Mechanical Application Engineer - #22544

Mechanical Application Engineer

Location: Washington, MO
Type: Direct Hire | Full-Time | Onsite
Compensation: Competitive and commensurate with experience
Travel: Up to 25% to customer locations

Our client, a global leader in industrial manufacturing, is seeking a Mechanical Application Engineer to develop custom abrasive air-blast and surface-preparation solutions for customers across a range of industrial applications.

This is a customer-facing technical role that works at the intersection of sales, engineering, manufacturing, and project management. You will evaluate customer needs, define the technical requirements for their application, recommend equipment and process solutions, and develop proposals that support production, quality, and business objectives.

The ideal candidate brings strong mechanical aptitude, technical communication skills, and the ability to turn complex customer needs into practical, high-value engineered solutions.

What You’ll Do

• Evaluate customer applications and identify the appropriate abrasive blasting process, media, equipment, and operating parameters.

• Partner with customers and field sales teams to understand application requirements, surface-preparation specifications, production targets, and the customer’s Job to Be Done.

• Develop technical proposals, project estimates, equipment recommendations, and general arrangement drawings.

• Support both manual and automated blasting-system opportunities from initial concept through commissioning.

• Serve as a technical resource for customers, distributors, field sales, engineering, manufacturing, and project-management teams.

• Participate in customer meetings and site visits to gather technical information, define project scope, and present proposed solutions.

• Collaborate with engineering and manufacturing to ensure proposed equipment aligns with design capabilities, build standards, lead times, and strategic product direction.

• Help prioritize sales opportunities and support compelling value propositions for target markets and strategic customers.

• Analyze customer pain points and recommend solutions that improve productivity, quality, safety, and process performance.

• Support continuous-improvement efforts by identifying opportunities to standardize processes, improve productivity, and strengthen solution delivery.

• Communicate technical recommendations clearly through written proposals, drawings, presentations, and customer discussions.

• Engage in constructive problem-solving discussions to achieve practical, mutually beneficial solutions.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field.

• Experience in application engineering, mechanical engineering, technical sales, project engineering, estimating, or custom equipment solutions.

• Ability to read and interpret technical specifications, engineering drawings, and customer requirements.

• Working knowledge of AutoCAD; experience creating or reviewing general arrangement drawings is preferred.

• Experience preparing technical proposals and cost estimates for engineered-to-order or custom equipment solutions.

• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.

• Ability to build credibility with customers, distributors, sales teams, and internal engineering/manufacturing partners.

• Strong organization skills with the ability to manage multiple opportunities, priorities, and commitment dates.

• Willingness to travel up to 25% to customer locations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with abrasive blasting, air-blast systems, surface preparation, coatings, metal finishing, or related industrial processes.

• Experience supporting automated equipment, material-handling systems, industrial machinery, or custom manufacturing equipment.

• Knowledge of Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or process optimization.

• Familiarity with CRM, ERP, quoting, or project-management systems.

• Prior experience working directly with distributors, end users, or technical sales teams.