Field Application Engineers (FAEs) provide technical expertise throughout all phases of the customer project lifecycle - including Acquisition, Design-In, Deployment, and post-launch support. In close collaboration with the Sales organization, the FAE helps secure design wins by overcoming technical challenges and ensures customers, distributors, MNO partners, and OEM end-customers can successfully integrate, test, optimize, and certify IoT products.
The FAE will primarily support customers, distributors, MNO partners, and their OEM end-customers across South Africa and may also support strategic customers elsewhere in the assigned region. Acting as a trusted technical advisor before and after the sale, the role involves cross-functional coordination under the guidance of the Head of FAE / Sales organization and requires travel, typically up to 20% within the assigned region.
Location: South Africa
Job type: Contract consulent
RESPONSABILITIES:
- Promote and position the full Telit Cinterion product and services portfolio within the assigned region.
- Provide technical guidance during RFI/RFQ and design-win processes, overcoming technical challenges and ensuring accurate and timely input for customer proposals.
- Deliver technical presentations, demonstrations, and pre-sales support to customers, distributors, and MNOs. Conduct structured training sessions to enhance customer and distributor technical knowledge.
- Enable customers to develop, integrate, validate, and certify new wireless applications across hardware, software, and system design, sharing expertise via test scripts, application notes, design guidance, and Developer Zone content.
- Track and align key-customer use cases, requirements, milestones, and project progress, ensuring that proposed products meet customer project needs.
- Act as the technical interface between Telit Cinterion, relevant internal departments, customers, MNOs, and distributors, ensuring clear communication and access to the appropriate support resources. Convey customer feedback to R&D to improve product documentation and communicate product roadmap needs to Product Management.
- Maintain and manage direct-customer and distributor accounts, support strategic accounts in all technical aspects, validate support effectiveness through customer visits and strong relationships, and create, document, and track customer Change Requests.
- Identify strong USPs and assist Sales teams with compelling competitive positioning and "selling against" arguments.
- Perform hands-on troubleshooting - including log analysis, tracing, and on-site testing - to identify root causes. Document issues clearly, propose solutions or workarounds, and escalate defects through structured internal processes when required.
REQUIREMENTS:
- A technical degree is strongly preferred. Equivalent hands-on experience - network operations, carrier, RF, or embedded - is equally acceptable.
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in a relevant technical or customer-facing engineering role.
- Professional English proficiency at CEFR B2 level or above is required.
- Proficiency in one or more additional South African languages is advantageous.
- Willingness and ability to travel, typically up to 20%, within South Africa and, when required, elsewhere in the assigned region.
- Solid understanding of cellular networking concepts, including LPWA, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, voice, and data communication.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Knowledge of technologies related to IoT solutions such as RF fundamentals, embedded systems (Linux, C, Java, ThreadX), firmware development tools, microcontrollers, antenna design, power management, test tools, and GNSS is a strong advantage. Experience with a wireless communications module supplier, or knowledge of SaaS/PaaS solutions, is also advantageous.
- Familiarity with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, SIM/USIM, and eUICC technologies.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical topics into clear messages.
- Strong relationship-building skills with a customer-centric mindset.
- High self-motivation, ownership mentality, and a willingness to continuously develop technical and professional capabilities.