Applications Engineer

Join our team as an
Applications Engineer!
This is a HYBRID role - onsite Tuesday-Thursday in Raleigh, NC. 
The Applications Engineer plays a pivotal role in helping customers bring innovative products to life by evaluating manufacturing opportunities across CNC machining, 3D printing, injection molding, and sheet metal fabrication. Acting as a trusted technical advisor, this role reviews customer drawings, 3D CAD models, RFQs, and quality requirements to ensure manufacturability, optimize outcomes, and mitigate risk. Working closely with Sales, Operations, and customers, the Applications Engineer delivers expert guidance throughout the quoting and production process, helping customers confidently move from concept to production while showcasing the full value of Protolabs' manufacturing solutions.

What You Will Do:

· Maintain strong customer service support by answering customer phone calls, emails, and chat questions

· Provide pre-sale technical guidance and consultative design support to customers and internal partners

· Support Sales activities and customer meetings including webinars, design reviews, and plant tours for non-strategic customers

· Maintain 4-hour response guidelines set on all customer (internal and external) communications.

· Gain a solid understanding of the customer’s technical requirements, design flexibility, project timeline, and product volume needs to recommend appropriate options within Protolabs factory and network offering.

· Deliver Design for Manufacturability feedback and provide innovative solutions for customer projects

· Thoroughly review and evaluate customer 3D CAD data, technical drawings, and RFQ’s to communicate customer requirements and ensure accurate quote information

· Manage risk by evaluating customer requirements, communicating expectations, and ensuring product fulfillment aligns with the appropriate product offering and manufacturing capabilities of Protolabs factory or network

· Coordinates with cross-functional partners to ensure customer requirements are communicated to downstream stakeholders for accurate order intake and product fulfillment

· Support Sales Enablement in creation and delivery of technical training to Sales

· Assist the customer in working through recommended or required changes to their 3D CAD model to help them take advantage of Protolabs’ services and value.

· Balance the objective of satisfying the customer requests with the potential of downstream risks to deliver acceptable parts on schedule.

· Effectively uses all work instructions and associated documentation when evaluating customer quotes.

· Local trade show support may be require

What You Bring:

· BS in Engineering and 2+ years of related work experience or 5+ years of directly related work experience in an engineering or manufacturing role

· Experience in a technical, customer-facing or sales support role is preferred

· Direct experience in CNC machining, 3D Printing, or Injection molding

· Experience and working knowledge of one or more of the above and Sheet Metal fabrication is a plus

· Technical aptitude with ability to communicate technical information to others at various levels

· Able to read technical engineering drawings and understand fundamental requirements

· Experience with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) is desirable

· Experience with modeling/revising 3-D solid model in native CAD software is desirable

· Strong customer relationship skills with an ability to build rapport, gain trust, and deliver effective communication

· Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work well within a team and with cross-functional partners

· Strong computer skills (MS Office applications), including experience with a CRM software.

Preferred Qualifications:

· Experience working in or with the drone/aviation industry

What's In It For You:

- We offer a competitive salary and total rewards package

- We offer amazing benefits including but not limited to:
- Health Insurance: Traditional OR High Deductible plan

- Flexible Spending Accounts

- Health Savings Account (including employer contributions)

- Dental and Vision

- Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance

- Short-Term and Long-Term Disability

- Paid caregiver leave

- You will receive at least 3 weeks of PTO + Wellness + Holiday Pay + Volunteer Hours

- 401k with company match and immediate vest

- Employee Stock Purchase Program at a discounted rate

- Matching grants through Protolabs foundation

- And More!

Proto Labs maintains ITAR-compliant operations in all of our United States based facilities.  Due to ITAR regulations, this role is only open to U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders) or foreign nationals granted refugee or asylee status.  Individuals with temporary visas (e.g. E, F-1, H-1, H-2, L, B, J, TN or OPT) are not eligible for hire in this role.
 
Proto Labs, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer
 
Physical Demands:
While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use a computer keyboard, monitor and mouse, telephone and printer; reach with hands, and arms, talk, see and hear.  The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, stoop or kneel and must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
Work Environment:
Indoors (A/C); nonsmoking; the majority of this job function is performed in an office setting requiring normal safety precautions. However, there may be job duties that require the employee to spend time in the manufacturing areas exposed to machinery and noise; eye protection occasionally required. Occasionally works in outside weather conditions. Occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and in high, precarious places and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, risk of electrical shock and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.

Protolabs offers a competitive total rewards package, and compensation mix vary based on position, such as base wage, as well as other earnings including incentives and commissions. Actual pay offered will vary depending on multiple factors which may include, without limitation, job function, work experience, specialized skills, training, education, and certifications.