Principal Application Engineer

Role purpose

The Principal Application Engineer is the deep technical authority for a domain of the Power portfolio — including integrated solutions. The role sets design direction and standards, owns the reference architectures others build on, and coordinates internal specialists and third parties on the hardest technical questions. It leads through technical authority rather than people management, and it is not the primary customer interface: it brings the deep dive when Technical Sales opens the door. The Principal AE holds final technical authority on product configuration and on the non-standard or architectural questions escalated by Application Engineering and Pre-Sales Engineering.

Role scope

Domain technical authority for one of Critical Power Systems (UPS, batteries, AI load, grid), Power Distribution & Integration (MV, LV, busway) or Engineered Solutions (Power SKID, ETO, modular): reference architectures, design standards, senior review, mentoring and third-party coordination.

Key accountabilities

• Own the reference architectures and design rules for the domain, and keep them current as the technology moves.
• Own simulation and digital-twin based design validation for the domain, using it to prove architectures before they are committed.
• Act as senior technical reviewer and escalation point for the most complex designs and non-standard solutions raised by Application Engineering and Pre-Sales Engineering (including MV switchgear), with an agreed turnaround so that escalations do not become a bottleneck.
• Bring deep-dive technical expertise to consultant engagements and strategic pursuits led by Technical Sales.
• Coordinate internal specialists and third parties on complex solutions, holding the technical thread across them.
• Govern the engineering library for the domain: decide what enters it, approve deviations raised through the CDE route, and enforce reuse so that solutions are configured rather than redesigned — working with Product Management and the Global Business Units, which co-own the building blocks.
• Own technical training and certification of Application Engineers, Technical Sales and partners in the domain, including system-level thinking — turning expertise into scalable capability rather than a personal dependency.
• Mentor and develop engineers across disciplines, raising the technical bar of the wider team.
• Train Application Engineers and Technical Sales in system-level thinking for the domain. 
• Work with Product Management and factory engineering on product gaps, roadmap input and new technology introduction.
• Support the Power System Lead on architectural questions and the introduction of emerging technologies.
• Build the emerging capabilities of the domain — for Critical Power Systems, grid interaction (power simulation, power smoothing, BESS and Microgrid design); for Engineered Solutions, Power SKID sub-assemblies — engaging ETO and Global Engineering early.
• Provide the validated design rules, technical knowledge and data behind CPQ rules, configurators and AI-enabled engineering tools for the domain, and check that their outputs are technically sound.
• Convert lessons learned and technical decisions from complex projects into reusable standards, training and engineering assets.

Working model and level expectations

Customer engagement

Selective and deep: technical deep dives, design workshops, consultant sessions — not the primary interface.

Travel expectation

Low to moderate; travel for complex pursuits, design workshops and training.

Typical work

Reference architectures, design standards, senior review, complex solution support, mentoring.

Decision profile

Sets technical direction for the domain; final technical say on design standards, non-standard configurations and approved deviations.

Leadership expectation

Leads through technical authority; no people management responsibility.

Role differentiators

• Technical authority for a domain, not a people manager.
• Owns reference architectures and design standards rather than individual opportunities.
• Supports customer engagements with depth; Technical Sales owns the relationship.

Qualifications and experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum 12 years of experience in application engineering, design engineering or power systems.
• Deep expertise in the domain, with strong working knowledge of the wider power train — UPS and large power converters, power distribution, LV and MV switchgear, busway, energy storage, DC power and power skids.
• Credible on the emerging technologies: BESS, microgrid and grid interaction, 800V DC architectures, and power software and controls.
• Depending on the domain, deep expertise in MV (up to 36kV) and LV distribution, switchgear, busbar systems, transformers, UPS, STS/PDU, RPP, protection and automation, power quality, harmonics, grounding and Tier III/IV reliability concepts, with command of network calculation, simulation and digital-twin tooling, and of IEC, IEEE and EMEA national codes.
• Proven ability to set standards and raise the capability of others.
• Strong written and verbal English; additional EMEA languages an advantage.

Core competencies

Deep technical authority

Design standards and reuse

Mentoring and capability building

Complex problem solving

Third-party coordination

Clear technical communication

Judgement under ambiguity

Influence without authority

Indicative success measures

• Accurate, complete and timely technical inputs to opportunities, projects and customer discussions. 
• Positive feedback from Sales, customers and internal stakeholders on clarity, responsiveness and technical quality. 
• Effective use of approved systems, tools and processes, with clear documentation and handover quality. 
• Visible contribution to knowledge sharing, risk identification and solution improvement appropriate to the level. 
• Capability built: engineers trained and certified in the domain