Product Design Engineering Lead Applied Research and Characterization

Shape the future of Apples hardware products! The Applied Research and Characterization team combines expertise in mechanical engineering human factors biomechanics data analysis statistics software and prototyping. We deliver data-backed insights for design decisions across Apples entire hardware portfolio directly influencing products launched worldwide. Youll have access to cutting-edge equipment and collaborate with multidisciplinary experts across our global sites. Few teams offer this breadth of impact combined with world-class resources.u2028nnWe are looking for a leader to manage a product characterization team in Austin. As the technical leader of this team you will guide a group of engineers steward a broad and evolving set of lab spaces and characterization equipment and serve as a key connector between product design and customer experience. Your combination of technical credibility people leadership and relationship building will open doors for bold experimentation early in the hardware development cycle.

In this role you will support the product design teams based in Austin (such as Mac iPad and input devices) providing them with data and creative solutions that help drive design decisions. You will work directly with the design teams to develop and implement custom mechanical characterizations for parts and prototypes.u2028nnBeyond your direct support youll also lead both lead day-to-day operations and engage in longer-horizon planning for the characterization lab. You will manage a small but diverse team of engineers partner with a lab manager to oversee lab safety and equipment readiness and work closely with Product Design leads to ensure the lab is meeting the evolving needs of product teams. Additionally youll help your team develop their careers foster a culture of creative problem-solving and build collaborative relationships that allow researchers and engineers to think of the lab as a true partner.

Lead develop and support a team of engineers in applying a mix of technical and creative problem-solving skills to quickly design and build instrumented test and measurement systems.u2028nApply a mix of measurement science and engineering analysis to gain an understanding of the static/dynamic inputs and system responses that drive design performance and ultimately impact the customer experience.u2028nServe as a primary point of contact for product design teams seeking support build strong working relationships across disciplines.u2028nWork closely with Lab Manager to identify and drive continuous improvement in lab processes workflows and capabilities.u2028nScope and add new measurement and test capabilities including capital equipment training etc.u2028nTriage and prioritize incoming project requests balancing urgency complexity and team capacity.u2028nProvide personal development plans and feedback on performance.

BS in Mechanical Engineering or a similar technical discipline with a minimum of 5 years of experience as an individual contributor on an Ru0026D or test/measurement-focused team.u2028nExperience in applying engineering first principles to evaluate the performance of experience in the use or design of multiple measurement systems. Examples include: mechanical test systems (Instron) thermal chambers drop towers shock towers vibration tables and optical metrology equipment.u2028nFamiliarity with sensor technologies data acquisition systems and fundamental analog/digital signal processing 2028Strong technical communication skills with experience aligning cross-functional teams and stakeholders across multiple sites.u2028nProficient in MATLAB Python LabVIEW JMP or similar data analysis tools.u2028nExperience using CAD and basic lab tools to enable the design and fabrication of test fixtures and measurement systems.u2028nAbility to navigate ambiguity in early-stage product development

Advanced degrees are valued but applicable hands-on experience is still required.u2028n3 years of experience managing an Ru0026D test/measurement or product design team with direct hands-on technical credibility delivering actionable data to drive design to build collaborative relationships with cross-functional of the use of and ability to interpret computational mechanics in complex multi-physics behaviors (e.g. structural thermal vibrational fatigue).u2028nProficiency in statistics to ensure proper interpretation of your data.u2028nExperience evaluating and incubating emerging sensor technologies to innovate on lab capabilities.