CapEx Manufacturing Optimization Product Manager

Apple•Cupertino, CA

About The Position

Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. The people here at Apple don't just create products - they create the kind of wonder that has revolutionized entire industries. It's the diversity of those people and their ideas that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do, from amazing technology to industry-leading environmental efforts. Join Apple and help us leave the world better than we found it. The Product Operations Data Team sits at a unique intersection of manufacturing, engineering, and finance, giving individuals broad insight into the launch of new products. We are looking for a technically grounded, analytically driven individual who brings the best of both worlds: deep hands-on experience with automation equipment and manufacturing processes, paired with the data fluency and Generative AI capabilities to uncover opportunities at scale. This is not a purely technical role nor a purely analytical one - it is a hybrid that demands both. You will leverage engineering intuition to know where optimization opportunities exist, and modern data tools to prove it, size it, and drive it through cross-functional teams to deliver measurable impact. This is a high-growth opportunity for a driven, curious individual who is ready to own something significant and expand their impact as the vision scales. This demanding and fast-paced role requires engineering depth, data fluency, and sharp program management skills - working across teams from engineering to procurement to identify opportunities, drive alignment, and execute initiatives through to successful completion.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in a manufacturing or related technical setting
Hands-on experience working with automation equipment and manufacturing assembly systems
BS degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering field
Strong quantitative analytical skills - comfortable working with complex, multi- source datasets to extract meaningful operational signals
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams through solution development and implementation
Impeccable organizational, multi-tasking, and program management skills
Excellent verbal and written communication and influencing skills

Nice To Haves

MS in an Engineering field and/or MBA strongly preferred
Experience in manufacturing assembly equipment and/or automation design is highly preferred
Experience working with data tools and Generative AI platforms as active instruments in operational analysis and opportunity identification
Familiarity with Capex planning processes, spend estimation, or equipment lifecycle management
Experience working at the interface between business and engineering teams, serving as a translator or connector across functions
Clear and confident communicator, able to explain complex technical and analytical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Demonstrated intellectual curiosity and a track record of growing technical depth independently in a fast-moving environment
Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments and building structure where the framework itself is still being defined

Responsibilities

Leverage deep technical knowledge of manufacturing equipment to identify and validate opportunities for cost and process optimization across all Lines of Business
Use data analysis and Generative AI tools to identify, parse, and size process- related optimization opportunities across complex, multi-source datasets
Go deep into the operational and technical details of manufacturing processes to build the engineering context needed to evaluate and validate optimization opportunities
Translate data findings and engineering insights into structured, actionable project proposals - defining the opportunity, solution approach, required resources, and expected return on investment
Build cross-functional relationships across engineering, procurement, and operations to drive consensus and alignment on optimization priorities
Organize and manage projects including schedules, team coordination, and risk mitigation to ensure initiatives are executed through to successful completion
Develop ROI analyses and business cases for each optimization initiative, translating engineering and operational findings into financial impact that drives prioritization and stakeholder buy-in
Own the adoption and change management process for implemented solutions, ensuring improvements are sustained and embedded into standard operating procedures
Communicate findings, recommendations, and project status with clarity and precision to both technical teams and non-technical executive and operational audiences