Careers

The Application Engineer is the technical bridge between FranklinWH and the installers, EPCs, distributors, and strategic accounts who deploy our energy solutions in the field. Application Engineers answer the hard technical questions, perform single-line and full solution reviews, validate system designs against customer load and backup requirements, train installer networks, and partner with the Sales team to support active opportunities.

We hire Application Engineers across a broad experience range, and we level the role at offer based on your depth, autonomy, and customer-facing range. Early-career Application Engineers spend significant time in the field — at customer sites, installer trainings, industry events, and ride-alongs with senior team members — because that exposure is how you learn the product, the installer ecosystem, and the realities of how these systems actually get deployed. As you grow into senior Application Engineer roles, you’ll spend more time as the depth expert other AEs and the Sales team escalate to: leading the gnarly design reviews, owning the technical voice on strategic accounts, mentoring newer AEs, and feeding the patterns you see from the field directly into Product and R&D.

There are two well-defined growth paths from this role: deeper into the Application Engineering ladder as a senior individual contributor and eventual team lead, or lateral into Product Management, where the field-pattern view you’ve built becomes the foundation for shaping the roadmap. Which path you take depends on your interests and strengths.

This role is based in Southern California. Travel is shaped by the work — typically heavier in the early years (field exposure, installer trainings, industry events) and more selective as you become a depth resource the team relies on. Other locations will open soon.

Responsibilities

The mix shifts with seniority. Everyone does some of all of this; junior AEs lean toward the first list, senior AEs toward the second.

Foundation work (all AEs):

- Serve as a first responder on the pre-sales engineering ticket queue — answer technical questions from installers, distributors, EPCs, and strategic accounts within published SLAs.

- Perform single-line diagram reviews and full solution reviews against customer load, backup, and solar-pairing requirements; flag issues and recommend corrections.

- Validate FranklinWH system configurations and produce sizing recommendations for residential and light-commercial opportunities.

- Deliver product demos and technical presentations to installers, distributors, and channel partners.

- Train installers and channel partners on product installation, commissioning, and best practices.

- Represent FranklinWH at industry shows, trainings, and customer events.

- Contribute to customer-facing technical collateral: sizing tools, design guides, spec sheets, FAQ content, and installer references.

- Stay current on incentive programs (ITC, SGIP, state rebates), interconnection rules, NEC/electrical code updates, V2H developments, and competitor offerings.

Depth and leverage work (more senior AEs):

- Lead complex system design reviews and serve as the technical voice on strategic accounts.

- Handle escalations from the broader queue — the questions other AEs can’t answer alone.

- Partner with the Sales team on RFPs, technical Q&A, and competitive positioning on active opportunities.

- Mentor junior Application Engineers; review their work, run training, and grow the team’s collective technical depth.

- Channel field patterns and competitive intelligence directly into Product and R&D — your perspective from the front lines materially influences the product roadmap.

- Own technical relationships with the installer training networks and certification programs.

General:

- Comply with the FranklinWH Code of Business Conduct.

- Complete other duties and projects as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience

Required:

- BS/MS in Electrical Engineering or a related technical field. Internships, co-ops, and academic projects count toward experience for early-career candidates.

- Demonstrated interest in the solar, storage, or electrical industries.

- Ability to read and understand electrical, structural, mechanical, and architectural drawings.

- Strong written and verbal communication, with a natural talent for explaining technical concepts to non-technical audiences.

- Strong organizational skills and rigorous documentation habits.

- Self-driven, highly motivated, and able to work with minimal supervision (more so the more senior you are).

- Strong interpersonal skills and a teamwork orientation.

- Willingness to travel as needed — heavier in early-career years for field exposure and training, more selective at senior levels.

- ** Must reside in Southern California.

Required for mid-level and senior AE roles (will develop on the job for early-career hires):

- Working knowledge of residential and light-commercial electrical systems, solar PV, battery storage, and grid interconnection.

- Familiarity with NEC, UL standards, and utility interconnection processes.

- Fluency with incentive programs (ITC, SGIP, state-level rebate programs).

- System sizing for load, backup, and solar-pairing requirements.

- Track record of customer-facing technical work — design reviews, training delivery, demo and presentation experience.

Nice to have:

- Hands-on experience designing or commissioning residential solar + storage systems.

- Demonstrated interest in Behind-the-Meter and DER assets.

- Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Compensation and Benefits

FranklinWH offers a competitive salary plus a performance bonus tied to annual objectives, with offer level set based on demonstrated experience and depth at hire. The role includes a comprehensive benefits package:

401(k) retirement plan

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Life insurance and long-term disability

PTO and sick days

Generous travel per diem

FranklinWH is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy (including childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.