Director, Application Engineering – Specification

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Ohio.

📋 Description

• Develop and implement a nationwide strategy aimed at enhancing specification, approval, and adoption within residential, multifamily, and light-commercial construction sectors.

• Identify and prioritize applications, geographic areas, customers, influencers, and projects that present the most significant commercial opportunities.

• Promote inclusion in construction specifications, builder standards, approved product lists, project takeoffs, contractor submissions, and code-compliant applications.

• Design and oversee the process that connects technical influence to project conversion and revenue generation.

• Facilitate collaboration among Application Engineering, Sales, Product, Marketing, and channel partners.

• Utilize CRM and project-tracking tools to maintain oversight of specifications, approvals, opportunities, actions, and conversion rates.

• Recruit, develop, and manage field-based Application Engineers.

• Define territory coverage, establish operating rhythms, prioritize accounts and projects, set activity expectations, performance metrics, and career development paths.

• Foster a culture of technical excellence, sound engineering judgment, accountability, customer collaboration, and commercial impact.

• Cultivate relationships with architects, engineers, residential designers, builders, developers, contractors, code officials, municipalities, plan reviewers, and other key influencers.

• Provide leadership in application guidance, specification development, code interpretation, evaluation reports, certifications, testing data, competitive equivalencies, and installation practices.

• Support strategic projects from design through installation and represent Hillman at professional associations, technical forums, customer events, and trade shows.

• Collaborate with lumberyards, building-material dealers, buying groups, distributors, and external sales teams to enhance recommendations and conversion rates.

• Develop technical selling programs, joint customer engagement initiatives, and project support models that stimulate demand.

• Extend the operational model into specialty channels such as gypsum, engineered wood, and specialized building products.

• Own the AIA and continuing-education strategy, which includes accredited programs, lunch-and-learn sessions, certification seminars, code education, and technical workshops.

• Create train-the-trainer programs and practical technical tools for sales teams, independent representatives, dealer personnel, contractors, and design professionals.

• Ensure that all technical content is accurate, up-to-date, code-compliant, clear, and commercially relevant.

• Transform insights from customers, job sites, codes, channels, and competitors into new products, applications, approvals, certifications, and technical resources.

• Collaborate with Product Management, Engineering, Compliance, Marketing, and Sales to address market gaps and enhance customer outcomes.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Building Science, or a related technical field.

• A minimum of 10 years of experience in construction products, engineered building materials, fastening systems, specification sales, technical services, field engineering, or application engineering.

• At least 5 years of experience leading technical, engineering, or field-based teams, with a track record of building or scaling capabilities.

• Proven success in influencing design professionals, builders, contractors, distributors, channel partners, and stakeholders involved in codes or approvals.

• Preferred experience in fastening, anchoring, structural connectors, engineered wood, gypsum systems, or similar building material categories.

• Experience with ICC-ES evaluation reports, testing programs, certifications, approvals, building-code compliance, AIA continuing education, CRM, construction project intelligence, BIM, specification, or project management platforms is preferred.

• Strong understanding of construction methods, building materials, fastening applications, specifications, and code-compliant solutions.

• Ability to convert complex technical information into practical decisions, distinctive customer value, and measurable commercial outcomes.

• Entrepreneurial and commercially focused mindset with the capability to build strategies, teams, processes, and market credibility.

• Excellent executive-level communication, presentation, relationship-building, and cross-functional leadership skills.

• Sound engineering judgment, accountability, customer orientation, and commitment to technical excellence.

• Ability to establish priorities, operating rhythms, performance measures, and scalable processes within a distributed team.

• Willingness to travel throughout North America.

• Professional Engineer (PE) or Engineer in Training (EIT) credential is preferred.

🏝️ Benefits

• Access to standard office equipment, computers, mobile devices, CRM and project-tracking systems, presentation tools, and relevant construction/specification software.

• Personal protective equipment may be necessary when visiting manufacturing, distribution, customer, or job site locations.

• Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Equal employment opportunity and protection against discrimination and harassment.

• Employment offer is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment background check and drug screening.