Engineering manager Jobs in Sterling Heights, MI

Manager, Application Engineering

The Manager, Application Engineering is a mid-level management role that leads a team of Application Engineers who provide technical solutions, product applications support, and customer-focused engineering expertise. This role ensures effective translation of customer requirements into engineered solutions that support sales, product adoption, and customer success. The Manager, Application Engineering balances people leadership, technical oversight, and cross-functional collaboration to drive solution quality, responsiveness, and commercial impact.

Role Overview

The Manager, Application Engineering oversees the delivery of application-level engineering support across products, systems, or solutions. The role ensures alignment between engineering capability, customer needs, and commercial strategy. Responsibilities include managing technical resources, setting application standards, resolving escalated technical issues, and partnering with Sales, Product Management, Manufacturing, and R&D. This position plays a critical role in enabling revenue growth, ensuring solution feasibility, and maintaining strong customer relationships through high-quality technical engagement. The role typically reports to a Director of Engineering, Director of Technical Services, Vice President of Engineering, or Commercial Engineering Leader, depending on organizational structure.

Key Responsibilities

People Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Application Engineers
• Set clear performance expectations and conduct regular feedback and performance reviews
• Support hiring, onboarding, training, and succession planning
• Foster a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and customer focus

Application Engineering & Technical Oversight

• Oversee development of customer-specific application solutions and technical proposals
• Ensure accurate interpretation of customer requirements and operating conditions
• Review and approve technical designs, calculations, and application recommendations
• Serve as escalation point for complex or high-risk technical issues

Customer & Sales Enablement

• Partner with Sales and Commercial teams to support pre-sales and post-sales technical engagement
• Support customer meetings, technical reviews, and solution alignment discussions
• Balance responsiveness with technical rigor to meet customer timelines
• Ensure application solutions support contractual, performance, and safety requirements

Product & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Product Management and R&D to provide application feedback and requirements
• Support product launches and application-readiness activities
• Partner with Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure solution feasibility
• Align application standards with product capabilities and lifecycle considerations

Process & Standards Development

• Establish and maintain application engineering standards, tools, and best practices
• Ensure consistency, quality, and documentation discipline across application work
• Support automation, configuration tools, or digital solution development
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and scalability of application support

Risk, Compliance & Safety

• Ensure application solutions comply with engineering standards, regulations, and internal policies
• Review and mitigate technical, operational, or safety risks
• Support resolution of field issues and root-cause analysis as needed
• Ensure proper documentation and knowledge capture for future reference

Scope & Impact

Manages a team of Application Engineers across products, customers, or regions

Impact is at the functional and commercial-support level

Decisions influence revenue enablement, customer satisfaction, and technical risk

Errors may result in solution failure, customer dissatisfaction, or financial exposure

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or related field) required
• Advanced degree preferred depending on industry complexity
• Prior experience in application engineering, sales engineering, or solutions engineering required
• Previous people-management experience preferred

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong technical foundation in product applications and systems engineering
• Proven people-leadership and coaching skills
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into practical solutions
• Strong customer-facing communication and stakeholder-management skills
• Sound engineering judgment and problem-solving capability
• Ability to balance technical, commercial, and operational priorities

Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action at Nidec

Nidec is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action Employer encouraging diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to their age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, genetic information, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.