Director, Applications Engineering

POSITION TITLE: Director, Applications Engineering

POSITION OBJECTIVE: Transforms Clearfield's technical expertise into customer solutions, revenue opportunities, successful deployments, and differentiated market value while ensuring Application Engineering operates as a scalable, strategically aligned business function. Serves as a critical link between customers, engineering, and business teams, influencing technology roadmaps, accelerated revenue growth, removing technical barriers, and developing trusted executive-level relationships. Able to translate complex technical solutions into business outcomes creating long-term customer and company success. Key member of the Operations Leadership Team responsible for contributing and collaborating on the tactics and strategies needed to achieve operational goals.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

Lead the Application Engineering organization:

· Establish the vision, strategy, priorities, and operating model for Application Engineering.

· Provide leadership on FTTH, FTTx, OSP, MDU/MTU, active cabinet, data center, wireless, and other emerging fiber applications.

· Ensure Application Engineering remains current on fiber-network technology, construction practices, standards, and industry trends.

· Translate emerging technologies into practical Clearfield applications.

· Represent Clearfield at industry conferences, customer forums, technical panels, and standards-related activities.

· Build relationships with carriers, MSOs, utilities, municipalities, contractors, consultants, and technology partners.

· Monitor changes in broadband funding, deployment practices, network architecture, and emerging technologies.

· Create strong alignment and collaboration between Application Engineering across the organization to ensure customer requirements and issues are identified and resolved, meeting customer expectations.

Support sales and business development:

· Partner closely with Sales, Regional Sales Managers, Business Development, Product Management, and Marketing.

· Provide technical strategies for major opportunities and strategic accounts.

· Convert customer network challenges into Clearfield solutions and revenue opportunities.

· Develop repeatable technical sales tools, application guides, and solution architectures.

· Identify opportunities for additional products, services, and professional engineering support.

Drive customer technical engagement:

· Support major customer opportunities from initial technical discovery through deployment.

· Ensure customers receive practical, technically sound solutions using Clearfield products and industry best practices.

· Protects and positions the application intent of existing product lines

· Participate in executive-level customer meetings when technical leadership is required.

Engineering design and Proof-of-Concept leadership:

· Establish the company's approach to customer network design assistance.

· Lead Proof-of-Concept development for strategic opportunities.

· Ensure designs demonstrate Clearfield's solution without creating unnecessary engineering liability.

· Establish standards for conceptual designs, BOM development, assumptions, exclusions, and customer deliverables.

· Determine when an opportunity requires engineering services beyond normal Application Engineering support.

Product application and product-development feedback:

· Serve as a primary voice of the customer to Product Management and Product Marketing and Engineering.

· Identify product gaps, application challenges, and opportunities for new products.

· Provide field-driven requirements for product enhancements.

· Participate in product development reviews and commercialization decisions.

· Ensure products are designed with real-world installation and deployment considerations in mind.

Business and financial accountability:

· Establish measurable KPIs for Application Engineering.

· Track technical support activity, opportunity influence, design activity, customer satisfaction, training, revenue contribution, and engineering-service revenue.

· Manage department budget and headcount.

· Demonstrate the financial contribution of Application Engineering to Clearfield's business.

Lead and manage the Application Engineering Team:

· Interview, hire, train, and mentor team members. Ensure necessary people resources are in place to meet commitments.

· Motivate team members and provide technical direction and guidance.

· Monitor performance to proactively identify efficiency issues and engage team members to collaboratively propose and implement improvement solutions.

· Provide leadership for the portfolio of application engineering initiatives, ensuring work is completed on time, within budget, and to the expected quality and technical standards.

· Monitor initiative progress, resolve technical challenges, and ensure that application engineering practices comply with organizational policies and industry standards.

This description of duties is not intended to be all-inclusive or to limit the discretionary authority to assign other tasks of a similar nature and/or level of responsibility.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

• BS in Engineering or related technical field. An MBA degree is preferred.
• Ten years of experience leading and managing Application Engineering teams.

· Strong FTTx product knowledge required, Clearfield product knowledge preferred.

· Strong design and implementation of telecommunication distributions systems required.

· CFOT (Certified Fiber Optic Technician) certification preferred.

· Technical Product Expertise - The ability to master complex product specifications and technical features to provide accurate solutions, troubleshooting, and strategic guidance to stakeholders.

· Industry Knowledge - The ability to understand and stay current with market trends, competitor activities, and the regulatory environment to inform business decisions and maintain a competitive edge.

· Negotiation - The ability to engage with others to reach mutually beneficial agreements, resolve conflicts, and influence outcomes while maintaining positive professional relationships.

· Cross-Functional Collaboration - The ability to work effectively with individuals and teams from different functional areas to achieve shared organizational goals and drive integrated solutions.

· Team Leadership - The ability to inspire, guide, and develop individuals and groups to achieve shared goals while fostering a culture of accountability and mutual respect.

· Able to travel 50%.

BENEFITS for full-time:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits.
• 100% company paid Short-term and Long-term disability insurance coverage.
• 100% company paid Basic Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance coverage.
• 100% company paid Business Travel Accident (BTA) insurance.
• 100% company paid Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Additional voluntary benefits are offered.
• 401K plan: Maximum match is 4.5% of the first 6% of contribution.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan:
• Clearfield's Time Off Policy includes Paid Time Off (PTO) beginning at three weeks annually, accrued on the first of the month, starting on the day of hire. The policy also includes nine paid holidays each calendar year, and one 8-hour day of Volunteering Time-Off.

SALARY RANGE: $150,381 - $187,976 - $225,571; Bonus Eligible

An Offer of employment will be extended at a level consistent with the experience and qualifications of the candidate. This information reflects the anticipated salary range for this position at the time of posting. The salary range may be modified in the future and actual compensation may vary from the posting based on various factors such as geographic location, work experience, education and/or skill level.