R&D Product Engineer

Top Tier Reps LLC; Hickory (NC); On-site; USD 102,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading communications technology company is seeking an experienced R&D Product Engineer to join their Fiber Cable Engineering team in Claremont, NC. This role focuses on designing and developing innovative fiber ribbon and ribbon fiber cable products, contributing to product improvement in a high-impact R&D environment. Candidates should have a strong background in fiber optic cable manufacturing and excellent collaboration skills.

Benefits

Incentive Bonus Program

Comprehensive Benefits Package

401(k) with company match

11 paid holidays + prorated vacation

Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of experience in fiber optic cable manufacturing.
• Strong experience designing fiber ribbons and ribbon fiber cable.
• 5+ years of product design experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop fiber cable products, including ribbon fiber cable.
• Support manufacturing, prototyping, and product validation initiatives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams.

Skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Creative problem-solving

Project management

Multitasking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

We are seeking an experienced R&D Product Engineer to join the expanding Fiber Cable Engineering team of a leading communications technology company. Based onsite in Claremont, NC, this role focuses on the design and development of fiber ribbon and ribbon fiber cable products across indoor/outdoor and outdoor use cases.

The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of engineering design experience in the fiber optic cable manufacturing industry, strong cross-functional collaboration skills, and a creative, solutions-oriented mindset. This is a high-impact role supporting innovation and product improvement in one of the industry’s top R&D environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop fiber cable products, including ribbon fiber cable
• Support manufacturing, prototyping, and product validation initiatives
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Product Management, Operations, Field Application Engineering, Purchasing, and Quality
• Assist with day-to-day engineering operations while advancing strategic R&D initiatives
• Document and improve product design specifications and processes
• Participate in performance testing and field evaluations
• Travel up to 10% within the U.S. as needed

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (e.g., Mechanical, Electrical, or similar)
• Minimum 2 years of experience in fiber optic cable manufacturing
• Strong experience designing fiber ribbons and ribbon fiber cable
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Strong project management and multitasking skills

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of product design experience in fiber optic or telecom engineering
• Experience working hands-on in a manufacturing environment
• Excellent communication skills; able to collaborate across teams and advocate for engineering solutions
• Creative problem-solver with both technical depth and practical execution capability

Salary & Benefits

• Base Salary: $102,000 – $140,000 (based on experience)
• Incentive Bonus Program
• Comprehensive Benefits Package:
  • Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
  • 401(k) with company match
  • 11 paid holidays + prorated vacation
  • Additional leave programs (e.g., sick, bereavement)

Candidate Requirements

• Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. (No visa sponsorship available)
• Must be able to work onsite at the Claremont, NC location
• Must have direct experience with ribbon fiber cable design
• Stable and relevant work history is required