RFA Engineering (www.rfamec.com) is an engineering service provider dedicated to delivering our clients with timely engineering support and expertise. We are currently supporting one of our clients in the industrial equipment and hydraulics space in their search for a senior-level Applications Engineer.
This is a direct hire opportunity where the selected candidate will join our client’s engineering team and work closely with both engineering and sales functions to support customer applications and deliver technical solutions.
Applications Engineer I
The Applications Engineer I is responsible for supporting technical efforts related to hydraulic components and systems, working with internal teams to understand customer application requirements and assist in delivering effective solutions.
This is an entry-level, customer-facing engineering role that combines foundational engineering knowledge with application-based problem solving and sales support. The role is designed to develop into a fully capable applications engineer through hands-on experience, mentorship, and exposure to real-world applications.
The ideal candidate is a strong communicator with solid engineering fundamentals, a willingness to learn hydraulics and application engineering, and the ability to collaborate across technical and commercial teams in a global environment.
Responsibilities
- Support application engineering efforts for hydraulic systems and components
- Assist in gathering and analyzing customer requirements
- Support application development, troubleshooting, and system validation
- Collaborate with sales teams to support technical solutions and proposals
- Assist in preparing technical documentation, presentations, and supporting materials
- Work with internal engineering teams to help define product configurations
- Support troubleshooting and resolution of customer application issues
- Participate in technical training and onboarding with global engineering teams
- Collaborate with global teams, including coordination with engineering resources outside the U.S.
- Travel to customer sites as required (~10% domestic travel)
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field
- Fluent in Mandarin REQUIRED
- Willingness to travel internationally for training (including China)
- At least one engineering internship or equivalent hands-on experience
- Strong communication and problem-solving skills
- Ability to learn quickly and apply engineering fundamentals to real-world applications
- Ability to work in a team-oriented, customer-focused environment
- Must be located near the greater Chicago area or willing to relocate
- Must be able to work onsite (not remote)
Desired Attributes
- Exposure to hydraulics or fluid power systems
- Internship or project experience in mechanical systems or off-highway equipment
- Interest in customer-facing or applications engineering roles
- CAD experience (SolidWorks or similar)
- Ability to work effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Additional Details
- Onsite work environment based in the greater Chicago area
- Entry-level role with structured onboarding and technical training
- Opportunity for international training and collaboration with global teams
- Travel requirements include limited domestic travel and initial international training
- Flexible work schedule with coordination required to support global teams
VISA Sponsorship is NOT available for this position.
About the Client
Our client is a global provider of hydraulic components and systems supporting OEMs across industries such as construction, agriculture, and heavy equipment. With a growing presence in North America, the organization is focused on expanding its engineering and customer support capabilities to better serve key accounts.
The company offers a collaborative environment where engineers work closely with customers and internal teams to develop application-specific solutions. This role provides an opportunity to contribute to both technical execution and customer engagement within a rapidly evolving and expanding organization.
Compensation & Benefits
- Competitive base salary ($70,000 – $95,000), commensurate with experience
- Comprehensive benefits package provided by the client
- Competitive salary
- Bonus opportunity for team and individual performance
- Insurance options include Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability plans
- Employer paid life insurance
- Health Savings option available with employer contribution
- Paid vacation, sick days, and holidays
- Monthly allowances for phone, car, home office use
- 401(k) match - 100% match for 4% salary
- Company credit for work expenses
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field
- Fluent in Mandarin
- Willingness to travel internationally for training (including China)
- At least one engineering internship or equivalent hands-on experience
- Strong communication skills
- Strong problem-solving skills
- Ability to learn quickly and apply engineering fundamentals
- Ability to work in a team-oriented, customer-focused environment
- Located near the greater Chicago area or willing to relocate
- Must be able to work onsite (not remote)
- Exposure to hydraulics or fluid power systems
- Internship or project experience in mechanical systems or off-highway equipment
- CAD experience (SolidWorks or similar)
- Ability to work effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
What We Do
RFA serves 100's of clients ranging in size from Fortune 500 to entrepreneurial start-ups. We deliver engineering services from our Engineering Center in Eden Prairie, MN and at our client’s own facilities. Regardless of the manner which we deliver services, our goal is to please our clients, through consistent value of services which are aligned to the standards of our clients. We strive to work as a transparent extension of our client’s own engineering staff. We work in all areas of mechanical, software and electrical design, including off-highway mobile equipment and mechanical power transmission, consumer, recreational, industrial, medical products and one-of-a-kind special manufacturing machines. To see a complete listing of our open positions, please go to http://www.rfamec.com/careers/career-opportunities.html
