Switchgear Application Expert
About the role
About IEM
Industrial Electric Mfg. (IEM) is the largest independent full-line manufacturer of custom power distribution systems in North America. Founded more than 75 years ago in Fremont, California, IEM grew alongside Silicon Valley and today operates over 1.7 million square feet of manufacturing capacity. With $1B+ in annual sales and 10,000+ commissioned projects across technology, data centers, commercial, energy, utilities, healthcare, industrial, and infrastructure markets, IEM continues to deliver exceptional product quality, dependable service, and the flexibility to meet complex technical requirements at scale.
Position Summary
The Switchgear Application Expert is the senior technical escalation point for complex pre‑sales and post‑sales inquiries related to IEM’s low- and medium-voltage switchgear, switchboards, panelboards, and related distribution products. The role provides Tier‑2 and Tier‑3 support across Pre‑Sales, Order Review, Engineering, Production, Field Services, Quality, Product Management, and Customer Support, ensuring that solutions are technically sound, compliant with codes/standards and UL procedures, and manufacturable at scale. The Application Expert combines deep protection & controls, three‑phase power, and standards knowledge with strong cross‑functional collaboration to de‑risk projects, resolve field issues, and drive continuous improvement.
Ideal Candidate Profile
- Seasoned application or engineer with strong power systems with OEM background and familiar with LV and MV distribution equipment who enjoys being the “go‑to” technical expert.
- Comfortable reviewing complex specifications, single‑line diagrams, CDEs, and relay schemes, and explaining trade‑offs to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
- Thrives in a fast‑paced environment balancing urgent escalations with long‑term improvements to standards, tools, and processes.
Key Responsibilities
- App Expert / Cross‑functional Technical Leadership
- Serve as the primary Application Expert for complex and non‑standard applications of IEM switchgear and related products.
- Act as a technical liaison between Sales, Estimation, Engineering, Production, Field Services, Quality, and Product Management, ensuring consistent interpretation of standards, UL procedures, and IEM practices.
- Identify recurring technical issues and lead or support initiatives to improve standard designs, tools, and documentation.
- Pre‑Sales Inquiries
- Support Estimation and Inside Sales by validating complex CDEs, custom enclosure footprints, and utility‑interface requirements against IEM standard offerings and UL procedures.
- Review IEM quotes and CDEs for alignment with customer specifications, codes, and IEM practices; provide clear technical clarifications and risk flags.
- Perform in‑depth technical reviews for projects with high technical P&C requirements, paralleling controls, unusual system topologies, or non‑standard configurations.
- Determine when proposed solutions fall outside standard UL procedures or IEM product offerings and coordinate with Development / R&D / Product Engineering to define acceptable alternatives or exceptions.
- Product Team Support