Applications Engineer

Company Description

PDC Machines, LLC is the world leading manufacturer of diaphragm compression systems and hydrogen refueling solutions.  We are driving the global hydrogen energy ecosystem by providing cutting-edge hydrogen compression technology that enables consumers, industries, and companies to abandon gasoline engines in favor of zero-emission fuel cells.    

Our mission is to lead the world’s advance to clean energy, and to progress the role of hydrogen in the energy transition. Our purpose is to have a positive lasting impact on the world, and we’re making it happen – for our community, for our planet, and for generations to come.  

Since 1977, PDC’s compressors have been the preferred choice of industrial gas companies for use in specialty gas, oil & gas, chemical, petrochemical, research, and renewable energy. Over the last 20 years we have shifted our focus to hydrogen energy as a fuel of the future. Today we are a key supplier of state-of-the-art solutions for both industrial gas and renewable energy companies.  

With sales and service offices in the US, China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, and Australia, PDC provides world-class support. Our compressors are backed by a US-based team of factory service technicians, engineers, and a global support network to ensure maximum compressor uptime. 

Job Description

The Applications Engineer is responsible for all aspects of the inquiry-to-order (ITO) processes and works closely with global sales, engineering, manufacturing, finance, and product teams to translate customer requirements into competitive offerings and achieve  sales booking targets.   The position is located in Souderton, PA and reports to the Director of Global Sales.

The candidate should have strong technical and commercial acumen, a relentless desire to win and satisfy customer needs, a strong sense of ownership, a work process/continuous improvement mindset, and ability to work in a fast-paced technical and commercial environment in an organized manner.

Responsibilities

• Working with the Salesperson assigned to a customer account, obtain and understand customer technical and commercial requirements and define a bid approach for each opportunity.  Clarify requirements with key customer contacts such as process, machinery, procurement, and project stakeholders.
• Perform sizing and selection of the appropriate diaphragm compression systems and options that maximize the competitive position.  Collaborate with Engineering and Product teams where there is risk or product gaps that need to be mitigated.
• Review customer and regional specifications and standards (IEC, ATEX, CE, etc) and create appropriate compliance, exception, deviation, and clarification summaries.  Strive to create and reuse standardized compliance options for future reuse for repeat regions and customers.
• Create detailed costing that considers scope of equipment, specifications, quality of bills of materials, escalation, technical and execution risk, scope uncertainty, bid quality, etc. 
• Develop lead time estimates and execution plans that incorporate bidding requirements, assumptions, and value improvement opportunities and mitigate schedule risk.
• Working with the Salesperson, work up priced commercial proposals that meet margin expectations and maximize chances to win.  Perform project cash flow analysis if required.  Submit for necessary approvals as required.
• Working with Salesperson, develop proposal to send to customer that compiles proposed scope, pricing, delivery, options summaries, performance, aftermarket parts and service options, etc.  Incorporate analysis of total cost of ownership and other differentiation and competitive positioning to ensure value proposition to customer is clear.
• Use Salesforce CRM to track all bidding opportunities, and status of bid submittals.  In collaboration with Sales team, maintain a forecast of bookings, revenue, and associated hours and material for sales and operation planning (S&OP).
• Develop and maintain budgetary pricing sheets, pricing reference standards, and underlying costed reference bills of material and execution taxonomies.  Collaborate with Finance, Engineering, and Manufacturing to ensure they are accurate and competitive.
• Compile bidding lessons-learned/ closed lost reports, and other relevant market intel, and provide any insights for the benefit of the Product and Sales teams to drive competitive improvements.
• When customers place orders, manage the order acknowledgment and project kickoff process.
• Maintain and improve work processes, procedures, tools, and templates relating to the inquiry-to-order (ITO) work processes, and monitor and report out key performance metrics such as bid cycle time, effort, bid win rates, etc.
• The candidate will be cross-trained on how to create afterma