovative solutions with real impact within a global network of a family-owned company.

Pay

The annual base pay range for this role is between $85,000 - $100,000.