Director, Applications Engineering

VulcanForms Inc.

. Build, hire, and develop an Applications Engineering team .

Posted 10/2/2026full-timeRemote • United StatesLead💰 $203,980 - $280,470 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates extensive experience in Applications Engineering and technical leadership, with a strong focus on building and developing customer-facing teams. Proven ability to assess technical feasibility, manage documentation standards, and foster relationships with key customers in manufacturing environments.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Applications EngineeringTechnical Customer-Facing LeadershipAdditive Manufacturing Part EngineeringTechnical Sales Function DevelopmentAerospace & Defense Customer Experience

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Technical Feasibility AssessmentRequirements DocumentationConcept DesignMetrics TrackingCost Structure AnalysisTechnical Qualification ProcessRisk AssessmentNPI SupportDocumentation Standards SettingAdditive Manufacturing

Soft Skills

Strong Written CommunicationRelationship-Building SkillsPlayer/Coach Leadership

Industry Keywords

Manufacturing EnvironmentEngineered-to-Order ManufacturingLong Technical Sales CyclesMetal ManufacturingQualification and Certification Requirements

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Build, hire, and develop an Applications Engineering team
Move the team to vertical specialization as the portfolio matures
Set team standards for feasibility assessment, concept design, and requirements documentation
Track metrics showing the function's impact
Own the technical qualification process for inbound opportunities
Filter out poor-fit parts and programs before they reach business-unit technical teams
Produce or oversee first-cut design concepts and feasibility assessments
Highlight risks, constraints, and tradeoffs early
Design and execute a process to capture “no-go” part data and technical capability requirements
Support the product development process
Serve as the senior technical partner to Commercial leadership on proposals, strategic pursuits, and executive-level customer conversations
Ensure customer requirements are fully captured and documented for NPI and business-unit engineering teams
Build trust and value-based technical relationships with key customers from first conversation through onboarding and product development

Requirements

What you’ll need

12+ years in applications engineering, sales engineering, or technical product roles in a manufacturing environment
3+ years leading technical customer-facing teams
6+ years in additive manufacturing part engineering
Track record of building or scaling a technical sales function, including hiring, setting standards, and defining processes across functions
Ability to assess technical feasibility quickly and explain constraints and tradeoffs to technical, commercial, and executive audiences
Comfortable working as a player/coach, carrying key pursuits personally while developing a team
Experience working with product or manufacturing cost structures and giving technical input to pricing decisions
Strong written communication
Ability to set documentation standards a team can follow and engineering teams can build from
Strong relationship-building skills and credibility with sophisticated industrial buyers and internal engineering peers
Adjacent metal manufacturing experience may be considered if additive-specific background isn't available
Metal experience preferred over polymer
Aerospace & Defense customer experience, including familiarity with qualification and certification requirements
Experience in an engineered-to-order or highly customized manufacturing environment with long, technical sales cycles

Benefits

Comp & perks

Equity package
Variable compensation
Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Life insurance
Generous paid time off
401(k) plan with company match