Manufacturing OPT Jobs in Tennessee
Manufacturing F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Tennessee are concentrated in a state that hosts major employers like Nissan, Volkswagen, and Bridgestone, with production and engineering hubs in Nashville, Smyrna, Chattanooga, and Memphis. Tennessee's deep automotive and advanced manufacturing base creates consistent demand for engineering, quality, and operations roles that align with OPT work authorization.
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INTRODUCTION
Astec is a global, environmentally focused infrastructure and manufacturing company of asphalt road building and aggregate processing. Our mission is to design and build the most innovative products for the industries we serve. Leveraging innovative solutions and technologies, we serve customers all over the world.
ABOUT THE POSITION
The role of the NPD Manager is to lead NPD projects from concept to post launch validation including interfacing with Product Management for definition of objectives. The NPD Manager will plan, execute, and finalize projects according to deadlines and within budget. This will include negotiating resources and coordinating the efforts of NPD team members as well as internal and external consultants to deliver projects according to plan. Products must be designed for manufacture at multiple facilities.
Key Deliverables
- Provide NPD Team with support during the development process of new products.
- Coordinate work instructions during prototype builds.
- Communicate the intended product expectations to their team and stakeholders.
- Generate and maintain R&D tax credit documents.
- Conduct hazard tests on all new products.
Key Activities & Responsibilities
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary product design teams, product/lead engineers, product managers, and others as necessary to develop and meet engineering project schedule for new products.
- Determine and manage resource utilization for projects using appropriate tools and coordinate resource use with product design teams.
- Ensure NPD teams are dedicated and focused on current and future projects and not shifted to other projects.
- Effectively communicate project expectations to NPD team members and stakeholders.
- Determine prototype production capacities and limits, product gradations.
- Conduct and facilitate design reviews with design team members, product management, and sales.
- Coordinate development of work instructions during prototype builds for multi-language, multi-site manufacturing capability.
- Coordinate and manage product testing including:
- Physical test / validation
- Structural capacity and limits
- Comparing strain gage testing, frequency analysis to FEA simulations
- Control systems testing
- Reliability analysis
- Power requirements
- Field Testing
- Oversee development of training for service group through prototype testing and/or existing product training resources.
- Oversee development of maintenance procedures for new products and validate accessibility for maintenance.
- Conduct and document NPD safety evaluations including operation, transport, lifting, erection, service.
- Conduct hazard analysis for new products including operation, set-up, component failure, logic fault, potential energy, and power failure.
- Generate and update validation procedures and incorporate these into standards as required.
- Once project is completed, conduct comparison of design requirements to actual product.
- Generate and maintain R&D tax credit documents working with accounting and auditors to maximize credit within established criteria.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering.
- Experience in product validation for mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical control systems.
- Experience preferred in aggregate processing and construction equipment manufacturing.
- 1+ years of supervisory experience.
- Demonstrated ability to provide guidance and assistance to engineers and designers.
- Good interpersonal relations skills when dealing with management, sales, dealers, customers, and inter-company personnel.
- Ability to operate necessary office equipment and tools to perform engineering functions which include CAD and ERP systems.
- Ability to perform duties in environments which include heavy industrial setting, quarry/pit locations, and construction sites with associated air pollutants and noise levels.
- Ability to climb on equipment, etc. to inspect, troubleshoot, or gather design information.
- Ability to work well with others and demonstrate good oral and written communication skills.
- This description is intended as a guide only. The listed duties may be changed at the discretion of the incumbent’s supervisor.
Supervisor and Leadership Expectations
New Product Development Team will report to the NPD Manager.
Our Culture and Values
Employees that become part of Astec embody the values below throughout their work.
- Continuous devotion to meeting the needs of our customers.
- Honesty and integrity in all aspects of business.
- Respect for all individuals.
- Preserving entrepreneurial spirit and innovation.
- Safety, quality, and productivity as means to ensure success.
NOTE: This position is responsible for certain internal control responsibilities. These internal control responsibilities are verbally communicated to the incumbent and periodic feedback is provided as it relates to the performance of these internal control responsibilities.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Office
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to risk of injury in an office environment and occasionally a manufacturing shop plant environment. Duties include a typical office setting including extensive computer work, sitting or standing. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Astec does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, gender (sex), sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, citizenship status, a person’s veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law or executive order.
OPT Manufacturing Job Roles in Tennessee
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Search Manufacturing Jobs in TennesseeManufacturing OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
Which manufacturing companies in Tennessee sponsor F-1 OPT visas?
Tennessee manufacturers with documented histories of sponsoring international workers include Nissan North America (Smyrna), Volkswagen Group of America (Chattanooga), Bridgestone Americas (Nashville), Eastman Chemical (Kingsport), and Denso Manufacturing (Maryville). Larger multinationals and Tier 1 automotive suppliers tend to have established HR processes for OPT work authorization, making them more likely to support F-1 students than smaller regional manufacturers.
Which cities in Tennessee have the most manufacturing F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
Smyrna and Chattanooga lead due to their major automotive assembly plants, drawing a network of suppliers and engineering firms that hire OPT workers. Nashville supports corporate manufacturing headquarters and advanced materials companies. Kingsport and Johnson City in the Tri-Cities region concentrate chemical and specialty manufacturing roles. Memphis is a secondary hub for logistics-adjacent manufacturing and food processing operations.
What types of manufacturing roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship in Tennessee?
Roles that most commonly align with OPT eligibility in Tennessee manufacturing include process engineering, quality assurance engineering, manufacturing engineering, supply chain analysis, industrial engineering, and materials science positions. These roles typically require a direct connection to a STEM degree field. Production operator and general assembly roles are less likely to qualify under STEM OPT because they often don't require a degree in a specific technical discipline.
How do I find manufacturing F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Tennessee?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students on OPT and filters manufacturing jobs in Tennessee by visa sponsorship type, so you're not sorting through listings that won't support your status. Search by industry and state to surface roles at Tennessee employers that have sponsored F-1 workers before. Pairing Migrate Mate's job board with direct outreach to Tier 1 automotive suppliers in the Smyrna and Chattanooga corridors improves your chances significantly.
Are there any Tennessee-specific considerations for F-1 OPT sponsorship in manufacturing?
Tennessee's automotive-heavy manufacturing sector means many OPT-eligible roles are tied to production engineering cycles with defined hiring windows, often aligned with new model year launches or plant expansions. Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, which affects your take-home pay calculations. STEM OPT extensions require employers to be enrolled in E-Verify, and most large Tennessee manufacturers already meet this requirement, though smaller suppliers may not.