Application Engineering Manager

GENERAL SUMMARY

The Application Engineering Manager will lead the applications engineering team at Kraft Mobile Systems, driving innovation and alignment with sales objectives in hydraulics, electric drives, and electronic controls for the off-highway mobile equipment market.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND TASKS

• Manage the application engineering team, including hiring, training, and performance evaluations.
• Plan and allocate resources effectively, balancing workloads to ensure engineering projects are completed on time, within budget, and to customer specifications.
• Stay informed of industry trends, engaging with the industry and suppliers through visits, trade shows, etc., to advocate for needs, evaluate offerings, and source innovative solutions.
• Promote and develop team skills to adopt new technologies, aligning technical offerings with evolving market needs.
• Collaborate with sales and customers to translate needs into engineering solutions that foster satisfaction and customer adoption of new technologies.
• Coordinate efforts with diverse stakeholders, including the engineering team, sales leadership, and external partners, to deliver impactful solutions.
• Troubleshoot technical issues to a successful resolution for customers, assisting in securing design specifications and collateral materials as needed.
• Participate in and support client system start-ups at client-requested sites.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is performed onsite at Strongsville, OH, with occasional travel to customer sites, supplier meetings, and industry events as needed. The environment is fast-paced and responsive, balancing multiple priorities based on customer and market demands, with regular collaboration across the engineering team, sales leadership, and external partners.

EFFORT

Must be self-starting and able to bring projects to completion without constant oversight, demonstrating strategic thinking and adaptability in a dynamic, customer-driven setting.

MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT

• Laptop computer
• Software: CAD (Solidworks or AutoCAD), programming platforms (Danfoss Plus+1 Guide)
• CRM systems for workload coordination
• Microsoft Office
• Hydraulic and electrical test equipment and tools

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in application engineering or a related field, with at least 5 years of leadership experience managing technical teams, budgets, and resources.
• Strong proficiency in hydraulic systems (design, troubleshooting, principles) and electric drive systems (architecture, motor control, sizing, interfacing) for off-highway mobile applications.
• Proficiency in programming electronic controls (e.g., Danfoss Plus+1 Guide) and familiarity with CAD software (Solidworks or AutoCAD).

SPECIALIZED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• Certified Fluid Power Hydraulic Specialist certification from the International Fluid Power Society is highly preferred.
• Exceptional organizational and leadership skills, with the ability to manage and motivate a technical team while fostering employee development.
• Strong technical expertise in hydraulics, electronic machine controls, and electric drives, with the ability to evaluate and integrate emerging technologies.
• Excellent communicator with a collaborative mindset, adept at working with sales, customers, and suppliers to align technical offerings with market needs.
• Well-organized, self-directed, and proactive.
• Forward-thinking professional with high ethical standards, capable of operating autonomously in a customer-focused, employee-owned environment.