Technical Program Manager & Quality Engineer

$151,200 - $227,600/Yr

Apple - Cupertino, CA

Full-time - Mid Level

Cupertino, CA

Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing

About the position

In this highly visible role at Apple, you will take on the responsibilities of a Process (TPM) and Quality Engineering (MQE) leader for next-generation Apple products. This position requires you to lead the selection, implementation, and optimization of manufacturing processes and quality planning and deployment. You will manage a network of supplier factories worldwide, ensuring that our partners meet bold schedules while focusing on the elegant execution of extraordinary industrial designs that thrill our customers. Your role will involve several key areas, including Process Development, where you will plan, propose, and lead experiments to produce timely and accurate analyses that drive design, development, and supply chain decisions. You will assess the suitability of fabrication technologies for specific part designs and plan validation exercises to demonstrate initial feasibility and manufacturing capability. Analyzing the results of these validation exercises will be crucial, as you will provide technical recommendations and review the progress of development activities at supplier locations, serving as a point of escalation for critical process-related issues. In the New Product Introduction phase, you will drive process development and capability assessment activities, ensuring that part design documentation aligns with process capabilities. You will assign specific tasks and collaborate with Apple suppliers to support process development and data gathering activities, setting clear goals for results and providing timely performance reviews throughout the program. Establishing validation procedures to determine the acceptance of tooling into development builds and mass production will also be part of your responsibilities. Your role will extend to Supplier Execution, where you will review supplier tool designs, process flows, equipment selections, DFM, and DOE proposals. Identifying shortfalls and corrective actions to ensure design compliance will be essential, as will working with supplier engineering teams to map out process development exercises, secure resources, and commit to schedules aligned with program goals. You will assess supplier readiness to support build events and production ramps, identifying potential execution issues and providing recommendations to mitigate risks. Utilizing your Quality Engineering background, you will apply a solid understanding of quality control and manufacturing concepts to develop a specific Product Quality Plan (PQP) appropriate to the program and commodity. You will coordinate all Quality Engineering functions for a program, serving as a project manager to lead efforts at supplier locations. Actively participating in the program planning and monitoring process, you will assume responsibility for key deliverables at all milestones, providing technical direction and guidance to other Quality Engineers supporting the implementation of the PQP. Your role will also involve assessing measurability and creatively addressing concerns directly with stakeholders, identifying and directing studies to implement improvements in measuring methods where appropriate, and establishing audit procedures to ensure adherence to Apple quality standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead selection, implementation, and optimization of manufacturing processes and quality planning.
• Plan, propose, and lead experiments to produce timely and accurate analyses for design and supply chain decisions.
• Assess suitability of fabrication technology for part designs and plan validation exercises.
• Analyze results of validation exercises and provide technical recommendations.
• Review progress of development activities at supplier locations and serve as escalation point for critical issues.
• Drive process development and capability assessment activities for new product introductions.
• Assign specific tasks and work with suppliers to support process development and data gathering activities.
• Set clear goals for results and provide timely performance reviews throughout the program.
• Establish validation procedures for tooling acceptance into development builds and mass production.
• Review supplier tool design, process flow, equipment selection, DFM, and DOE proposals.
• Identify shortfalls and corrective actions to ensure design compliance.
• Work with supplier engineering teams to map out process development exercises and secure resources.
• Assess supplier readiness to support build events and production ramp.
• Identify potential execution issues and provide recommendations to mitigate risks.
• Develop specific Product Quality Plan (PQP) appropriate to the program and commodity.
• Coordinate all Quality Engineering functions for a program and lead efforts at supplier locations.
• Provide technical direction and guidance to other Quality Engineers supporting PQP implementation.
• Establish audit procedures to ensure adherence to Apple quality standards.

Requirements

• 7+ years experience supporting new product launches from a mechanical, process engineering, quality planning, quality engineering or product development perspective.
• Experience with soft materials (non-wovens, wovens, knits, leather) and inputs to those materials (yarns, raw materials) is strongly preferred.
• Experience with mechanical fabricated parts, adhesives, glues, jigs, fixtures, tooling, injection molding, and plastics is acceptable.
• Experience developing process quality plans, supplier quality audits, and driving corrective actions and failure analysis efforts.
• Knowledge of mechanical quality and reliability concepts, supplier management, and general manufacturing operations.
• Proven hands-on mechanical ability.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• International travel to supplier sites is required.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with highly cosmetic parts is a plus.
• International experience, particularly in Asia, is a plus.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical and dental coverage.
• Retirement benefits.
• Discounted products and free services.
• Reimbursement for certain educational expenses, including tuition.
• Opportunity to participate in Apple's discretionary employee stock programs.
• Eligibility for discretionary restricted stock unit awards and stock purchase at a discount.