Associate Product Manager

About the role

You will serve as a Subject Matter Expert for assigned products, with a primary focus on the mechanical design, manufacturing processes, tolerances, materials, and performance characteristics of our ferrule product lines. You will analyze sales performance, market trends, and competitive insights to identify new growth opportunities and support the overall product strategy. This role requires you to develop reports and recommendations related to product performance, demand forecasts, production capacity, pricing, and market opportunities. You will manage new product development from concept through production, applying mechanical engineering principles to design, manufacturability, materials selection, and performance evaluation. You will also gather customer and market requirements to identify new product opportunities and partner with Marketing to develop product messaging, technical content, and trade show collateral.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Serve as Subject Matter Expert for assigned products, focusing on mechanical design, manufacturing processes, tolerances, materials, and performance characteristics.
• 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.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical field required; advanced degree preferred.
• 3+ years of experience in product management, engineering, or a related role, with a focus on mechanical products and manufacturing processes.
• Strong understanding of mechanical design, materials, tolerancing, and manufacturing processes relevant to precision plastic components.
• Experience in the fiber optic, data center, or telecommunications industries is highly valued.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze market data, sales performance, and competitive landscapes to inform product decisions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams including Sales, Marketing, Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain.
• Willingness to provide on-site support for industry events, conferences, and trade shows as needed.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with product lifecycle management processes and tools.
• Experience with supplier qualification and contract manufacturing relationships.
• Knowledge of optical networking terminology and product families.
• Experience developing product launch plans and go-to-market strategies.
• Background in molding processes and supply chain considerations for precision components.

Practical notes

• This role may require on-site support for industry events, conferences, and trade shows.
• Willingness to travel as needed to support sales activities, customer meetings, and industry events.
• Employment eligibility verification required at hire.
• This position reports to the Product Management organization and works closely with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.