Product Design Engineering Lead - Applied Research and Characterization

Summary

Shape the future of Apple’s hardware products! The Applied Research and Characterization team combines expertise in mechanical engineering, human factors, biomechanics, data analysis, statistics, software, and prototyping. We deliver data-backed insights for design decisions across Apple's entire hardware portfolio, directly influencing products launched worldwide. You'll have access to cutting-edge equipment and collaborate with multidisciplinary experts across our global sites. Few teams offer this breadth of impact combined with world-class resources.

We are looking for a leader to manage a product characterization team in Austin. As the technical leader of this team, you will guide a group of engineers, steward a broad and evolving set of lab spaces and characterization equipment, and serve as a key connector between product design and customer experience. Your combination of technical credibility, people leadership, and relationship building will open doors for bold experimentation early in the hardware development cycle.

About the role

In this role, you will support the product design teams based in Austin (such as Mac, iPad, and input devices), providing them with data and creative solutions that help drive design decisions. You will work directly with the design teams to develop and implement custom mechanical characterizations for parts and prototypes.

Beyond your direct support, you’ll also lead both lead day-to-day operations and engage in longer-horizon planning for the characterization lab. You will manage a small but diverse team of engineers, partner with a lab manager to oversee lab safety and equipment readiness, and work closely with Product Design leads to ensure the lab is meeting the evolving needs of product teams. Additionally, you’ll help your team develop their careers, foster a culture of creative problem-solving, and build collaborative relationships that allow researchers and engineers to think of the lab as a true partner.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and support a team of engineers in applying a mix of technical and creative problem-solving skills to quickly design and build instrumented test and measurement systems.
• Apply a mix of measurement science and engineering analysis to gain an understanding of the static/dynamic inputs and system responses that drive design performance and ultimately impact the customer experience.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for product design teams seeking support — build strong working relationships across disciplines.
• Work closely with Lab Manager to identify and drive continuous improvement in lab processes, workflows, and capabilities.
• Scope and add new measurement and test capabilities including capital equipment, training, etc.
• Triage and prioritize incoming project requests, balancing urgency, complexity, and team capacity.
• Provide personal development plans and feedback on performance.

Minimum Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering or a similar technical discipline, with a minimum of 5 years of experience as an individual contributor on an R&D or test/measurement-focused team.
• Experience in applying engineering first principles to evaluate the performance of designs.
• Demonstrated experience in the use or design of multiple measurement systems. Examples include: mechanical test systems (Instron), thermal chambers, drop towers, shock towers, vibration tables, and optical metrology equipment.
• Familiarity with sensor technologies, data acquisition systems, and fundamental analog/digital signal processing techniques.
• Strong technical communication skills with experience aligning cross-functional teams and stakeholders across multiple sites.
• Proficient in MATLAB, Python, LabVIEW, JMP, or similar data analysis tools.
• Experience using CAD and basic lab tools to enable the design and fabrication of test fixtures and measurement systems.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity in early-stage product development

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degrees are valued, but applicable hands-on experience is still required.
• 3+ years of experience managing an R&D, test/measurement, or product design team with direct hands-on technical credibility, delivering actionable data to drive design decisions.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Understanding of the use of and ability to interpret computational mechanics in complex multi-physics behaviors (e.g., structural, thermal, vibrational, fatigue).
• Proficiency in statistics to ensure proper interpretation of your data.
• Experience evaluating and incubating emerging sensor technologies to innovate on lab capabilities.