Manufacturing Design Engineer - Brittles
Apple · Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
- On site
- Full-time
- $140,000 / year
- Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Job highlights
- Develop innovative manufacturing processes for Apple products.
- Collaborate with design, engineering, and suppliers worldwide.
- Ensure product quality, cost, and yield goals are met.
- Lead process optimization and problem-solving efforts.
- Experience in high-volume mechanical product development required.
About the role
Summary
Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, innovative ideas quickly become extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences. This is where individual imaginations and experiences gather, leading to great work. 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 make the kind of wonder that’s revolutionized entire industries. The diversity of those people and their ideas inspire 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.
Description
The Apple Manufacturing Design Engineer (MDE) is accountable for owning the development and implementation of innovative manufacturing processes across Apple’s worldwide supply base. In this highly collaborative role, you will work closely with Apple Industrial Design, Product Design, and Manufacturing Design partners and our worldwide suppliers. This role is empowered to bring creativity to Apple’s manufacturing approach, enabling us to deliver our best work to as many customers as possible.
You will be part of collaborative environment contributing to the creation, evaluation, and implementation of end-to-end manufacturing solutions for Apple’s iPhone enclosures. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional stakeholders in Quality Engineering, Global Supply Management, Product Design, and Industrial Design in order to ensure our manufacturing solutions meet our product quality, cost, yield, capacity, schedule, and environmental goals.
Responsibilities
- Evaluate product and industrial design goals to understand the dimensional, cosmetic, and functional priorities for the product
- Collaborate with Global Supply Managers and Apple’s manufacturing suppliers to align on a manufacturing development strategy with clear goals, deliverables, and schedule
- Identify and validate suitable fabrication equipment and processes to meet all Apple design and operational requirements
- Develop and document processes, including all parameters, consumables, and secondary operation requirements to meet defined specifications
- Conduct process optimization DOE’s, using data-driven and hands-on approaches together to find solutions to complex challenges
- Communicate ongoing process development status to cross-functional teams and lead discussions to align design requirements with manufacturing capability
- Willingness to travel within India to support manufacturing partner sites and collaborate with in-region team members
- Familiarity with a phase gate product development approach
- You may be asked to lead development in one or more of the following areas to help ensure that quality & yield requirements are met:
- Glass Processing: Develop all processes for glass laser, grinding, lapping, polishing, CNC milling, chemical strengthening, decoration and functional coatings (with inks, and other thin film deposition techniques etc.). Ensure that quality and yield requirements are met.
- As part of process development, scope appropriate process equipment, design/develop fixtures, implement touch probing, selection of consumables, lead the reduction of cycle time, development of advanced cutters and coatings.
- Own optimization/yield improvement actions and process change decisions based on statistical process control (SPC) data analysis.
Minimum Qualifications
- BS or higher in mechanical, manufacturing, industrial engineering, or related fields
- 5+ years of experience in high-volume mechanical product development, manufacturing engineering, tooling engineering, high-precision fabrication, or similar roles
- Hands-on experience in Electronics glass processing with specialisation in one of the following: laser, CNC, surface finishing, chemical etching and strengthening
- Understanding core principles of fixture and automation design, including the use of design software and FEA for stress/structural analysis
- Understanding core principles of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing
- Understanding core principles of Data Analysis and Design of Experiments
Preferred Qualifications
- Masters or PhD in Mechanical Engineering with relevant research or work experience in Brittles applications
- Specialising in process and equipment development for electronics glass applications
- A quick learner who approaches problems flexibly and proactively identifies solutions in the face of challenges
- Strong ability to influence using clear and concise communication skills to make data-driven manufacturing decisions
- Strong abilities and background in materials characterization with hands-on troubling (understanding of analytical tools such as SEM / TEM / EDX / FTIR / XPS etc.)
- Ability to work independently with cross-functional teams and drive towards common goals.
- Ability to present technical analysis of manufacturing capability to diverse cross-functional team.
- A team player who is self-motivated, result oriented and detail driven.
- Knowledge in deep learning (DL) or statistical machine learning (ML) is preferred.
- Experience working with OEMs and Contract Manufacturers in the Consumer Electronics Industry is a plus
Key skills/competency
- Manufacturing Process Development
- Product Development
- Mechanical Engineering
- Industrial Design
- Quality Engineering
- Supply Chain Management
- Data Analysis
- Design of Experiments
- Materials Characterization
- Glass Processing
Skills & topics
- Manufacturing Design Engineer
- Mechanical Engineering
- Process Development
- Product Development
- Apple
- Glass Processing
- High-Volume Manufacturing
- Design of Experiments
- Materials Science
- Consumer Electronics
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your BS/MS/PhD in engineering and 5+ years in high-volume manufacturing or fabrication. Emphasize hands-on experience with glass processing (laser, CNC, etc.) and DFM principles.
- Showcase relevant experience: Detail your work with Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing, Data Analysis, and Design of Experiments. Mention any experience with SEM, TEM, EDX, FTIR, or XPS.
- Demonstrate problem-solving skills: Provide examples of how you've optimized processes, improved yield, and driven data-driven decisions in previous roles.
- Prepare for technical questions: Be ready to discuss your understanding of fixture and automation design, FEA, and materials characterization.
- Highlight collaboration: Emphasize your ability to work with cross-functional teams, suppliers, and present technical information clearly.
Technical preparation
Master core principles of GD&T and its application.,Practice Design of Experiments (DOE) methodology.,Familiarize with fixture and automation design concepts.,Review materials characterization tools and techniques.
Behavioral questions
Describe a complex manufacturing challenge you solved.,How do you handle conflicting design and manufacturing needs?,Give an example of influencing a team with data.,How do you ensure quality and yield in processes?
Frequently asked questions
- What are the key responsibilities for a Manufacturing Design Engineer at Apple?
- As a Manufacturing Design Engineer at Apple, you will be responsible for developing and implementing innovative manufacturing processes for products like iPhone enclosures. This involves collaborating closely with industrial design, product design, quality engineering, and global supply management teams to ensure product quality, cost, yield, and schedule goals are met. You'll also identify and validate fabrication equipment, develop and document processes, and conduct process optimization through DOE's.
- What qualifications are essential for this Manufacturing Design Engineer role at Apple?
- To be considered for this role, you need a BS or higher in mechanical, manufacturing, or industrial engineering, along with at least 5 years of experience in high-volume mechanical product development, manufacturing engineering, or high-precision fabrication. Hands-on experience in electronics glass processing, with specialization in areas like laser, CNC, surface finishing, chemical etching, or strengthening, is crucial. A solid understanding of fixture and automation design, Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing, and Data Analysis/Design of Experiments is also required.
- What kind of travel is expected for this Manufacturing Design Engineer position?
- The role requires a willingness to travel within India to support manufacturing partner sites and collaborate with in-region team members. This travel is essential for overseeing the implementation and optimization of manufacturing processes at supplier facilities.
- What are the preferred qualifications for the Apple Manufacturing Design Engineer role?
- Preferred qualifications include a Master's or PhD in Mechanical Engineering with research in Brittles applications, specializing in process and equipment development for electronics glass. Strong abilities in materials characterization (using tools like SEM/TEM/EDX/FTIR/XPS), proficiency in deep learning or statistical machine learning, and experience with OEMs/Contract Manufacturers in the consumer electronics industry are also highly valued.
- How does Apple approach manufacturing process development for its products?
- Apple focuses on developing and implementing innovative manufacturing processes through close collaboration between internal design and engineering teams, and their worldwide suppliers. The process involves evaluating design goals, identifying suitable equipment and processes, developing detailed process documentation, and conducting rigorous optimization using data-driven approaches like Design of Experiments (DOE). The emphasis is on meeting stringent quality, cost, yield, and schedule requirements.
- What is the role of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) in this position?
- Understanding the core principles of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) is essential for this role. GD&T is critical for defining and communicating the allowable variations in the form, orientation, and location of features on a part, ensuring that manufactured components meet precise design specifications and functional requirements, especially in high-precision fabrication for products like Apple's.