Senior Sales Engineer / Application Engineer

The Opportunity

root/edge is partnering with a venture-backed, fast-scaling grid-equipment company that is building a new transformer and power-delivery platform for the U.S. market. This organization is focused on removing real supply-chain and execution bottlenecks while delivering equipment that meets the most demanding U.S. utility standards.

This role is designed for a deep technical expert—someone who has spent years inside a major OEM or utility-facing organization and is trusted by customers as a credible authority. You will sit at the center of the business, acting as the technical bridge between U.S. customers and global engineering and manufacturing teams.

If you are the person customers call to validate assumptions, pressure-test designs, and solve problems—not just quote equipment—this role is built for you.

What You Will Do

• Serve as the technical authority for HV and MV transformer offerings in the U.S. market

• Work directly with utilities, IPPs, EPCs, and transmission developers as the primary technical interface

• Review customer specifications and translate them into complete, buildable transformer configurations

• Develop technical proposals, data sheets, loss evaluations, and bid packages

• Advise customers on design tradeoffs related to:

  • Cost vs. performance

  • Losses and efficiency

  • Reliability and lifecycle expectations

  • Lead time and manufacturability

• Support RFQ and RFP processes and contribute to commercial strategy with technically grounded input

• Lead technical clarifications and manage customer questions throughout the bid and award cycle

• Build trusted relationships with customer engineering, standards, and procurement teams

• Partner closely with global engineering, sourcing, and manufacturing teams to ensure customer intent is clearly understood and executed

• Support U.S. product qualification, type testing, and new product introductions

• Help design and scale internal application-engineering processes, tools, and standards as the company grows

Required Experience

• 7+ years of experience working with HV and MV power transformers

• Background in applications engineering, design engineering, or technical sales within a transformer OEM, utility, or EPC ecosystem

• Deep understanding of U.S. utility requirements, developer expectations, and procurement processes

• Strong working knowledge of IEEE, ANSI, and utility-specific standards and how they apply in real projects

• Hands-on familiarity with transformer design and components, including:

  • Cooling classes and thermal limits

  • Impedance and short-circuit requirements

  • Bushings, tap changers, monitoring systems, and accessories

  • Factory and type testing expectations

• Ability to read and interpret one-lines, equipment schedules, and specifications and convert them into executable proposals

• Proven experience supporting bids into utilities, IPPs, and EPCs

• Clear communicator who can engage credibly with both technical and commercial stakeholders

• Comfortable working with global engineering and manufacturing teams across time zones

• Motivated by ownership, speed, and visible impact in a growing organization

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering preferred

Why This Role

• Be part of solving one of the biggest constraints in the U.S. grid: transformer availability and delivery

• Join a high-growth, venture-backed company redefining how grid equipment is engineered and delivered

• Operate with real ownership and influence across product, customer, and manufacturing decisions

• Work in a highly visible role where your technical judgment directly impacts customer outcomes

About root/edge

root/edge is a boutique recruiting and talent advisory firm focused on the energy transition, power infrastructure, and advanced technology markets. We partner with founders and leadership teams to place senior technical and commercial talent in roles that shape the future of critical infrastructure.