Principal Application Engineer

Description

JOB PURPOSE or JOB SUMMARY:

The Principal Application Engineer serves as JEM's technical authority for hydraulic and electro-hydraulic systems, leading the development of innovative products and solving complex customer application challenges. This position provides technical leadership across new product development, advanced application engineering, prototype validation, and field support while establishing engineering best practices and mentoring engineers across the organization.

Working across Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and key customers, the Principal Application Engineer translates emerging market needs into new products, validates advanced hydraulic systems, and resolves the company's most technically challenging application issues.

Unlike a management role, this position leads primarily through technical expertise, innovation, and influence rather than direct personnel supervision.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

New Product Development

• Lead development of new hydraulic components, assemblies, and integrated systems from concept through validation and production launch.
• Define technical requirements, system architecture, validation plans, and performance criteria.
• Lead design reviews, technical risk assessments, prototype evaluations, and product validation activities.
• Identify opportunities for new products, technologies, and improvements based on customer and market needs.

Design & Documentation

• Create and review hydraulic schematics, 3D CAD models, 2D drawings, system layouts, and technical specifications.
• Lead integration of valves, manifolds, sensors, actuators, and control components.
• Maintain accurate engineering documentation within PDM and ERP systems.
• Lead or support engineering change processes and development of design standards and best practices.

Machine & Field Support

• Lead troubleshooting of complex customer machine issues, field failures, prototype concerns, and production problems.
• Perform system-level root-cause analysis using hydraulic measurements, data acquisition, schematics, and machine observations.
• Develop and validate corrective actions and design improvements.
• Support customer site visits, commissioning, field testing, and troubleshooting as required.

Technical Leadership & Collaboration

• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to engineers and technicians.
• Lead technical reviews and serve as an escalation point for complex engineering issues.
• Share lessons learned, engineering standards, and best practices across the organization.
• Work closely with sales, quality, operations, manufacturing, purchasing, and customers to align technical and business objectives.
• Engage directly with customers to clarify requirements, provide technical support, and ensure product performance meets expectations.

Other Duties

• Maintain compliance with JEM policies, ISO, OSHA, and AWAIR standards.
• Uphold JEM’s mission, vision, and core values in all interactions.
• Perform additional duties as assigned to support business and engineering needs.

An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

COMPETENCIES:

Technical Expertise
Demonstrates advanced knowledge of hydraulic, electro-hydraulic, mechanical, and control systems. Applies engineering theory effectively to product development, testing, troubleshooting, and customer applications.

Technical Leadership
Provides direction and guidance through expertise, sound judgment, mentoring, and influence.

Systems Thinking
Understands the interactions between mechanical, electrical, and control systems. Anticipates how design choices affect manufacturability, reliability, and performance across the full product lifecycle.

Advanced Problem Solving
Uses practical, methodical approaches to identify, analyze, and resolve technical challenges. Capable of troubleshooting complex hydraulic or control systems both independently and collaboratively.

Cross-Functional Collaboration
Effectively partners with applications, design, controls, production, and quality teams. Communicates clearly to align expectations, share insights, and support cross-departmental objectives.

Project Execution and Ownership
Drives complex technical projects from concept through completion while managing risk, priorities, and deliverables.

Communication and Professionalism
Communicates complex technical information clearly and professionally with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Represents JEM with integrity and a customer-focused attitude.

Safety and Quality Commitment
Prioritizes safe work practices and adherence to ISO, OSHA, and AWAIR standards. Consistently contributes to maintaining high product and process quality standards.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, climb, or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. 
• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

The mental and physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

• This position is based on-site at JEM’s Orono facility to support hands-on engineering, testing, and production activities.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to work near moving mechanical parts.
• The noise level in the work environment can be loud at times.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an individual encounters while performing the essential functions of this position.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Fluid Power, or related discipline. 
• 8+ years of experience in hydraulic system design, application engineering, new product development, fluid power testing, or electro-hydraulic integration. 
• Demonstrated experience leading complex technical projects from concept through production. 
• Advanced knowledge of hydraulic systems, components, machine-level integration, and troubleshooting. 
• Strong proficiency in hydraulic schematic development, engineering calculations, 3D modeling, and 2D drafting.
• Experience with test equipment setup, data acquisition, and troubleshooting.
• Knowledge of ECO processes, PDM/ERP systems, and NPD workflows.
• Exposure to PLC/HMI systems or mobile controls (CODESYS or C++ experience a plus).
• CAD/Solid modeling skills required. SolidWorks and SolidWorks Electrical expertise preferred.
• Advanced computer skills required. 
• Valid driver’s license, ability to drive independently, and maintain a safe driving record. 
• Minimum travel up to 20%