Application Engineer - Virtual Lab

About RS Group

RS is a high-service global product and service solutions provider for industrial customers, enabling them to operate efficiently and sustainably.

We operate in 33 markets, stock over 875,000 industrial and specialist products and list an additional five million relevant for our industrial customers, sourced from over 2,500 suppliers. This extensive range supports our customers across the industrial lifecycle of designing, building and maintaining equipment and operations. We enhance their experience through a tailored service model, leveraging our efficient physical, digital and process infrastructure sustainably. We combine a technically led and digitally enabled approach with an exceptional team of experts; ultimately, it’s our people that make the difference.

Our purpose, making amazing happen for a better world, reflects our focus on delivering results for people, planet and profit.

About the Role

As a member of the Services & Solutions Team, this role plays a key part in the development and delivery of Technical Solutions in the Americas.  It collaborates on regional and Group objectives to establish RS as the first choice technical destination for customers and strategic supplier partners, while supporting adjacent Solutions teams for Custom Order Solutions, Procurement Solutions, and Supply Solutions.

Our customers include industrial manufacturing plants, machine builders, & system integrators.

Technical Solutions supports our customers throughout the lifecycle of their projects, with both self-help and live support.  Our services range from basic product selection, to consultation, and design. Through close collaboration with Product and Supplier Management, the team also contributes to stronger supplier relationships by establishing confidence in RS’s technical competence and solution capability.

Role Purpose

Technical Solutions provides 4 levels of support to our customers.  Our Level 1 & 2 teams help customers with basic product selection & information.  The Level 3 team consults with customers about their automation applications.  Level 4 includes paid design services where we help a customer with their project.  The Level 3 & 4 teams focus on Automation & Control products and are based in the Technical Solution Center (TSC) at our Ft Worth, Texas facility.

The Virtual Application Engineer is a “Level 3” role.  Their primary responsibility is to assist customers with selecting components for their automation projects.  The Engineer will work with the customer & sales team to define the customer’s application needs, and then host a virtual consultation for the customer.  This could include comparing products, demonstrating how a component is installed & configured, or providing an overview of the programming package for the component.   They will also be involved with constructing functioning product displays, creating video content, conducting training classes, and executing various internal & customer projects.

Responsibilities

• Customer applications & support

• • Work with the customer & sales staff to understand the customer’s application.  Determine whether the customer needs assistance with:  a) Comparing product options b) Understanding how to install, configure, or program the components/system.  Assist with defining potential solutions 
  • Setup & host custom virtual consultations for customers.  Configure & wire product demos, and develop sample programs.  Host the customer consultation with an emphasis on providing an outstanding customer experience & a passion for solving their challenges 
  • Influence customers by demonstrating expertise in the industrial automation field
  • Provide answers to technical support questions that were escalated to Level 3

• Supplier & sales strategy

• • Work with sales leaders and supplier management staff to execute company growth strategies
  • Develop close working relationships with key suppliers and define & execute action plans 
  • Promote & demonstrate our support capabilities to current & potential suppliers

• Demo hardware & software

• • Create new product demos including CAD schematics, mounting, wiring, & programming
  • Assist with continuous improvement of lab operations

• Content creation

• • Collaborate with marketing & supplier management on the creation of video content, webinars, collateral, social posts, articles, etc
  • Stay abreast of key industry trends

• Training

• • Participate in a development program, including basic and advanced supplier training 
  • Develop a mastery of how to setup, operate, & program a broad range of automation & control products from our key brands
  • Collaborate with Training leaders on education plans for the sales & technical support teams 
  • Develop & host training sessions for customers & staff

• Delivering Operational KPI Results

• • Work with sales team to track pipeline opportunities & document revenue
  • Ensure accurate reporting of project Strategy & Leadership

• Job will require occasional travel for meeting & training (less than 10%).  Most trips will be of 2-4 day duration.

How I make a difference in this role

Technical Solutions is a resource to our customers & sales teams, and enabler in our supplier relationships, and a market differentiator for RS. 

• The engineer needs to be commercially focused on driving value with our customers, strategic suppliers, and internal teams.
• Leveraging technology, AI, and digital tools is critical to improving efficiency and meeting customer’s evolving expectations for support. 
• Collaboration is key as Tech Solutions is an enabler to other solutions, a partner to the Sales and Product & Supplier teams, and a peer to our global counterparts

Candidate Requirements

Essential Skills & Experience

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Industrial Distribution, or equivalent work experience
• Market expertise

• • 5+ years’ hands-on experience in with industrial automation & control
  • Experience working with industrial manufacturing facilities, machine building OEMs, system integrators, & panel builders
  • Experience with programming PLCs & HMIs
  • Ability to configure & startup variable frequency drives
  • Demonstrated ability to construct and build physical equipment.
  • Demonstrate creative thinking and problem solving skills
  • Knowledgeable on industrial networks (Profinet, EtherNet/IP, Modbus, etc)
  • Familiar with electrical controls schematics including power & control circuits (480VAC, 24VDC, 120VAC), panel layouts, & material lists
  • Highly functional CAD skills in AutoCAD or SolidWorks.  SolidWorks Electrical is a plus
  • Aptitude for designing, fabricating, assembling, wiring, & debugging electro-mechanical systems
  • Strong knowledge of electrical safety practices
  • Ability to lift 40 lbs

• Business skills

• • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and multi-task across different projects
  • Expertise with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, etc)

• Soft skills

• • Strong interpersonal, written, & verbal communication skills
  • Excellent customer-facing & presentation skills, including the use of visual media
  • Passionate about helping customers find solutions to their challenges
  • Self‑motivated to learn and grow

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Subject expertise

• Experience as either
• Application engineer for a distributor manufacturer
• Controls engineer for an OEM, system integrator, or end-user
• Maintenance in automated manufacturing facility
• 3+ years experience with programming PLCs, HMIs, & Variable Frequency Drives from suppliers in RS’s line card
• 3+ years application engineering experience with key suppliers matching RS’s line card (control products, sensing, safety, networking, etc)
• Experience in multiple market segments (food & beverage, automotive, oil & gas, pharmaceutical, etc)
• Experience with 3D CAD design for electrical panel layouts or mechanical design is a plus
• Experience with motion control, mechanical transmission, & pneumatics is a plus
• Certification from an automation manufacturer (Siemens, Schneider, Rockwell)

• Business skills

• Experience with Service Desk platforms and Salesforce.com
• Experience selling solutions, services, or technical products.

Equal Employment Opportunity

RS Americas is an equal opportunity employer and maintains policies and practices that are designed to prevent and prohibit unlawful discrimination against any qualified employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, military/veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other unlawful classification to the extent protected by law. This policy of non-discrimination applies to all employment practices, including hiring, compensation, benefits, promotion, training and termination. Employees who engage in unlawful discrimination will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

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