Senior Applications Engineer

GOSECO International Executive Search® has been selected to lead a specialized search for a global, German-headquartered automotive components manufacturer with an established international manufacturing footprint.

This is an opportunity for an experienced Applications Engineer to take a visible, customer-facing role at the intersection of engineering, product development, validation, manufacturing, and commercial execution.

The Senior Applications Engineer will serve as a principal technical interface with automotive customers, leading application-engineering programs from RFQ and concept development through design validation and production-tooling readiness.

The Opportunity

You will work directly with customer engineering teams and internal specialists to translate complex application requirements into practical product, design, testing, and manufacturing solutions.

The product portfolio includes dynamic seals, elastomeric gaskets, molded plastic covers and oil pans, bonded clutch pistons, and magnetic encoder rings supporting internal combustion engines, electric-drive systems, automatic transmissions, and axle applications.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary technical point of contact for customer engineers and technicians.
• Lead application-engineering activities from RFQ through production-tooling order.
• Translate customer requirements into clear direction for engineering, CAD, testing, quality, and manufacturing teams.
• Lead DFMEA development and design-validation planning and reporting.
• Ensure designs meet internal engineering standards and customer requirements.
• Conduct root-cause analysis and prepare technical reports for customer-returned components.
• Support technical reviews, part evaluations, assembly trials, and customer-site activities.
• Deliver technical presentations to customer and internal audiences.
• Train and mentor North American engineering personnel.

Non-Negotiable Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or another STEM discipline; Mechanical Engineering is preferred.
• At least five years of customer-facing applications engineering experience within the automotive industry.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge of automotive powertrain or driveline applications, including internal combustion engines, electric-drive systems, automatic transmissions, or axles.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings.
• Hands-on understanding of GD&T and tolerance-stack analysis.
• Ability to interpret and clearly explain FEA results.
• Experience leading technical customer discussions and coordinating cross-functional engineering work from concept or RFQ through validation and production-tooling readiness.
• Strong technical communication and presentation skills, including the ability to address demanding customer questions professionally and confidently.
• Willingness and ability to work on-site in Orion, Michigan, and travel to customer engineering or manufacturing locations as required.

Highly Valued Experience

• Automotive sealing systems, elastomers, gaskets, molded components, oil-management products, bonded pistons, or magnetic encoder technology.
• DFMEA and design-validation test planning.
• Root-cause analysis and customer issue resolution.
• Formal project-management experience.
• CAD experience.
• Experience mentoring or developing other engineers.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Join a respected global German manufacturing organization serving the automotive industry.
• Assume meaningful technical ownership and direct customer visibility.
• Work across conventional and electrified powertrain technologies.
• Influence product design, validation, manufacturing readiness, and customer outcomes.
• Help strengthen the organization’s North American applications-engineering capability.
• Competitive base salary of $125,000–$145,000, based on experience and technical expertise.

This is not a generalist engineering position.

We are seeking an accomplished automotive Applications Engineer who can combine sound technical judgment, customer credibility, disciplined execution, and cross-functional leadership.

Qualified candidates are invited to apply through LinkedIn.

Additional information regarding the organization, benefits, and selection process will be shared with candidates who meet the position requirements and advance in the confidential search process.

GOSECO International Executive Search® is an AESC member firm committed to the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, confidentiality, and integrity in executive search.