Associate Product Manager

Associate Product Manager

Hickory, North Carolina, United States US Conec, Ltd. Engineering Innovation. Precision Plastics. Powering AI.

US Conec, 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 US Conec, 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 manager to support the strategic growth, development, and lifecycle management of our fiber optic connectivity product portfolio. This role serves as a key liaison between sales, engineering, marketing, operations, quality, and supply chain teams to drive product innovation, optimize market performance, and deliver exceptional customer solutions in the data center and telecommunications industries.

This role is responsible for the tactical and strategic functions associated with the development, production, and lifecycle management of US Conec ferrule product line(s). This role requires a strong mechanical engineering foundation to support product design, manufacturing processes, technical analysis, and commercialization activities.

Responsibilities

• Serve as subject matter expert for assigned products, associated markets, and applications, with a particular focus on the mechanical design, manufacturing processes, tolerances, materials, and performance characteristics of our products.
• Analyze sales performance, market trends, customer activity, and competitive insights to identify growth opportunities and support product strategy.
• Develop and present reports and recommendations related to product performance, demand forecasts, production capacity, pricing, and market opportunities.
• Manage new product development from concept through production, applying mechanical engineering principles to product design, manufacturability, materials selection, dimensional tolerancing, process capability, and performance evaluation.
• Gather customer and market requirements to identify new product opportunities and product portfolio enhancements.
• Develop product launch and release plans to ensure successful market introduction and operational readiness.
• Support supplier and contract manufacturer qualification activities, including component evaluation, quality standards, and production readiness.
• Monitor product forecasts and manufacturing requirements to help ensure supply continuity and scalable production capacity.
• Coordinate customer sample requests and provide product-related support to the sales organization.
• Communicate product updates, enhancements, and changes to internal stakeholders and customers as needed.
• Partner with marketing to develop product messaging, technical content, presentations, webinars, advertising materials, and trade show collateral.
• Provide on-site support for industry events, conferences, and trade shows.
• Collaborate with sales, quality, and applications engineering teams to investigate and resolve product-related issues and customer concerns.
• Maintain current knowledge of fiber optic connectivity technologies, optical networks, data center infrastructure, and telecommunications applications.
• Ensure robust supply chain of molded and precision-manufactured components by reviewing product forecasts, evaluating tooling requirements, and understanding manufacturing processes critical to performance.

Must Haves

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering required. Other engineering disciplines will be considered with demonstrated experience in precision-manufactured products, product development, or related technical fields.
• 1–3 years of product management, product development, technical marketing, engineering, or related commercial experience.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate market trends, sales performance, and business opportunities.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams.
• Ability to travel up to 25%.

Nice to Haves

• Experience within the fiber optic, telecommunications, connectivity, networking, or data center industry.
• Knowledge of fiber optic cable, connectors, connectivity hardware, and related technologies.
• Experience supporting new product introduction (NPI) and product lifecycle management activities.
• Familiarity with manufacturing, supply chain planning, supplier qualification, or contract manufacturing environments.
• Experience creating technical marketing content, presentations, webinars, or trade show materials.
• Understanding of data center network architectures and service provider network environments.

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.

Join US Conec today and be part of a team that values each other, promotes innovation and growth, and strives to exceed customer expectations in everything we do.

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.