Applications Engineer II

Thorlabs Inc

Lafayette, CO

JOB DETAILS
SKILLS
Benchmarking, Bridge Building, Business Support, Civil Engineering, Communication Skills, Continuous Improvement, Cross-Functional, Customer Acquisition, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems, Customer/Client Research, Documentation, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), Electronics, Market Trend Analysis, Marketing, Marketing/Promotional Messaging, Organizational Skills, Performance Analysis, Photonics, Product Demonstration, Product Development, Product Requirements Document (PRD), Prototyping, Record Keeping, Requirements Management, Sales, Software Development, Software Engineering, Support Documentation, Technical Leadership, Technical Support, Technical Writing, Technology White Papers, Testing, Time Management, Track Customer Issues, Trade Shows, Willing to Travel, Writing Skills
LOCATION
Lafayette, CO
POSTED
9 days ago

At Thorlabs, we design and manufacture components, instruments, and systems that transform the world by identifying, enabling, and accelerating key photonics (i.e., light-based) technologies. Backed by a dedicated workforce of more than 3,000 employees worldwide, Thorlabs contributes to cutting-edge research and real-world innovation.

Whether you're early in your career or bringing years of experience, you'll find opportunities to grow, take ownership, and make meaningful contributions from day one. We know every employee brings unique talents and perspectives that fuel our success, and we seek driven individuals who are excited to make an impact in a fun, fast-moving culture.

The Applications Engineer II role exists to translate customer needs and market insights into well-defined product requirements, primarily for our growing lab electronics portfolio, while ensuring new products deliver clear performance advantages. This position bridges engineering, sales, and customers by testing and validating prototypes, demonstrating product capabilities through demos and technical content, and capturing real-world feedback to guide continuous improvement. The role also ensures responsive, organized customer support by managing technical inquiries and maintaining accurate records, helping drive both product innovation and customer success. The position is in Lafayette, CO but will also require travel to tradeshows or to other Thorlabs locations from time to time.

  • Develop and document product requirements for new lab electronics products based on customer needs, market trends, and application insights.
  • Evaluate and benchmark prototype designs against competitive market solutions
  • Plan and execute structured testing of prototypes and translate results into actionable engineering feedback.
  • Design and build compelling product demonstrations for tradeshows, customer visits, and internal reviews.
  • Author technical whitepapers, application notes, and performance reports that clearly communicate product capabilities and advantages.
  • Gather customer feedback, application challenges, and new product ideas through direct engagement at trade shows.
  • Coordinate and deliver timely, high-quality responses to customer technical inquiries, ensuring accurate documentation in CRM systems.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, marketing, and sales to align product requirements, messaging, and go-to-market activities.
  • Maintain accurate records of customer engagements, opportunities, and technical issues within ERP/CRM tools to support business visibility.
  • Develop application and support documentation to enable effective product adoption and customer success.

The company retains the right to change or assign other duties to this position.

About the Company

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Thorlabs Inc

Thorlabs, Inc. is a broad based photonics technologies company. Its product portfolio covers an extensive array of products ranging from simple optical and mechanical components to integrated test and measurement systems. Thorlabs' catalog products are produced in manufacturing centers in the USA, Germany, Japan, Sweden and the United Kingdom. As photonic devices push into new markets, Thorlabs' plan is to enter early with support equipment and services that are required to ensure the ultimate success of our customers.

COMPANY SIZE
1,500 to 1,999 employees
INDUSTRY
Manufacturing - Other
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Employee Referral Program, Flexible Spending Accounts, Employee Events, Tuition Reimbursement, Merchandise Discounts, Paid Sick Days, Parking, Performance Bonus, Prescription Drug Coverage, Professional Development, 401K
FOUNDED
1989
WEBSITE
http://www.thorlabs.com