Lab Manager

Apple•Cupertino, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Apple is seeking a Lab Manager to maintain a world-class engineering lab where teams can innovate safely, quickly, and reliably. This hybrid player-coach role combines leadership and development of a small team of lab technicians/coordinators with hands-on technical work, including operating equipment, running experiments, and supporting engineering programs. The Lab Manager is a technical resource for engineers and is responsible for ensuring efficient lab operations, safety, and support for engineering teams.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, or 5+ years of industry experience.
3+ years of hands-on experience in a technical or engineering lab environment, including direct test execution and equipment operation.
1+ years of experience leading, mentoring, or managing a team, including direct reports, a project team, or an informal lead role.
Strong understanding of lab safety standards, hazardous materials handling, and regulatory compliance.
Experience with equipment maintenance, calibration procedures, and asset management systems.
Excellent organizational skills and ability to balance individual technical work with team management responsibilities.
Ability to lift and move lab equipment as needed.
Willingness to work on-site five days a week.
Some roles may require flexibility for early or late hours around equipment deliveries, test schedules, or urgent repairs.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a hardware development or R&D environment, preferably consumer electronics.
Demonstrated ability to move fluidly between hands-on technical work and people leadership in a fast-paced environment.
Familiarity with EHS regulations (OSHA, EPA) and chemical and electrical safety protocols.
Experience with inventory or asset management software and procurement systems.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally with engineers, technicians, and vendors.
Project management experience or certification (PMP, Six Sigma, etc.).
Experience supporting confidential or prototype-stage hardware programs.

Responsibilities

Hire, manage, mentor, and develop a small team of lab technicians/coordinators.
Set priorities, assign work, and review team output for quality and consistency.
Conduct performance reviews, career development conversations, and skills growth planning for direct reports.
Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement within the lab team.
Operate, calibrate, and troubleshoot lab equipment in support of engineering test plans and experiments.
Execute test protocols, collect and analyze data, and contribute directly to engineering programs.
Serve as a technical escalation point for complex equipment issues or non-standard test setups.
Design and build test fixtures, setups, or lab processes for emerging program requirements.
Manage daily lab operations, including equipment inventory, maintenance schedules, calibration, and repair coordination.
Oversee procurement, vendor relationships, and budget tracking for lab equipment, consumables, and services.
Develop and enforce lab safety protocols in compliance with EHS standards and Apple policies.
Partner with engineering teams to plan lab layouts, allocate space and resources, and support new equipment installations.
Maintain accurate records for asset tracking, equipment certifications, and regulatory documentation.
Manage access control, security protocols, and confidentiality requirements for sensitive prototype hardware.
Identify and implement process improvements to increase lab efficiency, uptime, and throughput.
Coordinate cross-functional logistics between engineering, facilities, EHS, and supply chain teams.