STEM OPT Manufacturing Engineering Manager Jobs
Manufacturing Engineering Manager roles qualify for the STEM OPT 24-month extension when your degree falls under an eligible CIP code in engineering or a related STEM field. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify and sign your I-983 training plan before your extension begins.
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Get Access To All JobsWork Schedule
Standard (Mon-Fri)
Environmental Conditions
Adherence to all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Safety Standards, Cleanroom: no hair products, jewelry, makeup, nail polish, perfume, exposed piercings, facial hair etc... allowed, Office, Some degree of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) required (safety glasses, gowning, gloves, lab coat, ear plugs etc.)
Job Description
Title: Engineer II, Manufacturing Engineering
As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every single day to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our global teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while helping to take science a step beyond by developing solutions for some of the world’s toughest challenges, like protecting the environment, making sure our food is safe or helping find cures for cancer.
Division/Site Specific Information
Role reports to the Allentown, PA site and reports to the Clinical Trials Division (CTD). CTD partners with pharmaceutical and biotech customers around the world to ensure the right patients get the right therapies in the right doses at the right time – a concept that we internally embrace as “There is a Patient Waiting.” Our outstanding blend of services includes project management, packaging, distribution, transportation management and specialty logistics, ancillary supply management, clinical supply optimization, bio-repository storage and much more.
Our more than 3000 employees in over 15 countries work hard every day knowing that what they do matters.
Discover Impactful Work:
You will participate in new product introductions, process improvements, and equipment optimization initiatives. Using data-driven approaches and lean methodologies, you'll identify opportunities to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and maintain the highest quality standards. Work closely with operations, quality, maintenance, R&D, and other teams to implement sustainable solutions that drive manufacturing excellence.
A Day in the Life:
- Support continuous improvement initiatives by working with Engineering and Operations to identify opportunities to improve safety, quality, productivity, and cost.
- Collaborate with Production to identify and help resolve workflow barriers that improve throughput and operational efficiency.
- Participate in daily production support activities to identify process issues and assist in implementing corrective actions.
- Support engineering projects focused on improving equipment performance, reducing waste, increasing productivity, and enhancing product quality.
- Participate in deviation investigations, change controls, corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and root cause analysis under the guidance of senior engineers.
- Develop proficiency in reading, understanding, and following GMP documentation, SOPs, and company policies.
- Conduct all activities in a safe, compliant, and efficient manner.
- Perform other duties as assigned to support business needs.
- Demonstrate and promote the company vision of the 4 I's: Integrity, Intensity, Innovation, and Involvement.
Keys to Success:
Education
A four-year Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited college or university in Packaging, Mechanical, Industrial, or related Engineering discipline highly preferred. High school diploma or equivalent required.
Experience
- 0–2 years of relevant engineering experience, or an equivalent combination of technical certification and applicable GMP, pharmaceutical, food, or manufacturing experience.
- Experience with engineering documentation, specifications, and change control processes.
- Experience with CAD software, manufacturing systems, and data analysis tools preferred.
- Experience with automation, controls, and process validation preferred.
- Experience with equipment qualification and calibration processes preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
- Apply Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in all areas of responsibility.
- Strong knowledge of GMP, ISO standards, and regulatory requirements.
- Knowledge with lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Ability to work in cleanroom environments and comply with required PPE/gowning procedures.
- Available to work flexible hours and provide on-call support as needed.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and manufacturing software systems.
- Strong analytical and troubleshooting capabilities.
- Ability to mentor and train manufacturing personnel.
- Must be able to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs with assistance.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively across functional teams.
Benefits
We offer competitive remuneration, annual incentive plan bonus scheme, healthcare, and a range of employee benefits! Thermo Fisher Scientific offers employment with an innovative, forward-thinking organization, and outstanding career and development prospects. We offer an exciting company culture that stands for integrity, intensity, involvement, and innovation.
Work Schedule
Standard (Mon-Fri)
Environmental Conditions
Adherence to all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Safety Standards, Cleanroom: no hair products, jewelry, makeup, nail polish, perfume, exposed piercings, facial hair etc... allowed, Office, Some degree of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) required (safety glasses, gowning, gloves, lab coat, ear plugs etc.)
Job Description
Title: Engineer II, Manufacturing Engineering
As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every single day to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our global teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while helping to take science a step beyond by developing solutions for some of the world’s toughest challenges, like protecting the environment, making sure our food is safe or helping find cures for cancer.
Division/Site Specific Information
Role reports to the Allentown, PA site and reports to the Clinical Trials Division (CTD). CTD partners with pharmaceutical and biotech customers around the world to ensure the right patients get the right therapies in the right doses at the right time – a concept that we internally embrace as “There is a Patient Waiting.” Our outstanding blend of services includes project management, packaging, distribution, transportation management and specialty logistics, ancillary supply management, clinical supply optimization, bio-repository storage and much more.
Our more than 3000 employees in over 15 countries work hard every day knowing that what they do matters.
Discover Impactful Work:
You will participate in new product introductions, process improvements, and equipment optimization initiatives. Using data-driven approaches and lean methodologies, you'll identify opportunities to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and maintain the highest quality standards. Work closely with operations, quality, maintenance, R&D, and other teams to implement sustainable solutions that drive manufacturing excellence.
A Day in the Life:
- Support continuous improvement initiatives by working with Engineering and Operations to identify opportunities to improve safety, quality, productivity, and cost.
- Collaborate with Production to identify and help resolve workflow barriers that improve throughput and operational efficiency.
- Participate in daily production support activities to identify process issues and assist in implementing corrective actions.
- Support engineering projects focused on improving equipment performance, reducing waste, increasing productivity, and enhancing product quality.
- Participate in deviation investigations, change controls, corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and root cause analysis under the guidance of senior engineers.
- Develop proficiency in reading, understanding, and following GMP documentation, SOPs, and company policies.
- Conduct all activities in a safe, compliant, and efficient manner.
- Perform other duties as assigned to support business needs.
- Demonstrate and promote the company vision of the 4 I's: Integrity, Intensity, Innovation, and Involvement.
Keys to Success:
Education
A four-year Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited college or university in Packaging, Mechanical, Industrial, or related Engineering discipline highly preferred. High school diploma or equivalent required.
Experience
- 0–2 years of relevant engineering experience, or an equivalent combination of technical certification and applicable GMP, pharmaceutical, food, or manufacturing experience.
- Experience with engineering documentation, specifications, and change control processes.
- Experience with CAD software, manufacturing systems, and data analysis tools preferred.
- Experience with automation, controls, and process validation preferred.
- Experience with equipment qualification and calibration processes preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
- Apply Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in all areas of responsibility.
- Strong knowledge of GMP, ISO standards, and regulatory requirements.
- Knowledge with lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Ability to work in cleanroom environments and comply with required PPE/gowning procedures.
- Available to work flexible hours and provide on-call support as needed.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and manufacturing software systems.
- Strong analytical and troubleshooting capabilities.
- Ability to mentor and train manufacturing personnel.
- Must be able to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs with assistance.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively across functional teams.
Benefits
We offer competitive remuneration, annual incentive plan bonus scheme, healthcare, and a range of employee benefits! Thermo Fisher Scientific offers employment with an innovative, forward-thinking organization, and outstanding career and development prospects. We offer an exciting company culture that stands for integrity, intensity, involvement, and innovation.
See all 46+ STEM OPT Manufacturing Engineering Manager Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Manufacturing Engineering Manager Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Manufacturing Engineering Manager
Verify your CIP code before applying
Cross-check your degree's CIP code against the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Manufacturing engineering and industrial engineering degrees typically qualify, but mechanical engineering programs vary by school, confirm with your DSO before targeting roles.
Search E-Verify status before interviewing
Ask your recruiter directly whether the company is enrolled in E-Verify before your first interview. Many mid-size manufacturers aren't enrolled, which disqualifies them as STEM OPT employers regardless of how strong your candidacy is.
Build a training plan aligned to manufacturing management
Draft your I-983 before you have an offer. Map your learning objectives to production planning, lean manufacturing, and cross-functional team leadership so your DSO and employer can approve it quickly once an offer comes through.
Target manufacturers with existing H-1B filing history
Use Migrate Mate to filter Manufacturing Engineering Manager roles by employers who've filed LCAs, signaling that they understand visa-sponsored hiring and have processes in place for international candidates with work authorization requirements.
Confirm your start date clears the 60-day grace period
If you're between jobs or finishing your initial OPT, your STEM extension isn't automatic. File your I-765 through USCIS early enough so your EAD arrives before your current authorization expires, especially for roles with fixed onboarding cycles in manufacturing.
Check prevailing wage requirements for your target region
Manufacturing Engineering Manager wages vary significantly by metro area and industry segment. Use the OFLC Wage Search to verify that your offer meets the prevailing wage for your SOC code and location before signing, since your employer's LCA must certify this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Manufacturing Engineering Manager role qualify for STEM OPT?
Yes, if your underlying degree is on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Degrees in manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, and mechanical engineering typically qualify. The role itself doesn't determine eligibility, your CIP code does. Confirm with your DSO that your specific program and institution are listed before you apply for the extension through USCIS.
What does my employer need to do to support my STEM OPT extension?
Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify and co-sign your I-983 training plan before your extension begins. For a Manufacturing Engineering Manager role, the I-983 should outline concrete learning goals tied to production systems, process improvement, or team leadership. The employer also agrees to report material changes to your DSO within five business days.
How does cap-gap protection apply if I'm working as a Manufacturing Engineering Manager?
If your employer files an H-1B visa petition on your behalf before April 1 and your OPT or STEM OPT expires before October 1, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization until your H-1B start date. You can continue in your Manufacturing Engineering Manager role without interruption. USCIS issues an updated I-20 reflecting the extension, which you'll need for your employer's records.
What should my I-983 training plan cover for a manufacturing management role?
Your I-983 must describe how the role provides practical training directly related to your STEM degree. For a Manufacturing Engineering Manager, relevant goals include applying engineering principles to optimize production workflows, managing cross-functional teams through quantitative methods, and using data analysis to reduce defect rates. Generic management objectives that don't connect to your STEM coursework are unlikely to be approved by your DSO.
Where can I find Manufacturing Engineering Manager jobs at E-Verify-enrolled employers?
Migrate Mate filters Manufacturing Engineering Manager listings to surface employers with verified E-Verify enrollment and LCA filing history, which removes the guesswork of vetting each company individually. You can search by location, industry, and role type to find positions where the employer already has experience hiring candidates on work authorization. This is especially useful for F-1 students on STEM OPT who can't afford to accept an offer from a non-enrolled employer.