What does a product applications engineer do?
A product applications engineer's job is to determine business needs and develop solutions with product managers and address customer queries and issues promptly. They typically address customer questions and issues in a timely manner. They communicate feedback from customers to the design team and provide post-sales support to make suitable modifications in product design. Moreover, it is part of their responsibility to evaluate new software products, check defects, conduct internal application trials for verification, and maintain accurate documentation of problems related to applications, including solutions.
Product applications engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real product applications engineer resumes:
- Manage the manufacturing of defense and aerospace electro-mechanical print circuit boards from prototype to production level.
- Analyze and debug digital and RF hardware and systems in-house and at customer sites.
- Work on XML base integration for data exchange between OTM and client applications.
- Support transactions include legacy systems, DLMS EDI and XML formats as well as custom XML.
- Assist in wide variety of technical assessments of OEM customer requirements in support of sales and business development activities.
- Design an automatic gain control algorithm (AGC) for LTE base station receivers along with other RF performance improvement techniques.
- Understand when, where, and why to used specific CMS controls and API's as they apply to website requirements.
- Support escalations in FPGA architecture including issues during testing, simulation and Verilog RTL implementations.
- Work with local manufacturer representatives and OEM contacts to jointly develop account information and maximize sales opportunities.
- Create and implement SCCM path management infrastructure for workstation and critical server deployments with mission critical maintenance windows.
- Develop and sample novel, next generation formulations used in the early design and development of advance semiconductor devices.
- Interpret client's product requirements; design and implement production equipment and processes utilizing AutoCAD; assist production training.
- Develop and present professional proposals in response to customer RFP's, contract documentation, and relate industry specifications.
- Support case creation in SalesForce for requests via phone, email, and automatic system alerts.
- Train 3rd party sales force on ASIC and foundry offerings.
Product applications engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Product Applications Engineers are proficient in Technical Support, Product Line, and RF. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Self-confidence, and Technological skills.
We break down the percentage of Product Applications Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Technical Support, 8%
Provided customer technical support with application, processing, and material related questions.
- Product Line, 7%
Provided Application support for ClimateMaster's rep organization, specifying/design engineers and ClimateMaster field sales personnel for specific product lines.
- RF, 5%
Designed an automatic gain control algorithm (AGC) for LTE base station receivers along with other RF performance improvement techniques.
- Product Design, 4%
Developed product designs and conducted design verification/validation for compliance with customer requirements, company policies, and government regulatory standards.
- Trade Shows, 3%
Create concept, design and built and support compelling product demo in trade shows and customer premises.
- Solidworks, 3%
Used SolidWorks FEA Nonlinear tools to establish fitting models to solve the leaking problems with Super Duplex 2507 SST material.
Most product applications engineers use their skills in "technical support," "product line," and "rf" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential product applications engineer responsibilities here:
Interpersonal skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a product applications engineer to have is interpersonal skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "strong interpersonal skills are a valuable characteristic for sales engineers, both for building relationships with clients and effectively communicating with other members of the sales team." Product applications engineers often use interpersonal skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "recognized for excellent interpersonal skills. "
Self-confidence. Many product applications engineer duties rely on self-confidence. "sales engineers should be confident and persuasive when making sales presentations.," so a product applications engineer will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways product applications engineer responsibilities rely on self-confidence: "improved product quality and customer confidence by answering customer questions through failure analysis of returned parts,. "
Technological skills. product applications engineers are also known for technological skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to product applications engineer responsibilities, because "sales engineers must have extensive knowledge of the technologically sophisticated products they sell in order to explain their advantages and answer questions." A product applications engineer resume example shows how technological skills is used in the workplace: "attended trade shows to present the technological benefits of gea equipment to customers as part of the sales process. "
Problem-solving skills. For certain product applications engineer responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "problem-solving skills." The day-to-day duties of a product applications engineer rely on this skill, as "sales engineers must be able to listen to the customer’s desires and concerns, and then recommend solutions, such as customizing a product for the customer." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what product applications engineers do: "created innovative design solutions for mechanical elevator systems through a deep understanding of product lines and product limitations. "
The three companies that hire the most product applications engineers are:
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Compare different product applications engineers
Product applications engineer vs. Sales engineering manager
A sales engineering manager specializes in developing systems and procedures to optimize a company's sales operations, aiming for client satisfaction and profit growth. It is their duty to set goals and timelines, establish guidelines, manage different teams, research new business and client opportunities, gather and analyze data to identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing operations, develop sales strategies, and implement solutions against problem areas. Moreover, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage staff to reach goals while enforcing and promoting the company's policies and regulations.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between product applications engineers and sales engineering manager. For instance, product applications engineer responsibilities require skills such as "technical support," "provide technical assistance," "product design," and "solidworks." Whereas a sales engineering manager is skilled in "cloud," "customer satisfaction," "business development," and "sales process." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Sales engineering managers really shine in the technology industry with an average salary of $122,411. Comparatively, product applications engineers tend to make the most money in the technology industry with an average salary of $98,025.The education levels that sales engineering managers earn slightly differ from product applications engineers. In particular, sales engineering managers are 4.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a product applications engineer. Additionally, they're 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Product applications engineer vs. Engineer
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real product applications engineer resumes. While product applications engineer responsibilities can utilize skills like "product line," "provide technical assistance," "product design," and "trade shows," engineers use skills like "python," "cloud," "c #," and "aws."
Engineers may earn a lower salary than product applications engineers, but engineers earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $97,672. On the other hand, product applications engineers receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $98,025.In general, engineers achieve similar levels of education than product applications engineers. They're 2.1% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Product applications engineer vs. Senior sales engineer
A senior sales engineer is responsible for assisting the marketing and sales team on the technical aspect of operations. Senior sales engineers help the team to structure efficient deliverables and high-quality outputs using their technical expertise for requirements. They identify business opportunities by analyzing sales movements and conducting statistical data management that would generate more revenue resources and attract business partnerships. A senior sales engineer recommends process improvement techniques to meet client requirements and specifications within budget limitations and deadlines.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a product applications engineer is likely to be skilled in "rf," "provide technical assistance," "product design," and "solidworks," while a typical senior sales engineer is skilled in "cloud," "product demonstrations," "product management," and "technical expertise."
Senior sales engineers earn the highest salary when working in the professional industry, where they receive an average salary of $118,325. Comparatively, product applications engineers have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $98,025.Most senior sales engineers achieve a similar degree level compared to product applications engineers. For example, they're 3.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Product applications engineer vs. Design engineer
A design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
Types of product applications engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
