Business Development Engineer (Automation)

Brief Summary:

The Business Development Engineer (Automation) owns Edmund Optics’ automation customer portfolio across South East Asia. The role takes over an established book of automation and imaging accounts with many of them in the Penang industrial cluster. This role is responsible for sustaining and growing those relationships while also extending coverage into other part of South East Asia.

A defining task in the role is helping established imaging customers in the entire optical path, not just the imaging lens. This is the commercial trajectory the existing customer base is already on, and the successful candidate is expected to drive it actively. The role suits a technically credible candidate who is comfortable owning the full customer lifecycle, from specification, quote, delivery, and post-sale support across a multi-product, multi-account portfolio.

Job Description:

• Own automation customer relationships in Malaysia and other part of South East Asia. Become the primary technical and commercial contact for assigned automation accounts. Drive regular engagement, opportunity development, and account-by-account growth.
• Drive the transition from imaging lenses to optical assembly systems. For customers historically buying imaging lenses, identify where individual optical components (lenses, filters, mirrors, prisms, beamsplitters) better serve their current needs. Lead the technical and commercial conversation to convert spend toward components where this benefits the customer and protects Edmund Optics’ share of wallet.
• Provide technical solutions across the optics portfolio. Engage customer R&D and design teams on optical-path design, component selection, and integration. Recommend appropriate Edmund Optics products spanning imaging optics, filters, mirrors,beamsplitters, prisms, polarisers, and precision components.
• Run post-sale technical support including RMA. Handle customer escalations on quality, performance, and delivery for accounts in scope. Investigate root cause on returned material, coordinate with Edmund Optics manufacturing sites on resolution, and close out customer-facing communication.
• Market analysis. Conduct market research and analysis to understand the market trends and competitive landscape.
• Develop new business in Malaysia and South East Asia. Identify and qualify new automation prospects in territory. Build pipeline through customer scouting, trade show attendance, and proactive outreach. Convert qualified prospects into active accounts, with particular emphasis on building Thailand from emerging into an active territory.
• Collaborate with the Solutions Engineering team. Coordinate with product specialists across the team on technical depth for filters, precision optics, laser optics, and other product areas. Engage Edmund Optics manufacturing sites in the United States, Europe, and Asiafor custom optics opportunities and quality matters.
• Maintain pipeline and reporting discipline. Keep accurate account records, opportunity stages, and pipeline forecasts in the CRM. Provide regular pipeline updates and account reviews.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, Optics, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum three years of experience in technical sales, solutions engineering, applications engineering, or account management, preferably in a technical product company (optics, photonics, semiconductor equipment, instrumentation, or industrial automation).

Required Skills & Abilities:

• Working knowledge of imaging optics or vision systems, sufficient to hold technical conversations with R&D engineers on lens selection, optical-path design, and system integration.
• Strong understanding of Image quality. MTF, Distortion, Telecentricity, and Primary Magnification along with its importance and design factors that affect these. 
• Demonstrated ability to manage post-sale technical issues including quality escalations and RMA investigations.
• Familiarity with optical components beyond imaging, including filters, mirrors, prisms, beamsplitters, and polarisers.
• Direct experience selling or supporting optical components into semiconductor equipment, industrial automation, machine vision, or life-science instrument customers.
• Existing professional network in the Malaysia (particularly Penang) or Thailand automation, semiconductor, or medical device ecosystem.
• Track record of growing share of wallet within existing accounts, not just opportunistic transactional sales.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English. Comfortable engaging customers by phone, email, video, and in person.
• Self-driven and methodical. Comfortable owning a defined account list, managing the full customer lifecycle, and following up systematically without daily supervision.
• Willingness to travel regularly to Malaysia (Penang primary) and Thailand, plus periodic travel within the wider APAC region.

Interested candidates may also send your CV to [email protected]