EDGE Engineering Rotational Program

Overview

Composing the core of a brighter world. LIGHTERA has one of the longest and most respectable corporate lineages in American business, dating back to the invention of the telephone. We design, manufacture and supply the best optical fibers, fiber cable and components and devices, with exceptional service that creates value for shareholders, customers and employees.

Our mission is simple and bold: to build brighter, more connected communities through cutting-edge optical technologies.

Norcross, GA

15-18 month rotation to permanent placement.

EDGE (Engineering Development & Growth Experience) is a highly selective, immersive rotational program designed to develop the next generation of technical and manufacturing leaders within a global fiber manufacturing organization. This is not an observational program. EDGE engineers are embedded in real production environments, entrusted with meaningful technical challenges, and exposed to the full lifecycle of how advanced fiber products are designed, manufactured, validated, and delivered to customers.

Participants rotate through core engineering, manufacturing operations, quality, and customer-facing functions, gaining deep manufacturing fluency while building the technical judgment, leadership presence, and business acumen required to thrive in complex, high-reliability environments. Graduates of the EDGE program are positioned for accelerated placement into critical engineering and technical leadership roles across the organization.

• Manufacturing-first experience:
  Hands-on immersion in fiber production environments. Build real manufacturing credibility early in their careers.
• Real ownership:
  Projects tied to yield, quality, throughput, safety, and customer impact. Learn directly from experienced engineers, operators, and leaders.
• Multi-site exposure:
  Experience across plants and engineering teams. See how engineering decisions impact quality, cost, and customers.
• Intentional development:
  Structured mentorship, leadership assessment, and growth planning. Accelerate readiness for impactful technical and leadership roles.
• Elective specialization:
  Opportunity to align final rotation with functional areas and/or long-term career interests.
• Executive visibility:
  Presentations and interaction with senior technical and business leaders.

As a Technical Rotational Engineer in the EDGE program, you will complete a structured sequence of rotations across core technical and manufacturing functions. You will apply engineering principles to real-world production challenges, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and develop the technical and leadership capabilities required to operate effectively in advanced manufacturing environments. EDGE engineers are expected to learn quickly, ask thoughtful questions, and contribute meaningfully to each rotation while progressively increasing ownership and complexity of work.

• Manufacturing & Production Immersion
  • Gain hands-on exposure to fiber manufacturing operations, equipment, and production flow
  • Learn how safety, quality, yield, and throughput decisions are made on the plant floor
  • Work directly with operators, technicians, and manufacturing leaders to understand real-world constraints and tradeoffs
  • Develop fluency in how engineering decisions impact production performance
• Core Engineering & Process Understanding
  • Apply engineering fundamentals to real fiber manufacturing processes and materials
  • Learn how process parameters, variability, and design decisions affect product quality and performance
  • Participate in data analysis, root cause investigations, and technical problem-solving
  • Build discipline around documentation, validation, and change control
• Manufacturing Systems & Operational Performance
  • Understand how complex manufacturing systems operate under time, cost, and resource constraints
  • Learn how to identify bottlenecks, reduce downtime, and improve efficiency
  • Gain experience evaluating process performance using production metrics and data
  • Develop practical problem-solving skills in fast-paced, high-reliability environments
• Quality, Risk & Continuous Improvement
  • Learn how quality systems are applied in manufacturing environments
  • Participate in defect analysis, corrective actions, and risk mitigation efforts
  • Understand how customer requirements translate into manufacturing and quality expectations
  • Develop a prevention-focused mindset to reduce variability and operational risk
• Customer, Application & Business Exposure
  • Learn how technical and manufacturing decisions translate into customer value
  • Gain exposure to application engineering and customer-facing technical problem-solving
  • Understand cost-performance tradeoffs and feasibility considerations
  • Build the ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders
• Leadership & Professional Development
  • Develop the ability to influence without authority in cross-functional environments
  • Build…