Position Overview 

The Application Engineer provides technical expertise to internal & external customers and suppliers for material & product design, testing, qualification, certification and approval with key OEM, end user, distribution channels and industry bodies. 

The Applications Engineer will direct and undertake the development of new & existing products and services within PPE with respect to product selection, design, material specification, quality and service requirements in a diverse range of markets – including semi-conductor, energy, life-sciences, marine propulsion and similar industries. 

The Applications Engineer will work closely with relevant sales channels and strategic customers to understand current and future industry requirements. This will emphasise PPE’s brand as a provider of innovative engineered sealing solutions and align the business for growth. 

The ideal candidate must have a strong engineering acumen and the ability to view things from a customer’s perspective. They must also have either experience with the design of polymeric sealing technologies, or experience using polymeric seals within a target market sector. 

Key Responsibilities 

Technical Support & Application Expertise 

• Provide advanced engineering support for PPE products and services, including elastomeric & thermoplastic seals, and custom sealing systems. 

• Review customer technical requirements, specifications, and operating conditions to recommend optimal seal designs. 

• Provide detailed technical proposals, product recommendations, product designs, and material selections based on customer and industry requirements. 

• Oversee failure analysis, root cause investigations, and corrective action recommendations. 

•  Prepare detailed manufacturing drawings including appropriate tolerances, limits and fits for non-O-Ring product. 

Customer & Commercial Support 

• Attend customer meetings, technical reviews, and site visits as needed to provide expert consultation. 

•  Support the sales teams to ensure timely and accurate response to RFQs (Request For Quotation) through the CRM system. 

•  Deliver technical presentations including generic and specialised training courses to internal & external customers and suppliers. 

•  Manage and control SKU’s for through J.D Edwards. 

Product Development & Innovation 

•  Work with customers, sales and product management functions to develop detailed and relevant specifications for new product developments. 

•  Work closely with R&D and manufacturing functions along with identified third parties to develop materials, products and services. Ensures that new and existing products meet customer and industry requirements. 

• Work with sales functions to leverage the commercial opportunities resulting from the qualification of new & existing products and services. 

• Identify emerging technological, political and market trends to enhancing the product portfolio. 

• Build a detailed understanding of customer & industry requirements and competitor offerings for sealing materials, products and services within target segments. 

• Provides voice of customer to contribute to development of product strategy and product development roadmaps.  

Qualifications 

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, related discipline or equivalent professional qualification. 

• Experience in either designing, developing and validating elastomeric sealing solutions or having experience working with polymeric sealing products in the semi-conductor, energy, life-sciences, marine propulsion or similar industries. 

Technical Skills 

• Knowledge of polymeric sealing materials (e. g. elastomers, thermoplastics, composites) and associated manufacturing processes. 

• Competent user of 3D CAD systems (familiarity with SolidWorks would be an advantage), engineering analysis tools (e. g. FEA and FSD systems) and Microsoft Office products. 

• Understanding of mechanical design principles, including materials technology, stress analysis, fluid dynamics, tribology and thermodynamics. 

• Ability to understand customer and industry technical requirements including the interpretation of engineering drawings (geometry, dimensions, tolerances etc) and material/product and test specifications. Able to disseminate those requirements throughout the organisation. 

Soft Skills 

• Able to effectively communicate engineering details to both technically and non-technically minded people. 

• Customer-centric mindset, able to appreciate the specific factors for success in target sectors. 

•  Experience with problem solving techniques and proven ability to solve complex engineering problems. 

• Strong project management, planning, prioritisation, and decision-making skills.  

• Ability to work effectively in a transnational, cross-functional environment including travelling domestically & internationally when required. 

Key Performance Indicators 

•  Customer satisfaction and responsiveness metrics.  

•  On-time delivery of technical support and engineering solutions. 

•  Quality and effectiveness of engineering recommendations and failure analyses. 

•  Contribution to sales growth and product innovation initiatives.