Engineering Production Manager - Cables
Corning · Hickory, NC
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Production
- Base pay
- $147k–$202k
- Travel
- 10%
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 8+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management production role at Corning (industrial) in Hickory, NC. Informal 24/7 coverage for ad-hoc call-in support.
- They ask for
- 8+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Six Sigma, Root cause, DMAIC
- Base pay
- $147k–$202k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage · about 10% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Production Engineer roles in North Carolina: typical posted base $114k–$166k. This one lists $147k–$202k.
Median of the low and high ends of 12 live postings that list pay, out of 49 production engineer openings in North Carolina, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
North Carolina plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 48 other live production postings in North Carolina.
- Base pay
- About 34% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (8+ vs 6+)
Typical $107k–$154k, from 11 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 6+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Lean 45%
- ✓ Team leadership 45%
- ✓ Six Sigma 31%
- Automation 24%
- EHS / safety 22%
- ✓ Root cause 20%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for DMAIC, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Production team at Corning
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- The posting says about 10% travel. Between which sites?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Corning in Hickory
17 other open roles at this site.
- Automation Process Engineer · Controls
- Operations Engineer · Production
- Sr. Controls Engineer · Controls · Senior
- Production Supervisor · Production · Supervisor
- Sr. Process Engineer · Process · Senior
- Laser Process Engineer · Process
Full description from CorningAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Key Responsibilities
- ◆Provide strategic leadership, clear direction, and thoughtful mentorship to the Engineering team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- ◆Champion the application of core engineering principles and best practices to ensure operational excellence and technical rigor.
- ◆Lead the development and management of capital forecasts for projects, including capacity expansion, technological upgrades, and obsolescence mitigation, while simultaneously driving cost-reduction initiatives to maximize efficiency and return on investment.
- ◆Oversee the FR engineering team, ensuring the successful and timely execution of projects, deliverables, and performance metrics aligned with business objectives.
- ◆Collaborate closely with cable technology, division engineering and product line management teams to align on shared goals and ensure seamless coordination of timelines and deliverables.
- ◆Drive a culture of continuous improvement by spearheading cost-reduction initiatives and promoting the adoption of best practices across the organization.
- ◆Take ownership of critical business projects, providing hands-on leadership and oversight to ensure successful outcomes that meet organizational priorities.
- ◆Offer mentorship and guidance to individuals both within and beyond the team, fostering professional growth, knowledge sharing, and a strong sense of collaboration across the organization.
- ◆Develop the capability, depth, and effectiveness of the plant engineering organization through coaching, talent development, and succession planning.
- ◆Portfolio management and prioritization of engineering and improvement initiatives
Experiences/Education - Required
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in engineering with 8+ years manufacturing engineering experience
- ✓3+ years of direct supervision experience, preferably in an engineering or manufacturing setting
- ✓Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills, effectively conveying ideas and fostering collaboration across teams.
- ✓Exhibit strong leadership abilities, inspiring and influencing others to achieve shared goals while promoting a culture of accountability.
- ✓Proven ability to deliver impactful results through effective project and organizational leadership, driving success across initiatives.
- ✓Leverage exceptional organizational skills to manage priorities, streamline workflows, and drive efficient project execution.
- ✓Thrive in high-pressure environments with a positive attitude, responding constructively to feedback and maintaining focus on results.
- ✓Bring a forward-thinking mindset, coupled with a high level of motivation, customer focus, and commitment to excellence.
- ✓Demonstrated track record of achieving performance excellence while fostering people development and growth.
- ✓Act with integrity and authenticity, building trust and fostering strong relationships across the organization.
- ✓Develop and execute detailed project plans, including cost analysis, to ensure successful delivery of objectives.
- ✓Utilize fundamental problem-solving to break down complex processes into actionable steps and address root causes.
- ✓Ability to provide technical coaching to team during problem solving, including application of Six Sigma DMAIC methodology
- ✓Capital management experience including portfolio management, appropriations requests, and project finance oversight.
- ✓Financial analysis and manufacturing cost management experience
This position does not support immigration sponsorship.
The range for this position is $147,107.00 - $202,273.00 assuming full time status. Starting pay for the successful applicant is dependent on a variety of job-related factors, including but not limited to geographic location, market demands, experience, training, and education.
A job that shapes a life.
Corning offers you the total package.
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Requisition Number: 78062
The company built on breakthroughs.
Join us.
Corning is one of the world’s leading innovators in glass, ceramic, and materials science. From the depths of the ocean to the farthest reaches of space, our technologies push the boundaries of what’s possible.
How do we do this? With our people. They break through limitations and expectations – not once in a career, but every day. They help move our company, and the world, forward.
At Corning, there are endless possibilities for making an impact. You can help connect the unconnected, drive the future of automobiles, transform at-home entertainment, and ensure the delivery of lifesaving medicines. And so much more.
Come break through with us.
Our Optical Communications segment has recently evolved from being a manufacturer of optical fiber and cable, hardware and equipment to being a comprehensive provider of industry-leading optical solutions across the broader communications industry.This segment is classified into two main product groupings – carrier network and enterprise network. The carrier network product group consists primarily of products and solutions for optical-based communications infrastructure for services such as video, data and voice communications. The enterprise network product group consists primarily of optical-based communication networks sold to businesses, governments and individuals for their own use.
Role Purpose
Responsible for leading and managing the Flame Retardant Engineering Deparment at the Hickory Cable Plant. The objective is to deliver continuous improvement for safety, cost, capability, and systems through the application of innovative technologies and rigorous engineering principles. Initiate and drive improvement projects for existing and new processes to achieve desired manufacturing performance relative to safety, quality and cost.
Work Hours and Schedule
- •Nominal working hours are M – F, 8 AM – 5 PM.
- •Informal 24/7 coverage for ad-hoc call-in support
Travel: ~10%
