Business Overview
KPS Global (KPSG) is the North American industry leader in the manufacture, production, and installation of custom enclosures for controlled environments. KPSG’s end-product serves many channels within the retail food market like walk-in coolers and freezers as well as industrial applications with lab rooms, test chambers, pump houses, warehouses, and more recently our INSTAWALL product.
KPSG is based in Fort Worth, Texas with engineering activities centralized in the Fort Worth facility (along with Finance, Human Resources, Customer Operations, Sales, and Installation Services), supporting product manufacturing in five locations across the southern US: San Dimas, CA; Fort Worth, TX; Conyers, GA; Piney Flats, TN; and Goodyear, AZ.
We value our outstanding people who are deeply committed to providing innovative, high-quality service to clients from coast-to-coast. As a member of the KPS team, you’ll be part of an exciting and modern company culture where you will enjoy professional flexibility and benefit from an environment where creativity, innovation, and hard work are rewarded.
Summary
KPS Global is looking for an Application Engineering Manager to join the Industrial team.
The Application Engineering Manager will provide leadership, technical support and problem solving in a cross-functional team environment. They will support outside and inside sales with specifications, provide solutions and new configurations and explain technical products. They will support inside sales, design and engineering by being the first line technical expert for all quotes and jobs through each stage of the sales cycle to ensure an excellent customer experience by meeting specs/expectations, reducing red-lining, and minimizing quality issues. This role will also manage a team of two other application engineers with opportunities to continue to develop the team to meet organizational growth.
Required Skills
Job Responsibilities
- Manage, lead, and train the application engineering team
- Provide guidance on best practices on team’s responsibilities
- Continuously improve processes and interactions with internal and external customers
- Analyze incoming quote requests and ensure we are providing an optimized solution that fits our customer’s needs and reduces revisions and/or red-lines once quotes are submitted
- Be an expert in the company’s custom industrial products and applications across end-markets
- Support outside sales on customer calls to explain the best technical use of our products and optimal designs for their applications
- Work directly with end-users and architects to help them write specifications that meet codes and utilize KPS products
- Learn the difference in the company’s products vs. competitor’s offerings and provide expert advice on the advantages of the company’s products in specific applications
- Assist inside sales reps with all technical aspects of projects to ensure accuracy of quotes, accuracy of jobs and timely deliveries
- Maintain expert knowledge on industry trends, building codes and structural requirements
- Assists general contractors and architects in writing specifications that adhere to codes and promotes KPS products
- Work with marketing to help develop content including total cost of ownership calculators, jobsite pictures, and other tools/resources
- Provide technical training to customers on how to best use our products and how to write specifications
Required Experience
Education And Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or equivalent – Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Materials Engineering or equivalent working experience.
- 5± years’ experience in engineering or project management, preferably in cold storage or walk-in coolers and freezers
- Preferred experience as an application engineer in construction or building materials industries
- Direct Sales experience is a plus
- Strong analytical skills and an ability to be a resource for knowledge regarding the limitations and applications of the product, including electrical familiarity, and basic understanding of a manufacturing environment
- Technical/Professional knowledge & skills that include creating demand through insight, influencing, planning & organizing, decision making, active learning, advancing sales discussions, building customer loyalty, and building trusting relationships
- Comfortable with engineering terminology and a proven ability to complete geometric and trigonometric calculations, as well as read blueprints and basic wiring diagrams
- Well-developed interpersonal skills enabling teamwork via clear verbal and written communication
- Experience with basic properties of steel, wood, and urethane in addition to general knowledge of construction and carpentry preferred
- Proven ability to conceptualize 2D and 3D forms
- Experience managing a team
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to be a self-starter and work independently
- Experience with Inventor, AutoCAD, Microsoft Project, and Creo a plus