Product Application Engineer Jobs in Pleasant Ridge, MI

Welcome to Balluff Inc.!

Balluff is a global leader in sensor technology and industrial automation. Our mission is to drive smart manufacturing forward while creating a workplace where innovation and people thrive. Join a team that values precision, quality, and continuous improvement.

Position Summary

The Vision Application Engineer drives customer success and supports sales growth for Balluff vision products by combining machine vision expertise with a strong commercial mindset. This role partners closely with Sales to identify, qualify, develop, and support vision opportunities by translating customer requirements into validated technical concepts, solution recommendations, and clear value propositions. The Vision Application Engineer serves as a trusted technical resource for customers and internal teams throughout the sales process, helping accelerate opportunity conversion and long-term business growth.

What You’ll Do

• Provide pre-sales technical consulting, feasibility testing, proof-of-concept support, product demonstrations, training, and customer presentations for machine vision applications.
• Partner with Sales to identify, qualify, develop, and support vision opportunities.
• Evaluate customer requirements and develop validated technical concepts using Balluff vision products and technologies.
• Recommend machine vision solutions that address customer application challenges and business objectives.
• Assist in developing customer proposals, including technical recommendations, project concepts, and bills of material.
• Serve as a technical liaison between customers, Sales, Product Management, R&D, Service, and global Application Engineering teams.
• Support troubleshooting and resolution of customer application issues and escalations.
• Develop and maintain a strong understanding of customer processes, project methodologies, and machine vision applications.
• Deliver technical training and knowledge transfer to customers and internal teams.
• Stay current on machine vision technologies, industry trends, and competitive solutions.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Ability to travel within the United States and Canada as required.
• Position is based in the Detroit metropolitan area and requires residence within reasonable driving distance of the Sterling Heights office.
• Work is performed in office, customer manufacturing, and industrial environments.
• Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) may be required when working in customer facilities.

Why Join Balluff?

• Competitive pay
• Health, dental, vision, and life insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and holidays
• Opportunities for training, development, and advancement

Balluff is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

What You Bring

• Associate's degree in Engineering or a related technical/industrial field required; Bachelor's degree preferred.
• At least 5 years of practical, hands-on machine vision experience required. Advanced machine vision expertise and industry experience are strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of machine vision technologies, including optics, lighting, image sensor behavior, camera selection, image acquisition, vision system integration, and application development.
• Strong understanding of camera interfaces and standards such as GigE Vision, USB3 Vision, and GenICam, as well as embedded systems and Linux environments.
• Understanding of industrial networks and system integration, including PLCs, controllers, electrical and hardware systems, and machine operations.
• Basic programming knowledge in C++, C#, Python, or C sufficient to understand and evaluate code related to image acquisition.
• Understanding of sales processes and opportunity qualification, with strong customer-facing communication and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, organizational, and documentation skills with the ability to manage multiple customer assignments and communicate technical information effectively.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and familiarity with SAP.