Applications Engineer

Industrial Power Transmission

Benoni, Gauteng | Permanent | Office & Field Based

Crofts Gears is a South African OEM manufacturer of gearboxes and mechanical power transmission products — helical, worm and bevel gear units, couplings, industrial chain, sprockets and drive systems — supplying customers across mining, water treatment and heavy industry.

We are looking for an Applications Engineer who is genuinely deep on mechanical power transmission, comfortable in front of customers, and commercially aware enough to understand that a technically excellent recommendation is only valuable if it translates into a won order.

This is not a design engineering role. If you want to sit behind a CAD station, this is the wrong position. If you want to apply real mechanical engineering knowledge to solve customer problems, build technical credibility with industry professionals, and play a central role in how this business wins and retains customers — keep reading.

THE ROLE

The Applications Engineer is the organisation's primary technical authority on industrial mechanical transmission products. You will work directly alongside the external sales team — in the office and in the field — translating customer requirements and application data into accurate, commercially sound product selections and recommendations.

You are the person the sales team calls when the application is complex, when a competitor product needs to be crossed, when a customer's maintenance team needs convincing, or when a tender needs to be technically airtight. Your credibility in those moments is what sets Crofts apart.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Technical Application & Product Selection

• Analyse customer applications and interpret technical drawings, specifications and data sheets to determine correct product selections
• Perform sizing and selection calculations for gearboxes, couplings, chain and sprocket drives, and related power transmission components
• Identify installed equipment — competitor and own-brand — in the field and recommend appropriate replacements, upgrades or complementary products
• Troubleshoot mechanical failures and provide technically sound corrective recommendations
• Conduct on-site equipment audits and condition assessments to identify upgrade and replacement opportunities
• Liaise with engineering and manufacturing functions to resolve product application queries and obtain technical support
• Maintain and continuously develop in-depth product knowledge across the full transmission range

Sales Support

• Provide pre- and post-sales technical support to the external sales team — quotations, tenders, proposals and customer presentations
• Attend customer visits and site meetings with sales representatives to provide on-the-spot technical authority and build customer confidence
• Review quotations and tender submissions to ensure product selections are accurate, suitable and commercially competitive
• Clearly articulate the technical value proposition of recommended products to support pricing and margin discussions
• Identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities based on application knowledge and product range familiarity
• Respond to customer technical enquiries promptly and professionally across all channels
• Support product demonstrations, technical presentations and application training for customers and internal staff
• Participate in trade exhibitions, product launches and customer training events as a technical representative of the company

Product & Market Intelligence

• Provide structured feedback on product performance, field failures, customer needs and competitive positioning
• Contribute technical input to inform procurement and product development decisions
• Stay current with industry developments, competitor product ranges and emerging application requirements

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) or National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering — required
• Additional commercial, sales or business qualification — advantageous

Experience

• Minimum 3 to 5 years in a technical role within mechanical power transmission, rotating equipment, or related industrial manufacturing
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with industrial gearboxes, couplings, chain, sprockets or similar rotating equipment — non-automotive applications strongly preferred
• Proven ability to read and interpret mechanical engineering drawings, assembly drawings and technical specifications
• Experience providing technical support in a customer-facing or sales support environment — this is a significant advantage
• Familiarity with product selection tools, sizing software or catalogue-based specification methods
• Proficient in Microsoft Office; CRM experience is advantageous

The Person

• Mechanically passionate — you find rotating equipment genuinely interesting and take pride in getting the application right
• Commercially aware — you understand that technical excellence and commercial viability must go hand in hand
• Clear and confident communicator, equally effective with a maintenance foreman on a plant floor and a project engineer in a boardroom
• High accuracy and attention to detail in product selection, calculations and technical documentation — errors in this role have real consequences
• Self-motivated and proactive in developing product knowledge — you do not wait to be told what to learn
• Collaborative by nature — your success is measured by the success of the sales team you support
• Customer-focused with the interpersonal skills to build trust and long-term technical relationships
• Organised and able to manage multiple concurrent technical enquiries without dropping the ball
• Honest, professional and aligned to a high-standards working environment

HEALTH, SAFETY & COMPLIANCE

• Full compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and all applicable legislation is required at all times
• Actively promote a culture of safety awareness, hazard identification and continuous improvement in all interactions and site visits
• Uphold the company's quality, environmental and compliance commitments at all times

REMUNERATION

Market related. Commensurate with experience and demonstrated technical capability.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply directly via Indeed. Do not contact Crofts Gears by telephone or email regarding this position — applications submitted outside of this platform will not be considered.

South African citizens only.

A minimum of 3 years' experience in a technical role within an engineering or industrial environment is a hard requirement. Applicants who do not meet this criterion will not be considered regardless of other qualifications.

If you have not received feedback within one month of submitting your application, please consider your application unsuccessful.

By submitting your application, you consent to Crofts Gears (Pty) Ltd processing your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, No. 4 of 2013 (POPIA).

Pay: R20 000,00 - R40 000,00 per month

Work Location: In person