Product Engineer New Hickory, North Carolina, United States

US Conec Ltd.; Hickory (NC); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

PTO + holidays

Medical coverage

401(k) match

Career growth

Collaborative culture

Job summary

US Conec Ltd. is seeking a Product Engineer to support development, qualification, and continuous improvement of connectivity solutions throughout the product lifecycle.

You will work with R&D, Product Management, Quality, and Manufacturing to drive product success, evaluate performance, and translate customer needs into measurable specifications. Travel may be required as part of collaboration with customers and suppliers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline.

Responsibilities

• Develop deep technical expertise in assigned products and applications.
• Plan, execute, and document product characterization and validation testing.
• Design experiments and analyze results to validate design changes.
• Apply engineering and statistical methods to interpret data and identify trends.
• Support root cause investigations related to product performance and field issues.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support product development and launches.
• Translate customer requirements into measurable product specifications and evaluation criteria.
• Maintain project schedules and communicate progress to stakeholders.

Skills

Engineering fundamentals

Test planning

Data analysis

Documentation

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Project management

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelors in Engineering

Tools

JMP

MATLAB

Minitab

Excel

Job description

Engineering Innovation. Precision Plastics. Powering AI.

USConec, Ltd. is a trusted, global company that prides itself on engineering excellence—creating innovative connectivity solutions that support today’s most important technologies. We foster a friendly, inclusive culture that values teamwork, creativity, and mutual respect. At USConec, you’ll find real opportunities to grow and make a meaningful impact in a company that genuinely cares about its people and its customers. With competitive compensation, excellent benefits, and a supportive environment, this is a place where you can build your future—whether your interests lie in manufacturing, engineering, operations, or beyond.

Overview

US Conec is seeking a Product Engineer to join our Applications Engineering team. In this role, you will support the development, qualification, industrialization, and continuous improvement of innovative connectivity solutions by applying engineering principles, product knowledge, and data-driven analysis. You will collaborate closely with Research & Development, Product Management, Quality, Manufacturing, Process Engineering, Sales, customers, and suppliers to evaluate product performance, solve technical challenges, and drive product success throughout the product lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Develop deep technical expertise in assigned products, including performance characteristics, applications, manufacturing considerations, and potential failure modes
• Plan, execute, and document product characterization, validation, and qualification testing to verify performance against product, customer, and industry requirements
• Design experiments, establish hypotheses, and analyze results to investigate product behavior, validate design changes, and solve technical problems
• Apply engineering and statistical methods to interpret data, identify trends, draw conclusions, and recommend solutions
• Support root cause investigations related to product performance, customer concerns, field issues, manufacturing observations, and qualification failures
• Evaluate the impact of product, material, supplier, process, tooling, and manufacturing changes on product performance and reliability
• Partner with cross-functional teams to support new product development, product launches, and successful transition from development into production
• Collaborate with Product Management and R&D to translate customer and market requirements into measurable product specifications and evaluation criteria
• Identify opportunities to improve product quality, manufacturability, performance, reliability, and cost throughout the product lifecycle
• Lead or contribute to engineering projects that enhance testing capabilities, product knowledge, technical documentation, and engineering best practices
• Prepare and maintain technical documentation, including test plans, qualification reports, engineering analyses, product characterization data, and technical recommendations
• Provide technical support to internal stakeholders and customers requiring detailed product knowledge and engineering analysis
• Engage with customers, suppliers, and external partners to understand application requirements and incorporate field feedback into product evaluations
• Maintain project schedules, communicate progress, and ensure alignment with business priorities
• Present technical findings, recommendations, and project outcomes to internal and external audiences
• Represent US Conec in technical discussions, industry forums, conferences, standards organizations, and customer engagements as needed

Must Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
• 3-5 years of experience in product engineering, design engineering, applications engineering, or a related technical role
• Strong understanding of engineering fundamentals and their application to testing, product validation, qualification, and technical problem solving
• Experience designing experiments, executing test plans, analyzing results, and developing data-driven recommendations
• Knowledge of engineering statistics, measurement systems, and data analysis techniques
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, tolerances, product requirements, and technical standards
• Strong technical writing and documentation skills, including preparation of engineering reports and presentations
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to convey complex technical information to diverse audiences
• Ability to work effectively within cross-functional teams and manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Self-motivated with strong analytical, organizational, and project management skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and engineering data analysis tools
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed

Nice to Haves

• Experience in the fiber optic, connectivity, telecommunications, cable, precision mechanical, or related technology industries
• Knowledge of optical science, fiber optics, connector technologies, materials engineering, dimensional tolerancing, or manufacturing processes
• Experience supporting new product introduction (NPI) and product industrialization activities
• Familiarity with statistical analysis software such as JMP, Minitab, or MATLAB
• Experience using laboratory measurement systems, optical test equipment, microscopes, vision systems, or environmental testing equipment
• Experience collaborating directly with customers, suppliers, and manufacturing organizations
• Exposure to ERP systems and engineering documentation management platforms
• Participation in industry standards organizations, technical conferences, or customer-facing technical engagements

What We Offer

• Competitive salary with performance-based bonus potential
• 4 weeks of PTO plus paid holidays
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) with employer match
• A collaborative culture focused on innovation and continuous improvement
• Opportunities for career growth within a global technology leader

US Conec will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1, H-1, H-2, L, B, J, or TN or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire.

US Conec is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in US Conec, Ltd.’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.