Market Applications and Estimating Engineer

Location: Ilminster, Somerset (with travel to other G&H sites and customer locations, up to 25% of the time)
Reports To: Optical Systems UK Commercial Manager

 

ABOUT US

G&H is a world leader in optical design, testing and manufacturing. As experts in the technology of light, G&H works with customers to provide optical systems, assemblies, and components for demanding applications.

G&H's Optical Systems Division specialises in the design and manufacture of precision optics, optical coatings, vision systems, and advanced photonics solutions for customers operating in aerospace & defence, industrial, and life sciences markets.

Our success is built on innovation, precision, and the talent of our people. We are committed to developing capability at every stage of a career, from apprenticeships and graduate pathways through to leadership development.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Market Applications and Estimating Engineer provides technical and pre-sales support for customer accounts, working alongside Sales and Business Development Managers as the technical consultant to the customer.

You will be responsible for both the commercial and technical aspects of the product portfolio, supporting customer engagement, RFQ responses, proposal development, and opportunity growth. Acting as the technical interface between customers and G&H, you'll help translate business requirements into technical solutions while working closely with Product Management, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Programme teams.

This role combines customer-facing technical consultancy with commercial awareness and offers the opportunity to engage with leading organisations across the global photonics market.

TECHNICAL CUSTOMER LIAISON & SALES ENABLEMENT

• Provide technical and pre-sales support for customer accounts.
• Provide technical estimating, cost analysis and commercial support for customer opportunities, working closely with Sales, Business Development, Engineering and Manufacturing to develop accurate, competitive and profitable quotations.
• Understand customer business requirements and translate them into technical requirements, specifications, and sales responses.
• Act as the primary technical contact for customer presentations, technical discussions, RFQs, and feedback.
• Liaise with key customer technical staff and decision makers to support requirements generation and solution development.
• Drive identified opportunities through technical consultation, product configuration, design validation, and RFQ response generation.
• Deliver technical presentations, technology demonstrations, and customer workshops.
• Own technical liaison activities relating to customer post-sales support and issue resolution.

COMMERCIAL & OPPORTUNITY MANAGEMENT

• Support  the RFQ-to-order process, including RFQ evaluation, costing, engineering consultation, quotations, and proposal development.
• Work with Product Management to establish pricing and margin models for customer opportunities.
• Assist with the development of sales plans and proposals.
• Liaise with Product Management and Manufacturing to establish lead times and capacity requirements.
• Develop and agree product specifications with customers.
• Provide forecasting information to Product Management and Manufacturing.

PRODUCT & MARKET KNOWLEDGE

• Develop and maintain detailed knowledge of G&H products, services, and technologies.
• Understand and articulate product architectures and services to customers, partners, and internal teams.
• Monitor competitive products, technologies, and market developments.
• Provide win/loss analysis and market feedback to the business.
• Support Product Management and R&D with customer and market insight for future product development.

SALES & MARKET ENABLEMENT

• Support technical marketing activities, exhibitions, customer demonstrations, and industry events.
• Provide technical expertise to support partner and customer engagement activities.
• Contribute to business growth through technical credibility and customer relationship development.

ABOUT YOU

We're interested in hearing from individuals who can combine strong technical capability with customer engagement and commercial awareness. You'll likely have experience in: Applications Engineering; Technical Sales Support; Customer-Facing      Engineering Roles. 

You'll also bring:

• Experience in technical design, project management, and customer relationship management.
• Strong presentation and technical communication skills.
• Experience supporting bids, quotations, RFQs, or customer proposals.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of business decision-making processes.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholder groups.
• A  proactive and customer-focused approach.

Desirable Experience

• Degree  qualified in Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, Mathematics, Business, or a related discipline.
• Knowledge of linear crystal optics, classical optics, glass materials, or optical component manufacturing.
• Experience of product development lifecycles.
• Understanding of costing mechanisms and commercial negotiations.
• Awareness of photonics industry applications and markets.

HOW WE'LL MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS

• Effective technical support of customer opportunities.
• Successful conversion of RFQs into orders.
• Quality and timeliness of quotations and proposals.
• Customer satisfaction and relationship development.
• Contribution to revenue growth and opportunity pipeline development.
• Accuracy of forecasting and customer requirements management.
• Quality of technical presentations, demonstrations, and customer engagement activities.
• Contribution to product and market development initiatives.

WHY G&H?

At G&H, you'll work with leading-edge optical and photonics technologies that support critical applications across aerospace, defence, industrial, and life sciences markets.

You'll collaborate with talented engineers, scientists, product specialists, and commercial teams while helping customers develop innovative solutions to complex technical challenges.

This is an opportunity to combine engineering expertise with customer engagement in a business at the forefront of photonics technology.

OUR BENEFITS INCLUDE

• 26 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Company pension pays 6%
• Company bonus scheme
• Health Cash Plan
• £500 bonus for friend referral scheme (terms and conditions apply)

Notes: This job description is not intended to be exhaustive in every respect, but rather to clearly define the fundamental purpose, responsibilities and dimensions for the role. Therefore, this job description does not describe any individual role holder. In addition to the contents of this job description, employees are expected to undertake any and all other reasonable and related tasks allocated by their line manager.

The Company is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. The Company does not discriminate in employment opportunity or practices on the grounds of gender, race, religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by national laws under which the Company operates.

Potential candidates should be aware that many of the employment roles at Gooch & Housego are subject to government security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities that you may have previously held and your place of birth, could restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation.

All UK applicants must, as a minimum, be able to successfully complete security vetting to the UK government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard, which includes a criminal record check being performed. Many roles may also require higher levels of security vetting to be completed, where applicants must typically have been continuously resident within the UK for the past five to ten years.