Operations describes the core activity of any business.
In manufacturing, it describes all activities involved in the production process, including logistics support. As a manager, your duties are very similar to leadership roles in the military - working with teams to accomplish a mission as one part of a larger organization or process. Often engineering positions are directly supporting the manufacturing process, but are also involved in the design, development and ultimate implementation of the product. Some engineering opportunities involve being a member of a process or product design team, going into the field to help solve customer problems through the development of new equipment, process improvement, or the installation of industrial equipment your company has provided to them. They help businesses do business with one another.