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Be yourself at Protolabs
Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to building a diverse team that feels they are valued in the workplace. So do you feel you do not meet every single requirement but still intrigued? We encourage you to still apply! You can help make our company even better. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, age, mental or physical ability, or any way you represent yourself. We strongly believe diversity makes for more successful teams.
Why Protolabs?
We are the leaders in digital manufacturing. We hire doers, makers, and creative thinkers who tackle our roles with an entrepreneurial spirit. Our culture is centered around meaningful work that brings new and innovative products to market at unprecedented speeds. We are a diverse team that comes from all walks of life and take pride in our team who is smart, genuine, humble, and passionate about what we do. It’s our people who fuel our creativity and make our culture feel like home.
Join our team as an Application Engineer!
The Application Engineer role is integral to our collaborative efforts with the sales and customer service teams. This position provides technical expertise to support the effective promotion of Protolabs' comprehensive offerings, enabling customers to advance their prototyping and production projects. The Application Engineer is expected to gain a thorough understanding of customers' technical requirements and to adeptly guide clients in identifying suitable solutions for both current and future projects, while addressing any technical challenges that may arise. Our Application Engineers operate across a diverse range of industries and service lines. They play a crucial role in supporting both new and growth business segments, including the introduction of new customers, engagement in marketing initiatives, and participation in significant growth projects. A broad knowledge of all service offerings is essential, allowing the Application Engineer to advise customers on the most effective methodologies to meet their project needs.
What you'll do:
- Support new prototype launches and on-going production engineering support for new customer initiation and account growth across our EMEA customer base.
- Promptly and accurately address technical questions including material, manufacturability and part design challenges for our customers.
- Gain a solid understanding of the customer’s technical requirements and ability to make design changes and communicate appropriate solutions.
- Evaluate customer requirements to best manage expectations and risks for new/growth projects such as geometries, tolerances and general production issues that may arise.
- Thoroughly review and evaluate customer supplied 3D CAD data, DFM and RFQ’s and assist the customer in working through recommended or required changes to meet their part requirements.
- Triage quote requests with complex or ‘off-platform’ specifications to ensure high quality order intake and determine appropriate outcomes based on Protolabs' manufacturing capabilities.
- Coordinates with technical operations, contracts, quality and process engineering departments to manage basic projects with standard customer requirements.
- Qualify projects through to the specialist teams as required.
- Be the main technical point of contact to the different departments in Protolabs and provide technical training to each department accordingly (when required).
What it takes:
- AAS/Technical Degree or more with applicable work experience.
- Direct experience or strong understanding of CNC machining including manufacturability analysis, machining strategy, surface finishing, and limitations of the technology.
- Comfortable reading technical drawings and knowledge of common materials and processes used in different manufacturing technologies
- Ability to communicate technical information in easy-to-understand terms
- Working knowledge of 3D Printing and Sheet Metal fabrication
- Working knowledge of Injection moulding (preferred)
- Working knowledge of CAD/CAM for part design and production
- Understanding of technical terminology related to manufacturing and production services
- Fluent in English, French preferred.
Bonus Points For:
- Experience working in a sales engineering or sales/pre-sales environment
- Experience with / working knowledge of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)
- Experience working hands-on in a manufacturing environment, especially in Quality Engineering,
- Quality Planning, CNC/CAM Programming, or CNC Machining
- Experience with technical training, tutoring, teaching, or coaching
What's in it for you:
Our success is built on our people. We are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels empowered to be their authentic selves and do their best work. Alongside a supportive and inclusive culture, we offer a range of benefits designed to make work both rewarding and enjoyable:
- Annual company bonus – we celebrate success together and reward both individual contributions and overall business performance.
- Well-being support – access to OpenUp, providing professional psychological support to help you stay healthy and balanced.
- Daily lunch and snacks – shared meals in the office create space to connect, recharge, and strengthen collaboration.
- Learning & development opportunities – access to external training and events, as well as our in-house LEARN platform, offering a wide range of courses and workshops to support your growth.
- Regular team events and socials – fostering connection, collaboration, and a strong sense of community.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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