Senior Applications Engineer (Mining & Construction – Drum Division)

About Kennametal

With over 80 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Every day approximately 8,700 employees are helping customers in nearly 100 countries stay competitive. Kennametal generated $2.1 billion in revenues in fiscal 2023. Learn more at www.kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Senior Applications Engineer (Mining & Construction – Drum Division)

We are looking for an experienced Senior Applications Engineer to drive business growth and manage key customer relationships within the Mining & Construction sector.

In this role, you will play a critical part in expanding our Drum product line by combining technical expertise with commercial acumen. You will collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, production, and sales teams to deliver high-quality solutions tailored to customer needs.

Your Responsibilities

• Manage and grow key customer accounts while identifying new business opportunities
• Drive sales activities from opportunity identification to closing
• Support strategic planning, forecasting, and inventory management
• Coordinate manufacturing processes and manage sub-suppliers
• Provide technical expertise and application support to customers
• Prepare pricing calculations for new and refurbished products
• Ensure profitability and maintain budgeted margins
• Lead and support product improvements in collaboration with R&D and engineering
• Analyze market trends and prepare sales engineering reports
• Support marketing initiatives, trade fairs, and product promotion activities
• Identify retrofit opportunities and present value-driven solutions to customers

Your Profile

• Technical engineering background (manufacturing, fabrication, or design preferred)
• 5+ years of experience in sales or sales engineering, ideally within mining or heavy industry
• Strong understanding of underground mining operations and/or construction applications
• Experience working with manufacturing facilities or subcontractors
• Commercial mindset with proven ability to execute growth strategies
• Strong communication, presentation, and influencing skills
• Analytical and structured way of working
• Experience with CRM/SAP and MS Office
• Fluent in English (Afrikaans would be a plus)
• Willingness to travel frequently

What Makes You Stand Out

• Strong business acumen and customer-first mindset
• Ability to work independently while being a collaborative team player
• High level of ownership, accountability, and performance focus
• Passion for continuous improvement and innovation

Equal Opportunity Employer