Product Design Engineer IV

Apple • Austin, TX

10h • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a creative problem solver to take on unique design challenges and the ambiguity that comes with an early-stage team. The CSPD team provides unique opportunities for learning and applying knowledge across many engineering disciplines, and values those with a desire to acquire new skills and further their professional development. The CSPD team welcomes diverse backgrounds, opinions, and perspectives—drawing fresh influences from outside the standard retail and furniture industries to drive innovation in meaningful and unexpected ways. The Channel Store Product Design Engineer will develop a deep understanding of program design goals—including installation and maintenance requirements, aesthetic design objectives, and safety standards. In this role, the engineer will guide vendors through the design of a wide variety of store fixtures, creating solutions that effectively merchandise and showcase Client products while enabling essential in-store functionality for store employees. Reporting to the Channel Store Product Design Manager within the Channel, Retail and Events PD org, this individual will work cross-functionally, demonstrating the ability to actively listen to input from a wide range of partners, thoughtfully challenge assumptions when needed, and fully commit to driving solutions forward once a path is determined. The team focuses on building store environments that are not Client’s Stores , such as retail environments within Target, Best Buy, and similar retailers . The work includes designing and developing furniture, fixtures, and other elements within these retail environments . A comparable background could come from the automotive industry , particularly candidates with experience developing physical products through external manufacturing partners. Products are developed through an ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) model . The internal team is not necessarily creating all of the CAD designs themselves . Vendors are responsible for much of the detailed design work. This role will guide vendors toward the appropriate design solution , review their work, identify issues, and provide technical direction. There may still be hands-on technical work, including: CAD work, 3D printing, Prototyping, Creating mockups, Technical problem-solving.

Requirements

• B.S. degree in mechanical engineering and minimum of 7 years relevant experience
• Strong mechanical intuition, understanding of solid mechanics and material properties
• Excited to work and learn in a collaborative environment
• Self-motivated, curious and attentive to detail
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally
• Minimum of approximately 2 years of CAD experience. Candidate needs to be able to work independently in CAD without significant training or oversight.
• Previous experience taking physical products through the new product development lifecycle. Experience working through design iterations, prototypes, and manufacturing.
• Understanding of manufacturing processes, requirements, rules, and regulations. Experience partnering with manufacturers/vendors to determine feasible design solutions.

Nice To Haves

• Working knowledge of 2D and 3D CAD software
• Familiarity with metal manufacturing methodologies
• Experience with FEA, DFMEA, and root cause analysis
• Computer and/or furniture industry experience not required. Serious consideration will be given to qualified candidates from other analytical fields with robust engineering fundamentals.
• Experience working with overseas vendors/manufacturing partners.
• Experience in an ODM development environment.
• Automotive, consumer products, furniture/fixture development, or similar physical product development experience could translate well.

Responsibilities

• Engineer dozens of fixtures at a time (tables, walls, and other furniture elements) at international vendors utilizing an ODM development model
• Collaborate with and present to various cross-functional teams at all job levels to refine aesthetics and customer experience and meet all program goals
• Iterate on and validate designs to ensure successful mass production using manufacturing data, reliability tests, and stress, failure and tolerance analyses
• Develop manufacturing processes and tooling designs with external vendors
• Generate and accept constructive feedback in brainstorming and design reviews
• Travel up to 15% both domestically and internationally to vendors and installation sites to realize the physical design and find root cause for failures

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior