Senior Applications Engineer

Ready to turn your technical expertise into real-world impact?

Hercules OEM is looking for a Senior Applications Engineer with at least 10 years of hydraulic seal component experience who brings technical confidence, a collaborative mindset, and a passion for turning customer challenges into smart, practical solutions.

In this role, you’ll be the go-to technical resource connecting our Commercial and Engineering teams. You’ll help customers understand what’s possible, develop solutions that meet their needs, and empower our sales team to pursue new opportunities with confidence. If you enjoy taking ownership, sharing your knowledge, and working with people as much as you enjoy solving technical challenges, we’d love to hear from you.

Hercules OEM is a profitable, stand-alone business unit with ~$90M revenue and 130 team members across a footprint of four locations within the US. Hercules OEM is a value-add distributor, and technical solutions partner with superior engineering capabilities for global manufacturers. The company has an exceptionally strong value proposition, providing unmatched customer experience from product specification to order fulfillment.

What You’ll Do

Be the Technical Expert Customers Trust

• Serve as a primary technical resource for the Commercial team, helping identify customer needs, evaluate challenges, and develop effective solutions.
• Build strong relationships with customers and internal partners through clear communication, responsiveness, and a collaborative approach.
• Confidently explain technical concepts, product capabilities, and design recommendations to both technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Support new business development by helping the Outside and Inside Sales teams identify opportunities, develop solutions, and communicate the value of our products.

Drive Engineering Solutions and Innovation

• Own the design and technical direction of private-branded Hercules OEM products.
• Develop new products and applications that address evolving customer needs and industry challenges.
• Oversee product testing and validation to help ensure quality, performance, and reliability.
• Use sound engineering judgment to make design decisions, solve problems, and move projects forward.
• Manage technical priorities effectively, knowing when to take ownership and when to collaborate with the Engineering Manager.

Collaborate, Coach, and Elevate the Team

• Partner closely with Outside and Inside Sales, Engineering, and beyond to turn ideas into successful outcomes.
• Provide technical training, product guidance, and ongoing support to customers and colleagues.
• Share your knowledge generously and help build a culture of continuous learning, teamwork, and technical excellence.
• Support sales quotes, vendor selection, custom solutions, troubleshooting, and customer training.
• Contribute to a team environment where curiosity, initiative, and open communication are valued.

What Makes You a Great Fit?

We’re looking for more than technical expertise. We want someone who can bring people together, communicate with confidence, and make things happen.

You are someone who:

• Builds relationships naturally. You’re outgoing, approachable, and comfortable working with customers, colleagues, and business partners.
• Communicates with confidence. You can explain complex technical information clearly, ask thoughtful questions, and make recommendations others can understand and trust.
• Thrives on collaboration. You enjoy working across teams, listening to different perspectives, and finding solutions together.
• Takes ownership. You’re proactive, accountable, and comfortable making informed decisions within your area of responsibility.
• Solves problems creatively. You enjoy digging into technical challenges, evaluating options, and developing practical, effective solutions.
• Shares knowledge. You like helping others learn, building technical capability, and contributing to the success of the entire team.
• Connects engineering to business. You understand that great technical solutions must also meet customer needs and support business growth.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10+ years of experience with hydraulic seal components and their applications.
• Experience with CAD software; SolidWorks experience is preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with a cross-functional team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in product design, applications engineering, product testing, or technical customer support.
• Experience supporting sales teams through technical consultations, quotations, training, or new business development.

Compensation Range: The anticipated base pay range for this position is $90,000 – $130,000 annually. This range represents Hercules OEM’s good-faith estimate of what we expect to pay at the time of posting and may be modified in the future. Individual offers within the range are determined by a combination of factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience; education and certifications; work location; market conditions; and internal equity with current team members. Hercules OEM offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, life and disability insurance, and paid time off.

How You’ll Make an Impact

Success in this role means becoming a trusted partner to both customers and colleagues. You’ll help bring new products to life, strengthen customer relationships, support business growth, and make our Commercial team even more effective.

You’ll have the opportunity to take ownership of technical decisions, influence product development, share your expertise, and see the tangible results of your work.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you’re an experienced applications engineer who combines strong technical skills with confidence, curiosity, and a genuine talent for working with people, this is your opportunity to make an impact.

Bring your expertise. Build meaningful relationships. Help us engineer what’s next.