Utility Application Engineer

Utility Application Engineer

Be part of a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, which means you're empowered to make decisions, find solutions and receive rewards for your hard work. This position will be located in Grand Island, NE.

Job Summary

The Technical Application Engineer supports the day-to-day operations of the Sales Engineers and Account Managers in promoting sales, securing orders, and providing quality service to our customers. Regularly consults with customers on product and system applications. Provides technical product support for branches and customers, evaluates new products, provides field trouble shooting assistance, assists customers with field programming of equipment, contributes to all aspects of customer training, and conducts product application assessments.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Provides technical, specific, or specialized product support for branches and customers.
• Consistently provides responsive, quality service to meet and exceed customer expectations.
• Contributes to planning and sale of Border States' technical products and services and supports the promotion of Border States' agency and distribution lines.
• Contributes to in-depth, technically difficult conversations with consultants, customers, and employees related to product technology.
• Provides customers with timely follow-up on quotations, technical inquiries, and other requests.
• Provides continuous contact and interaction with customer's engineering staff and consultants.
• Leads customer and BSE employee training on new and existing technical product lines and applications in the specified product areas.
• Maintains an in-depth understanding of the power grid.
• Works with a broad range of products and services.
• Resolves complex issues related to product technology and assists the sales engineer and customer as needed.
• Inputs TCCM cost savings documentation that is relevant to the assigned customer base.
• Provides field trouble shooting assistance, training, and information/documentation support.
• Conducts product application assessments including TCCM savings, elimination of duplicate items/material consolidation, alternative to materials, equipment, methods and practices, and regional, industry, and national standards for material, equipment, and apparatus.
• Performs product updates and new product launches of branches and customers as required.

Non-essential Functions

• Attends and assists with trade shows and training programs as needed.
• Provides technical training and presentations for Border States personnel internal as well as external customers.
• Evaluates demo equipment and makes suggestions for new products in specified product areas.
• Ensures existing product demos are functional condition.
• Provides input to the pricing and purchasing departments on product evaluations and code descriptions, inventory management, pricing developments, and other related functions.
• Familiar with all relevant SAP processes to support order entry and management.

Qualifications

• 4-year technical or engineering degree or equivalent experience required.
• Knowledge and technical competence in understanding of electrical utility distribution and transmission systems preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Access and PowerPoint), Internet, Email and SAP software preferred.

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent customer service skills include being competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication and customer service skills preferred.
• Ability to effectively plan and organize.
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.

Physical Requirements

Frequency at which you would carry/lift in a typical day: Occasionally 0 – 33% Frequently 34 – 66% Continuously: 67 – 100%

• Lift from Waist:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 75 to 100 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 100+ lbs. - Not at all
• Lift from Floor:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
  • 100+ lbs. - Not at all
• Carried for Distance:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Not at all
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all
  • 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
  • 100+ lbs. - Not at all

Physical Activity

Frequency at which you would do the following in a typical day:

• Sitting (a continuous period of being seated) - Frequently
• Standing (for sustained periods of time) - Frequently
• Walking (moving about on foot to accomplish tasks) - Continuously
• Bending/stooping (downward and forward) - Frequently
• Crawling (moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet) - Not at all
• Climbing/Walking Stairs (ascending or descending) - Occasionally
• Reaching (extending arms in any direction) - Occasionally
• Crouching/squatting (bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine) - Occasionally
• Kneeling (bending legs at knee to come to rest on knee(s)) - Occasionally
• Balancing (maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling) - Frequently
• Repetitive motion (substantial movement (motions) or the wrists, hands, and/or fingers) - Occasionally
• Pivoting (movement in any direction with one foot, keeping the other in contact with the floor) - Not at all
• Pushing/Pulling (using upper extremities to press against or draw or tug) - Occasionally
• Grasping (Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm) - Frequently
• Fingering (picking, pinching, typing; working with primarily fingers and not whole hand) - Occasionally
• Talking (expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word) - Continuously
• Driving (the control and operation of a motor vehicle) - Occasionally
• Desk work (work usually performed at a desk) - Continuously
• Use of a computer