Join Our Team at Tegra Medical!
We’re a trusted contract manufacturer for some of the biggest names in the medical device industry. Known for taking on complex projects that others can’t, we pride ourselves on precision and innovation. Headquartered in Franklin, MA, Tegra Medical is part of the global SFS Group, based in Heerbrugg, Switzerland. Together, we’re shaping the future of healthcare.
Job Summary
This position requires the employee to work onsite at the assigned company location as an essential function of the role. The Senior Application Engineer is a strategic technical leader who evaluates and defines the cost structure of new and legacy medical device manufacturing projects. Combining deep technical expertise with cross-functional leadership, this role defines optimal manufacturing sequences, assesses production feasibility and required technologies, both internal and external, and delivers insight-driven recommendations that shape product introduction and scaling strategies. As a key technical advisor, the Senior Application Engineer supports Tegra Medical's commitment to excellence by providing high-level Design for Manufacturability (DFM) guidance, leading cost modeling, and connecting customers, engineering, sales, and production teams from early quoting through full-scale manufacturing, ensuring technical and financial alignment across the organization.
Role and Responsibilities
- Lead complex quoting for medical device components and assemblies: review RFQs, specifications, and drawings; coordinate cross-functional input; and determine feasibility, manufacturing strategy including process and technologies, risk, lead time, and cost.
- Lead quote strategy and technical reviews for high-value, high-risk opportunities, communicating recommendations, tradeoffs, assumptions, and cost drivers to customers, Sales, and management.
- Provide technical leadership to Application Engineers: set priorities, review work, resolve gaps, and ensure accurate, on-time quotes.
- Provide strategic DFM guidance and create CAD models or drawings to improve manufacturability, reduce cost, and meet quality and regulatory requirements.
- Serve as subject matter expert on manufacturing processes, materials, equipment, and external services.
- Investigate new technologies, processes, materials, and suppliers when requests exceed current capabilities; coordinate trials, supplier consultations, and SME reviews.
- Develop capability assessments and business cases (feasibility, validation, risk, tooling, capital, ROI) and recommend whether to develop internally, source externally, or exclude.
- Build and validate detailed cost models for components, subassemblies, and finished assemblies, including multilevel BOMs, routings, setup and cycle times, labor and machine assumptions, yield and scrap, tooling, validation, inspection, packaging, outsourced services, and capital.
- Prepare customer-ready proposals documenting scope, pricing logic, volumes, nonrecurring engineering, tooling, lead times, exclusions, risks, and sensitivity analyses.
- Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to ensure estimates are defensible, commercially aligned, and on schedule.
- Support handoff of awarded projects to development and production, ensuring assumptions, cost targets, risks, and commitments are owned by receiving teams.
- Maintain cost integrity by comparing quoted assumptions to actual performance and applying lessons learned.
- Improve quoting through data analysis, standard work, capability mapping, and maintenance of material, process, cost, and lead-time databases.
- Coach Application Engineers on quoting, DFM, and cost-modeling standards.
Qualifications
- 8+ years in manufacturing, processing, or applications engineering, or cost estimating, preferably in medical device or precision manufacturing.
- Proven technical leadership directing complex, cross-functional quoting and mentoring engineers.
- Strong business acumen balancing cost, quality, risk, lead time, and customer expectations.
- Extensive knowledge of precision manufacturing processes, materials, inspection methods, and external services.
- Experience evaluating new technologies, including supplier engagement, trials, and make-versus-buy recommendations.
- Ability to develop capability assessments and business cases.
- Advanced skills in engineering drawings, GD&T, specifications, and DFM principles.
- Demonstrated ability to develop detailed cost models and present customer-ready proposals with scenario and sensitivity analyses.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including working with incomplete or conflicting information.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
- Project-management skills to handle multiple complex RFQs and meet deadlines.
- Experience improving quoting processes through standard work, data analysis, and lessons learned.
- Proficiency with ERP, quoting/cost-modeling tools, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; ability to manage large datasets.
- SolidWorks/CAD experience is strongly preferred.
Education Requirements
Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering or related technical field, and excellent mechanical/manufacturing aptitude. Advanced training or certifications in cost estimating, lean manufacturing, or DFM/A are highly desirable.
Physical Requirements
- Frequently performing repetitive work.
- Occasional lifting (max. 40 lbs.)
- Occasional carrying (max. 40 lbs.)
- Subject to physical hazards from moving equipment and machine parts.
- Constant safety glasses while on the floor.
- Constant PPE.
- Frequent standing.
- Occasionally sitting, walking, pushing, pulling, reaching.
- Regular attendance in the office is required
What We Offer:
- On-the-job training and advancement opportunities
- Competitive hourly wage + shift differentials (2nd & 3rd Shift)
- Great benefits like health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; 401K and much more.
- Paid time off, sick time and holiday pay
- Employee Assistance Program/ Tuition Reimbursement
Monday to Friday, 8:00AM-5:00PM
Skills Required
- 8+ years of experience in manufacturing, processing engineering, applications engineering, or cost estimating, preferably in medical device or precision manufacturing.
- Proven technical leadership directing complex, cross-functional quoting and mentoring engineers.
- Strong business acumen balancing cost, quality, risk, lead time, and customer expectations.
- Extensive knowledge of precision manufacturing processes, materials, inspection methods, and external services.
- Experience evaluating new technologies, engaging suppliers, conducting trials, and making make-versus-buy recommendations.
- Ability to develop capability assessments and business cases.
- Advanced skills in engineering drawings, GD&T, specifications, and DFM principles.
- Demonstrated ability to develop detailed cost models and customer-ready proposals with scenario and sensitivity analyses.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including working with incomplete or conflicting information.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
- Project-management skills to handle multiple complex RFQs and meet deadlines.
- Experience improving quoting processes through standard work, data analysis, and lessons learned.
- Proficiency with ERP, quoting and cost-modeling tools, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and large datasets.
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, or a related technical field.
- SolidWorks or CAD experience.
- Advanced training or certifications in cost estimating, lean manufacturing, or DFM/DFA.
What We Do
Tegra Medical is an end-to-end contract manufacturing solutions provider, known as the company “where medical devices come to life.” Our customers look to us to manufacture everything from complex components to finished devices – from the sharp “business end” to the molded plastic handle – including assembly, sterilization and packaging. Our headquarters is in Franklin, Massachusetts and we have manufacturing locations in Massachusetts, Mississippi, Costa Rica, Europe, and Asia. We are ISO 13485 and FDA registered. Tegra Medical is a member of SFS. We often have open job positions for skilled manufacturing positions. Please see https://www.tegramedical.com/careers/ for our latest job openings.
