Technical Program Manager and Manufacturing Quality Engineer
About The Position
This highly visible role combines process (TPM) and quality engineering (MQE) responsibilities for next-generation Apple products. The role leads the selection, implementation, and optimization of manufacturing processes, along with quality planning and deployment. Working cross-functionally with Product Design Engineering, Industrial Design, suppliers, and other Apple teams, the position assesses product features for manufacturability and recommends capable processes and equipment. It also works with designers to develop measurement and metrology technologies, quality control plans, information systems, and manufacturing methods that meet demanding specifications at large production scale. The role supports a worldwide supplier-factory network and delivery against ambitious schedules. The position oversees process development, new product introduction, and supplier execution. It plans and leads experiments, assesses fabrication technologies against part designs, develops and analyzes validation exercises, and provides technical recommendations. It reviews supplier development progress and escalates critical process issues. For new product introduction, it supports process development and capability assessment, reviews part-design documentation, assigns supplier-supported activities, sets goals, monitors performance, and establishes validation procedures for tooling used in development builds and mass production. Supplier execution includes reviewing tool designs, process flows, equipment selection, DFM, and DOE proposals; identifying gaps and corrective actions; securing resources and schedules; and assessing supplier readiness for build events and production ramp. The quality engineering responsibilities include developing a Product Quality Plan (PQP), coordinating quality engineering functions, managing key program deliverables, and providing technical guidance to other Quality Engineers. The role assesses measurability, directs improvements to measurement methods, establishes supplier audit procedures, and conducts FAI and Cp/Cpk reviews of mechanical parts. It supports supplier selection and sourcing decisions, reviews and optimizes supplier quality programs, evaluates supplier readiness and adherence to the PQP, and monitors supplier performance through production statistics, inspections, and audits. It communicates performance and corrective-action needs to management. The role also defines cosmetic specifications and quality-control methods, reviews manufacturing processes, evaluates data to set process and product limits, recommends equipment and process changes, and conducts statistical analysis such as DOE and SPC to address yield loss and improve quality. International travel to supplier sites is required.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or Engineering Management.
- At least 1 year of experience supporting new product launches from a mechanical, process engineering, quality planning, quality engineering, or product development perspective.
- Experience developing process quality plans and supplier quality audits, and driving corrective actions and failure-analysis efforts.
- Knowledge of mechanical quality and reliability concepts, supplier management, and general manufacturing operations.
- International travel to supplier sites is required.
- Proven hands-on mechanical ability.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Domestic and international travel required.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with soft materials such as non-wovens, wovens, knits, leather, and inputs such as yarns and raw materials is strongly preferred.
- Experience with mechanical fabricated parts, adhesives, glues, jigs, fixtures, tooling, injection molding, or plastics may be acceptable.
- International experience, particularly in Asia, is a plus.
- Experience with highly cosmetic parts is a plus.
Responsibilities
- Plan, propose, and lead experiments that provide timely, accurate analyses for design, development, and supply-chain decisions.
- Assess whether fabrication technologies are suitable for specific part designs.
- Plan and analyze validation exercises to demonstrate feasibility and manufacturing capability, and provide technical recommendations.
- Review supplier development progress and serve as an escalation point for critical process issues.
- Support process development and capability assessment for new product introduction, including reviewing part-design documentation for alignment with process capabilities.
- Assign tasks and work with Apple suppliers on process development and data-gathering activities; set goals and review performance.
- Establish validation procedures for accepting tooling into development builds and mass production.
- Review supplier tool design, process flow, equipment selection, DFM, and DOE proposals; identify shortfalls and corrective actions.
- Coordinate with supplier engineering teams to define process development exercises, secure resources, and align schedules with program goals.
- Assess supplier readiness for build events and production ramp, identify execution risks, and recommend mitigation.
- Develop a Product Quality Plan appropriate to the program and commodity, and coordinate quality engineering functions for the program.
- Lead supplier-location quality efforts, manage key milestone deliverables, and provide technical guidance to supporting Quality Engineers.
- Assess measurability, address concerns with stakeholders, and direct studies to improve measurement methods.
- Establish supplier audit procedures and implement FAI and Cp/Cpk reviews of mechanical parts.
- Support supplier selection and second-sourcing decisions, and review and optimize supplier quality programs.
- Evaluate supplier readiness and adherence to the PQP throughout development and qualification.
- Monitor supplier performance using production-line statistics, inspections, and audits; communicate performance summaries and corrective-action needs to management.
- Define product cosmetic specifications and manufacturing quality-control methods, and review manufacturing and evaluation processes.
- Coordinate reviews of design requirements to confirm manufacturing-process capability.
- Evaluate data to determine appropriate limits and variables for process, material, and part specifications.
- Plan projects involving new concepts, inspection technology, and approaches to processing or developing improved processes.
- Recommend and implement equipment and process modifications to improve efficiency, manufacturing techniques, and production yields.
- Conduct statistical analyses, including DOE and SPC, to identify causes of yield loss and improve quality.
