Do you possess a keen eye for detail, a passion for excellence, and a strong desire to contribute to extraordinary outcomes? If so, you will thrive on a diverse team that shares these values. At Apple's PRL (Product Realization Lab), we combine technical expertise and creativity to deliver remarkable results that quickly translate into exceptional products and customer experiences. We invite you to bring your curiosity, craftsmanship, and dedication to our team. At the PRL, we take pride in building high-quality models, prototypes, and manufacturing solutions that support the development of future Apple products. We have a world-class team and a state-of-the-art machine shop worthy of this challenge. In this role, you will manage a team of highly skilled CNC machinists, partnering with external engineering teams and internal fabrications specialists to deliver a wide range of prototypes for Apple's Hardware Engineers. Your combination of technical credibility and people leadership will be critical to push the boundaries of what is possible in machining, and to influence the development of products used by millions.
As a Prototyping Manager, you will lead day-to-day operations and engage in longer-horizon planning for your team as part of our broader organization, the ADL (Advanced Development Lab). You will manage a team of CNC-focused Makers; oversee and drive improvements to your cell's workload, processes, and equipment; and work closely with engineering requestors to develop complex and ever-changing prototypes of many different shapes and materials. You will help your team develop their careers, foster a culture of creative problem-solving, and build collaborative relationships that allow engineers to think of the lab as a partner in their development.
Lead, develop, and support a team of prototype CNC specialists in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
Serve as a technical lead for machining capability, adding your technical expertise to the skillset of the team and developing newer machinists
Provide DFM feedback to engineers
Identify and drive continuous improvement in fabrication processes, workflows, and capabilities
Scope and add new prototype fabrication capabilities, including capital equipment, training, etc.
Triage and prioritize incoming prototype requests, balancing urgency, complexity, and team capacity
Lead creative problem-solving and troubleshooting activities for failures and other improvement opportunities
Develop actionable plans based on data insights to enhance operational efficiency
Drive team building efforts and encourage cross-functional collaboration to achieve daily operational objectives.
Facilitate collaboration with customers and internal teams in order to achieve established lead time and quality goals
Provide personnel development plans and constructive feedback on performance
Minimum of 3 years leading a fabrication, prototyping, or manufacturing team is required
Excellent communication skills, ability to clearly articulate complex ideas in written reports and verbal presentations
Demonstrated hands-on experience with prototype CNC programming and machining, and ability to learn, absorb, and master new fabrication techniques
Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships with cross-functional stakeholders
Should have the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multi-focused work environment and demonstrate a passion for dynamic challenges
Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Operations, Engineering, or a related field
Familiarity with Laser prototyping capabilities, Wire EDM, and additive manufacturing methods is beneficial
Experience evaluating and incubating emerging fabrication technologies to innovate on lab capabilities
We’re a diverse collection of thinkers and doers, continually reimagining what’s possible to help us all do what we love in new ways. The people who work here have reinvented entire industries with the Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, as well as with services, including iTunes, the App Store, Apple Music, and Apple Pay. And the same passion for innovation that goes into our products also applies to our practices — strengthening our commitment to leave the world better than we found it.
There’s a place here for every kind of brilliant. Everyone here is an innovator, or an innovator-to-be, no matter what your team or your role. So bring your passion, courage, and original thinking and get ready to share it, because every new product, service, or feature we invent is the result of people working together to make each others’ ideas stronger. Innovation at this level depends on people who represent the variety of the human experience and inspire us with their own fresh perspectives. Together, we’ll do amazing work that can make a difference in people’s lives. Including your own. Learn more about working at Apple.