More Than 860 Factory Jobs Are Coming to Rochester as TE Connectivity Builds Fiber Parts for AI Data Centers

TE Connectivity is expanding operations in Henrietta in a project that will create more than 860 jobs, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced in a release issued Nov. 12, 2026. The company will repurpose the vacant 135,000-square-foot building that formerly housed Sam's Club on Marketplace Drive as a plant and research site for fiber array units, which connect optical fibers to other components. Empire State Development is offering up to $22 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Tax Credits in exchange for creating the jobs. The plant is expected to open in spring 2027, and manufacturing will ramp up through 2031.

For Metaintro readers in the Rochester area, this guide covers what the plant will make, which TE roles are already posted nearby, what they pay and require, and where to train before the doors open.

What Exactly Was Announced for Henrietta?

The total project cost is more than $62 million. TE Connectivity is an Ireland-based electronic connector and sensor manufacturing company that is incorporated in Ireland and has headquarters operations in Switzerland.

The site will be used as an advanced manufacturing and research and development facility for next-generation fiber array units and related optical connectivity products.

Monroe County and Greater Rochester Enterprise are assisting with the project, and Greater Rochester Enterprise connected TE Connectivity with state and county government and utility partners.

Gov. Hochul said the state is making sure upstate New York helps build the future with good-paying manufacturing jobs that support families and strengthen communities.

What Will TE Connectivity Make in the Old Sam's Club?

The product is the fiber array unit. These parts connect optical fibers to other components, and TE makes connectors and sensors that carry power, signal and data in vehicles, energy networks, automated factories and data centers that support artificial intelligence.

TE bought into this technology through a deal. Mirus Capital Advisors, which advised the seller, announced in March 2026 that RAM Photonics Interconnects, a first mover in advanced near-chip fiber optic interconnect solutions, has been acquired by TE Connectivity. RAM Photonics has developed patented technology that overcomes key optical connectivity constraints, enabling the high-volume manufacturing of precise, high-density optical interconnects for data center network applications, including GPU and processor scale up, Mirus said.

As AI workloads push the limits of bandwidth and power efficiency, vendors are developing new connectivity architectures including emerging technologies like CPO, which alleviate electrical bottlenecks by replacing copper with optical interconnects. John Marciante, chief executive and co-founder of RAM Photonics, called the high-density fiber array technology a key enabler of co-packaged optics (CPO).

TE has not disclosed whether the Henrietta plant will use the RAM Photonics process.

Highly skilled talent and the right site made Greater Rochester the perfect place for TE Connectivity to establish an advanced optical-component manufacturing facility, Matt Hurlbutt, CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise, said, according to the Rochester Beacon report.

Can You Apply for the Henrietta Jobs Right Now?

No. The plant has not opened, and manufacturing will ramp up through 2031. The headline figure is a hiring plan spread over several years, not a list of current vacancies at the Henrietta address.

The tax credits are built around that plan. The state support is performance-based, and it is offered in exchange for creating the jobs. In plain terms, TE earns the credits by creating the jobs, not by announcing them.

You may see a slightly different number in some coverage. Monroe County Executive Adam Bello pointed to proposed plans to create up to 866 good-paying jobs, a touch above the state's headline figure. Both describe the same plan, and neither is a count of people hired so far.

No split between production, engineering and research roles has been published, and TE has not disclosed how many jobs will be filled in the first year.

Which TE Connectivity Roles Are Already Posted Near Rochester?

TE lists optics roles in the region, including a Controls/Automation Engineer posting in Webster, NY. Several postings carry the same note: operations are currently based at a temporary site in Webster, NY. The team will transition to a permanent Rochester location (near RIT) upon completion. The postings do not name the Henrietta building, so treat them as TE's current Rochester-area team rather than confirmed jobs at the new plant.

TE postings in the Rochester area include:

• Controls/Automation Engineer, MPDE, posted 8/25/26, part of the Digital Data Networks organization, hiring at three levels.
• Electrical Engineer, MPDE, posted 8/25/26, working on optical connector production and testing.
• Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer, MPDE, posted 8/25/26, in the Passive Optics organization.
• Continuous Improvement Analyst III, posted 8/24/26, a plant-side role.
• Director, Product Development Engineering, Optics, posted 9/4/26, with a strong preference for the selected candidate to be based in Rochester, NY.

Automation engineers will design, develop, and deploy automated manufacturing systems, control architectures, robotics, machine vision solutions, and advanced test platforms that enable the production of industry-leading optical connectivity products.

What Do the Engineering Postings Pay and Require?

Base pay ranges are subject to change dependent on physical location.

The Controls/Automation Engineer role has three pay bands. A Staff level engineer with 8-10 years of experience earns $124,700 to $165,000, a Senior level engineer with 5-8 years earns $102,700 to $154,000, and an Engineer II with 2-5 years earns $82,000 to $123,000. Requirements include a BS or higher in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Automation Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical field and hands-on experience with PLC programming, motion control systems, robotics, machine vision, industrial networking, and automated manufacturing equipment, plus experience with automation and electrical design software, including controls development environments, electrical CAD platforms, mechanical CAD software, and industrial communication tools.

The Electrical Engineer role pays $102,700 to $154,000. Requirements include a BS or higher in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, or related technical field with 5-8 years of experience designing electrical systems, automation equipment, control systems, or manufacturing technologies and hands-on experience with industrial automation platforms, motion control systems, sensors, machine vision, robotics, or precision manufacturing equipment.

The Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer role pays $102,700 to $154,000. It asks for a BS or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechatronics, or a related technical field, plus 5-8 years in opto-mechanical engineering, precision mechanical design, optical packaging, photonics, or related advanced technology industries and hands-on experience working with optical systems, fiber optics, photonics, lasers, imaging systems, or precision optical assemblies. It also names 3D CAD software (SolidWorks, Creo, NX, or similar) and calls Zemax, or Code V desirable.

At the top, the optics director role pays $203,800 to $305,700 and asks for a Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, or a related technical field, with an advanced degree preferred, and typically 15+ years of engineering or product-development experience, including significant progressive engineering leadership experience. TE will offer relocation for the selected candidate if needed.

What Does the Plant-Side Improvement Role Ask For?

The Continuous Improvement Analyst III role is plant-based. It pays $91,700-$137,500 and will lead TEOA deployment, Lean maturity improvement, and continuous improvement initiatives across the plant.

Requirements include a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Analytics, or related fields and a minimum 4 years of experience in Manufacturing Digitalization, Digital Transformation, Continuous Improvement, or Smart Manufacturing, plus strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, VSM, Kaizen, and Process Improvement. A Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification is an advantage and the role calls for hands-on experience in Data Analytics, Dashboard Development, and Data Visualization (e.g., Power BI).

Benefits include health insurance, 401(k), disability, life insurance, employee stock purchase plan, paid time off and voluntary benefits.

Each of these five postings asks for a bachelor's degree (automation, electrical, opto-mechanical, improvement, director), and none of them is a production or technician role.

The difference between success and failure is often measured in microns, according to the TE Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer posting.

How Big Is TE Connectivity?

TE designs and manufactures connectors, sensors, and electronic components. Its products help advance transportation, medical technology, energy, and data center industries.

TE has more than 90,000 employees, including 10,000 engineers, who work alongside customers in approximately 130 countries. The company trades on the New York Stock Exchange as TE Connectivity plc (NYSE: TEL).

How Can Rochester Job Seekers Train Before the Plant Opens?

Local help starts at RochesterWorks, a nonprofit workforce and employment services provider with career centers in Rochester. It offers up to $6,000 to Monroe County residents (or dislocated workers laid off by Monroe County employers) who demonstrate they cannot maintain employment or improve their employment status with their current skills. That training grant runs via WIOA and is meant for in-demand training. Applicants may have to meet specific income guidelines to qualify, all guidelines and funding are subject to change, and an information session is required for anyone pursuing WIOA training funds.

The first step is an initial skills assessment, which opens access to RochesterWorks’ free services, where a Career Services Advisor will help you register, issue an NYID number, and open access to all of RochesterWorks’ resources. You can book online or call 585-258-3500. Bring a state-issued ID or benefits card, which the center uses to verify date of birth.

RochesterWorks also runs 60 to 90 min interactive workshops on job readiness, career exploration, self‑employment & more and a 5‑Step Rapid Employment program. Its Navigator Program offers free services for teens and young adults ages 17 to 24 in Rochester and Monroe County who are not currently enrolled in school, and veterans and their family members get priority of service.

For longer manufacturing training, Monroe Community College was named in February 2025 as one of the four regional workforce centers chosen to share $200 million in state funding for advanced manufacturing jobs under the state's ON-RAMP program. Its downtown Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center will be the flagship, leading a network that includes RochesterWorks, Genesee and Finger Lakes community colleges and others. Each center was set to receive up to $40 million in implementation funding once a business plan is completed.

PLC programming appears in the TE automation posting, and the steps into that kind of work are laid out in how to become a PLC technician.

How Do You Apply to TE Connectivity Safely?

Use TE's own site. TE posts all legitimate job openings exclusively on its official careers website at te.com/careers, and its recruitment team emails only from actual email addresses ending in @te.com.

TE also warns about fake recruiters. It never requests payment or fees from job applicants at any stage of the recruitment process. Treat any message asking you to pay for training or equipment as a red flag.

When you search, filter by Rochester and Webster, New York, and look for postings in the Digital Data Networks or Passive Optics groups, which are the teams named in the electrical engineer posting and the opto-mechanical posting.

What This Means for Rochester Job Seekers, and What Should You Do Next?

This plan pays off slowly, and that is good news for local workers. The site is expected to open in spring 2027, with manufacturing ramping up through 2031, which gives people time to train for these jobs rather than compete for them on day one.

The site will make next-generation fiber array units and related optical connectivity products, so fiber optics, precision assembly and automated equipment are the skills to start building before the plant opens.

• Engineers with experience. Apply to the Webster-based optics postings while they are listed, and read what an automation and controls technician does and what it pays for the hands-on side of the work. These roles sit on a team that will transition to a permanent Rochester location (near RIT) once it is complete.
• Career changers in Monroe County. Book a RochesterWorks skills assessment and ask about the training grant before the plant opens.
• Everyone. Apply only through te.com/careers and ignore any recruiter who asks for money.

Lacey Kaelani, Metaintro's CEO, puts it this way: A plant that hires over several years rewards the people who start training in the first one. Learn the skills now, and you are ready when the floor fills up.

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People Also Asked

Q: How many jobs will TE Connectivity create in Henrietta?

A: The project will create more than 860 jobs, with the site expected to open in spring 2027 and manufacturing ramping up through 2031.

Q: Where is the new TE Connectivity plant?

A: It will be in Henrietta, in the vacant 135,000-square-foot building that formerly housed Sam's Club on Marketplace Drive.

Q: What does a TE Connectivity engineer earn in the Rochester area?

A: Current Webster-based postings list base pay of $82,000 to $123,000 for an Engineer II in automation, up to $124,700 to $165,000 at Staff level.

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