Applications & Proposal Engineer - Industrial Automation | North America Travel

Upton Automation is looking for an Applications and Proposal Engineer with experience in manufacturing processes, industrial automation, and technical solution development for customers in the automotive, advanced manufacturing, and related industries.

This is a remote position , but the candidate must be available to travel for technical visits, customer meetings, project reviews, and commercial support across Mexico, the United States, and Canada .

Main Responsibilities

The Applications Engineer will support the sales and engineering teams in understanding customer requirements, developing automation concepts, preparing technical proposals, and defining manufacturing solutions.

Key responsibilities include:

• Analyze manufacturing processes and customer technical requirements.
• Develop automation concepts for assembly lines, inspection systems, measurement stations, test equipment, robotic cells, and material handling solutions.
• Support the preparation of technical proposals, layouts, RFQs, scope definitions, assumptions, exclusions, and cycle time estimates.
• Participate in technical meetings with customers in English and Spanish.
• Coordinate technical information with engineering, sales, project management, and suppliers.
• Identify technical risks, improvement opportunities, and possible automation solutions.
• Provide technical support during plant visits, project reviews, and customer presentations.
• Document requirements, specifications, assumptions, and proposal details.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Mechatronics, Industrial, Electrical, Automation Engineering, or related field.
• Experience in manufacturing processes, preferably in automotive, metalworking, assembly, inspection, testing, or systems integration.
• General knowledge of industrial automation, robotics, conveyors, fixtures, assembly stations, vision systems, leak testing, measurement systems, or material handling.
• Advanced English is required; must be able to participate in technical discussions with international customers.
• Valid U.S. visa required.
• Willingness and availability to travel to Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
• Ability to read and interpret RFQs, layouts, drawings, technical specifications, and manufacturing processes.
• Strong communication skills with customers, engineering teams, and sales teams.
• Organized, analytical, proactive, and solution-oriented mindset.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience as an Applications Engineer, Proposal Engineer, Process Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, or Automation Engineer.
• Knowledge of cycle time analysis, ergonomics, industrial safety, AMRs/AGVs, industrial robots, vision systems, traceability, or production line integration.
• Experience working with customers in Mexico, the United States, or Canada.
• Basic knowledge of CAD tools such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Inventor, or similar software.

What We Offer

• Remote work.
• Participation in international automation projects.
• Growth opportunities within a technology-driven company.
• Direct collaboration with technical and commercial teams in North America.
• Dynamic, challenging, and results-oriented work environment.

Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone with a strong technical mindset and good customer-facing skills; someone who can understand customer needs, translate them into automation concepts, and work with different teams to develop competitive and technically solid proposals.