Technical Program Manager and Manufacturing Quality Engineer

Apple•Cupertino, CA

About The Position

This highly visible role combines Technical Program Management (TPM) and Manufacturing 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, and suppliers worldwide, the position assesses product features for manufacturability, recommends suitable processes and equipment, and develops measurement and metrology technologies, quality-control plans, information systems, and manufacturing methods for large-scale production. The role supports process development, new product introduction, and supplier execution. It plans and leads experiments, evaluates fabrication technologies, validates feasibility and manufacturing capability, reviews supplier development progress, and escalates critical process issues. It also reviews supplier tool designs, process flows, equipment choices, DFM and DOE proposals, assesses supplier readiness for builds and production ramp, and recommends actions to address execution risks. In its quality-engineering capacity, the role develops program-specific Product Quality Plans, coordinates quality engineering activities and milestones, provides technical direction to other Quality Engineers, evaluates measurement methods, establishes audits, and conducts FAI and Cp/Cpk reviews for mechanical parts. It also supports supplier selection and qualification decisions, monitors supplier performance through production statistics, inspections, and audits, and communicates performance summaries to management to support corrective actions. The position may define cosmetic specifications and quality-control methods, evaluate manufacturing processes, analyze process and product data, and recommend equipment or process changes to improve efficiency, techniques, and yields. DOE and SPC analyses may be used to investigate failures and improve quality. Domestic and international travel to supplier sites is required.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science 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.
Hands-on mechanical ability.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to travel domestically and internationally to supplier sites.

Nice To Haves

Experience with soft materials, including non-wovens, wovens, knits, leather, and related inputs such as yarns and raw materials.
Experience with mechanical fabricated parts, adhesives, glues, jigs, fixtures, tooling, injection molding, or plastics.
International experience, particularly in Asia.
Experience with highly cosmetic parts.

Responsibilities

Lead selection, implementation, and optimization of manufacturing processes and quality planning for next-generation products.
Work with Product Design Engineering and Industrial Design to assess manufacturability and recommend capable processes and equipment.
Plan and lead experiments that inform design, development, and supply-chain decisions.
Assess fabrication technology suitability for part designs and plan validation exercises for feasibility and manufacturing capability.
Analyze validation results and provide technical recommendations.
Review supplier development progress and act as an escalation point for critical process-related issues.
Support process development and capability assessment for new product introduction, including reviewing part design documentation against process capability.
Assign tasks and work with suppliers on process development and data gathering.
Set goals and review performance throughout programs.
Establish 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.
Work with supplier engineering teams to define process-development activities, secure resources, and align schedules with program goals.
Assess supplier readiness for build events and production ramp, identify execution risks, and recommend mitigation.
Develop program- and commodity-specific Product Quality Plans and coordinate quality engineering functions for programs.
Lead quality-engineering efforts at supplier locations and participate in program planning and milestone monitoring.
Provide technical direction to Quality Engineers implementing the Product Quality Plan.
Assess measurability, address measurement concerns with stakeholders, and direct studies to improve measurement methods.
Establish audit procedures to ensure suppliers adhere to Apple quality standards.
Conduct FAI and Cp/Cpk reviews of mechanical parts.
Support supplier selection, second sourcing, and supplier qualification or disqualification decisions.
Review Product Quality Plans with suppliers and Apple functional groups and evaluate supplier readiness and adherence at development and qualification stages.
Monitor supplier performance using production-line statistics, inspections, and audits; summarize results for management and support timely corrective actions.
Define product cosmetic specifications and manufacturing quality-control methods, review manufacturing processes, and evaluate data to determine appropriate process, material, and part specification limits.
Recommend and implement equipment and process modifications to improve production efficiency, manufacturing techniques, and yields.
Develop and conduct DOE and SPC analyses to investigate yield loss and improve quality.