---
title: 'Team Lead Applications Engineer at Axis Automation'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/team-lead-applications-engineer-axis-automation-walker-michigan-0fmq2k3saeap'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-11'
---

# Team Lead Applications Engineer at Axis Automation

- **Company:** Axis Automation
- **Location:** Walker Michigan, United States
- **Posted:** 2026-08-06
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/axiscompany/jobs/8687513002

## Job description

## Team Lead Applications Engineer

Job Description: The Team Lead Applications Engineer combines hands-on applications engineering execution with formal people leadership. While remaining actively engaged in proposal activities, this role ensures engineers are appropriately supported, trained, utilized, and aligned with departmental objectives. The Team Lead serves as the first level of accountability for engineer development, proposal execution, workload balancing, and communication. Reporting directly to the Director of Applications Engineering, the Team Lead collaborates closely with cross-functional teams to ensure work is completed efficiently, accurately, and in alignment with customer expectations and business objectives.

Responsibilities Include:

- Prepare and develop complex automation proposals including manufacturing concepts, budgets, risks, schedules, and technical content while ensuring accuracy and alignment with department standards.
- Leads proposal strategy for complex opportunities by evaluating technical feasibility, manufacturing approaches, cycle times, costs, and project risks.
- Interface with customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders to resolve issues, align expectations, and support project success.
- Lead the day-to-day performance of assigned Applications Engineers by establishing priorities, communicating expectations, coaching professional development, and ensuring work is completed on time and in accordance with department standards, estimating practices, and proposal requirements.
- Review proposal quality, estimating practices, and technical approaches while coaching Applications Engineers on proposal development, customer engagement, risk assessment, and solution strategy to ensure compliance with department standards.
- Provide workload visibility, staffing recommendations, and resource planning feedback to the Director of Applications Engineering, balancing proposal assignments, supporting quote prioritization, and escalating capacity concerns with recommended corrective actions.
- Partner with subject matter experts to support proposal reviews, complex concept development, team mentoring, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement of estimating methods, standards, training materials, and departmental capabilities.
- Support the development of future technical and leadership talent while promoting a culture of accountability, professionalism, ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Approximately 70% of time spent performing Applications Engineering responsibilities and 30% in leadership, planning, coaching, and team-development activities.
- Champion our Operating Principles: You will be expected to actively embody and uphold our ten Operating Principles, which guide our every action and decision at Axis Automation. These principles are key to our culture and success.

Qualifications:

This position is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) which requires U.S. person status. ITAR defines U.S. person as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder'), Political Asylee, or Refugee.

- Education: Bachelor's Degree in an engineering-related field preferred, or comparable field experience in industrial automation, manufacturing engineering, or applications engineering.

- Experience: Minimum 6 years of experience in industrial automation, applications engineering, manufacturing engineering, estimating, project management, or a related field with demonstrated leadership and mentorship experience.

- Technical Skills

- Strong proficiency in manufacturing process development, automation concepts, project budgeting, cycle time analysis, proposal generation, estimating, and risk assessment.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and review complex automation solutions across multiple manufacturing technologies and industries.
- Strong understanding of controls systems, mechanical systems, robotic integration, machine safety principles, and manufacturing processes.
- Effective use of Microsoft Office applications and proposal development tools.
- Leadership: Proven ability to lead, develop, and hold engineers accountable for performance, quality, responsiveness, professionalism, and execution. Demonstrated ability to provide candid feedback, resolve conflicts, manage competing priorities, and maintain a high-performing team environment.
- Communication: Excellent communicator capable of effectively engaging engineers, customers, suppliers, management, direct reports, and technical subject matter experts.
- Problem Solving: Serves as the first escalation point for proposal execution challenges, workload conflicts, resource concerns, team development issues, and departmental support needs.
- Reliability: Accountable for the team's execution of applications engineering activities including proposal quality, schedule adherence, communication, documentation, knowledge transfer, customer responsiveness, and compliance with departmental standards. Demonstrates strong ownership by ensuring engineers have the resources, direction, support, and accountability required to consistently meet departmental and company objectives.

Benefits: Axis offers a comprehensive benefits package to our employees with immediate eligibility upon hire.

Salary: $115,000 - $135,000

## About Axis Automation

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Axis Automation engineers and builds advanced factory automation solutions, including robotics integration, project management, and service support, for manufacturers across multiple industries.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Funding not publicly disclosed)
- **Headquarters**: Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
- **Founded**: 2016
- **Founders**: Boyd Vor Broker (Founder & President)

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Automation machinery manufacturing, factory automation, robotics integration
- **Markets served**: Automotive, Packaging, Semiconductor, Aerospace, Food & Beverage, Transportation, Health & Medical, Consumer
- **Target customers**: Manufacturers (B2B, primarily mid-market to enterprise)
- **Mission/purpose**: “To be the leading automation solutions provider for the manufacturing community” – supporting the adoption of automation solutions that empower people and enhance productivity

## Products & Services
- **Factory Automation Solutions**: Full lifecycle services including conceptualization, design, engineering, robotics integration, machine build, welding, and deployment – not a packaged SaaS product but a custom engineering and integration service.
- **Project Management & Support**: Dedicated project management, service, and after-deployment support to ensure long-term reliability.
- **Skilled Trades & Co-op Programs**: Internships and co-op positions (partnered with Grand Valley State University) in mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Headcount ~51 employees (as of 2025/2026; slight YoY decline of 1.3%). Revenue is not publicly disclosed.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: No external investors identified. Partnered with Grand Valley State University for talent pipeline.
- **Growth Signals**: Monthly headcount growth of +1.4% (LinkedIn estimate); LinkedIn follower growth of +17.1% yearly. Active job postings (10 open positions). However, yearly headcount declined slightly (-1.3%) and job postings decreased 37.5% YoY.

## Competitive Advantages
- Extensive cross-industry experience (automotive, semiconductor, aerospace, etc.)
- Collaborative culture with deep in-house expertise in robotics integration and project management
- Strong local talent partnerships (e.g., Grand Valley State University co-op program) and a reputation for promoting from within
- Full-service offering from concept through deployment and support, reducing handoff friction for customers

## Strategic Focus
- Continued expansion of automation solutions for evolving manufacturing needs
- Emphasis on teamwork and employee development to retain expertise and drive quality
- Supporting adoption of automation to “empower people and enhance productivity” – likely investing in new technologies (e.g., advanced robotics, Industry 4.0 integration)

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as “powerhouse team with exceptional project execution” and a “collaborative culture”; employee reviews on LinkedIn rate culture 5.0/5.0 and career opportunities 4.4/5.0.
- **Benefits**: Comprehensive benefits package with immediate eligibility upon hire.
- **Career Development**: Strong promotion-from-within philosophy; co-op/internship pipeline to full-time roles.
- **Work Environment**: Offices in Grand Rapids, MI; no explicit remote/hybrid policy mentioned, likely on-site given the hands-on nature of automation engineering.
- **Team**: Small but tight-knit (51 employees) with experienced leadership across engineering, project management, and applications.

## Sources
1. [Axis Automation Official Website](https://www.axisco.com/)
2. [Axis Automation Careers Page](https://www.axisco.com/careers)
3. [Axis Automation LinkedIn Page](https://www.linkedin.com/company/axiscoautomation)
4. [Axis Automation About Us](https://www.axisco.com/about-us)
5. [Axis Automation Contact](https://www.axisco.com/contact)

## Other roles at Axis Automation

- [Project Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/project-manager-axis-automation-walker-michigan-073fce1wan2b) — Walker Michigan, United States
- [Expert Machine Builder](https://feeny.ai/job/expert-machine-builder-axis-automation-walker-michigan-h78vbap1smqr) — Walker Michigan, United States
- [Applications Engineer Level 4](https://feeny.ai/job/applications-engineer-level-4-axis-automation-walker-michigan-c4bvvydj6hef) — Walker Michigan, United States
- [Machine Builder Level 1-3](https://feeny.ai/job/machine-builder-level-1-3-axis-automation-walker-michigan-9yrqfjbbcdmx) — Walker Michigan, United States
- [Project Coordinator](https://feeny.ai/job/project-coordinator-axis-automation-walker-michigan-s8stwhm7tn3q) — Walker Michigan, United States
- [Senior Mechanical Design Engineer - Automation](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanical-design-engineer-automation-axis-automation-walker-michigan-hmnjbcpj0jw4) — Walker Michigan, United States
- [Senior Automation Controls Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-automation-controls-engineer-axis-automation-walker-michigan-kmhhv5gcthwa) — Walker Michigan, United States
- [Applications Engineer Level 2](https://feeny.ai/job/applications-engineer-level-2-axis-automation-walker-michigan-3gy75z81mad2) — Walker Michigan, United States
- [Mechanical Engineer Level 3](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-level-3-axis-automation-walker-michigan-bjgb5wn7hb7n) — Walker Michigan, United States
- [Controls Engineer Levels 2/3](https://feeny.ai/job/controls-engineer-levels-2-3-axis-automation-walker-michigan-m18j0nnpzk52) — Walker Michigan, United States