Technical Solutions Specialist/Engineer
Protective Covers & Aviation Insulation Blankets
Role Overview
Cocoon Inc. is seeking a Technical Solutions Specialist – Protective Covers & Aviation Insulation Blankets to support the growth across Cocoon’s Covers and Blankets business segments. This role supports long-cycle, complex pursuits by gathering requirements, translating technical needs, and defining executable solutions in partnership with Product Design and Product Development teams.
This is predominantly an internal-facing, technical-sales-execution role. The position does not own selling, but it does share in the ownership of how Cocoon scopes, defines, and proposes technical solutions for cover and blanket opportunities. The Specialist/Engineer may join customer meetings, site visits, and technical reviews to support the BD team with product expertise, feasibility assessment, and solution definition.
The role reports to the Vice President, Sales Operations, with strong day-to-day alignment to the Vice President of Business Development for Covers/Blankets. Solutions include protective covers, platform‑specific aviation thermal and acoustic insultation systems, and other sewn or textile‑based engineered items.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Sales Support & Requirements Capture
Partner with BD to collect customer requirements related to platform configuration, measurements, environmental conditions, mission needs, and sustainment challenges.
Identify platform variations, accessories, and configuration differences that impact patterning, material selection, or product design.
Translate customer requirements into clear, structured technical documentation for engineering and product development review.
Solution Development & Proposal Execution
Translate requirements into executable protective cover/blanket solutions aligned with Cocoon’s capabilities, material constraints, prototype processes, and production methods.
Coordinate with Product Development and Product Design teams to define materials, construction methods, patterning requirements, fastener systems, and fit‑form‑function considerations.
Gather pricing inputs and support price estimation process in partnership with Product Development.
Create new opportunities within the CRM database and work with the BD team to ensure that the information reflects the latest updates regarding customer interaction, anticipated close dates, PWIN% and lead times for business awareness and forecasting purposes.
Prepare Scope of Work (SOW) documents, quotes and other supporting documentation.
Cross Functional Integration
Act as the technical integrator between Business Development, Product Development and Product Design.
Surface risks related to measurements, platform variation, material performance, or prototype complexity early.
Ensure internal alignment on solution scope, manufacturing feasibility, deliverables, and assumptions.
Customer-Facing Technical Engagement
Join BD in customer meetings, site visits, and technical exchanges to support requirement clarification and solution validation.
Provide product expertise and articulate solution feasibility, options, constraints, and tradeoffs professionally and clearly.
Support long‑cycle pursuit execution through technical credibility and consistent follow‑through.
Participates in customer engagement alongside BD; does not own customer relationships or selling.
Documentation, Governance & Execution Discipline
Support Sales Operations’ governance processes to ensure proposals are accurate, compliant, and executable.
Maintain structured documentation for each pursuit: requirements, technical notes, risk assessments, and solution decisions.
Contribute to development of repeatable templates, tools, and technical bid artifacts.
Requirements
Experience & Education
Bachelor’s degree in Textile engineering, Textile Technology, Apparel Manufacturing or a related field is required.
2-4 years of progressive work experience in technical textile/sewn-product sales or textile/sewn-product engineering within the government defense sector.
Experience evaluating sewn‑end‑item designs, product complexity and manufacturability, and overall technical feasibility
Experience operating within mid-and-long-cycle, non‑transactional business environments.
Capabilities
Internal
Ability to translate customer needs into engineered textile concepts and actionable technical requirements.
Strong analytical skills with ability to interpret drawings, patterns, material specs, prototype feedback and engineering inputs.
Ability to account for differences between platform variants and configurations when identifying technical requirements impacting form-fit-function.
Strong internal cross‑functional communicator - able to bridge Business Development, Product Development and Product Design.
Highly organized, detail‑oriented, and consistent in follow‑through.
Capabilities
External
Partners seamlessly with BD personnel, complementing their customer/territory expertise with product/material expertise.
Confident and professional in customer‑facing environments, including site visits, requirement‑gathering sessions, design reviews, and technical exchanges.
Comfortable stepping into a “co‑presenter” role during customer briefings, capability demonstrations, and technical dialog.
Able to simplify complex material or patterning concepts into clear explanations for non‑technical audiences.
Demonstrates technical credibility in engineering‑oriented conversations, establishing trust with customers who expect rigor and accuracy.
Preferred Expertise
Experience with sewn-end-item production, textile patterning, prototype methods, or material testing.
Familiarity with U.S. government procurement pathways (DLA TLS, GSA, Program Offices) is beneficial.
Knowledge of military platforms (e.g., Blackhawk, Chinook, M777, C130, etc.) and how configuration variation impacts fit‑form‑function.
Ability to operate with autonomy while aligning closely with enterprise strategy.
Travel & Work Environment
Travel (20-30%+) to customer sites, partner locations, Cocoon facilities and industry events.
Professional office environment (home office or Cocoon HQ) with significant external customer engagement.
About Cocoon
Cocoon Inc. is an innovative and fast-growing company specializing in advanced textile solutions for aerospace and defense applications aimed at protecting high-value military assets from corrosion. Cocoon partners closely with OEMs and government customers todeliver engineered solutions across the full product lifecycle, from development through sustainment.