Advanced Manufacturing Engineer - SoftGoods

SoftGoods Advanced Manufacturing Engineers are responsible for developing manufacturing and inspection solutions for Apple products. In this role, you will conduct research and development on new technologies that solve complex assembly, automation, and measurement problems. SoftGoods AMEs engage in early architecture development with cross functional designers to assist with designing for manufacturability at scale while enabling ambitious design goals. You will employ your mechanical engineering background in the following areas: PROCESS DEVELOPMENT: - Develop new or improved processes through application of theoretical and practical engineering principles - Maintain up-to-date knowledge of meaningful technical trends and developments in industry and incorporate them appropriately. - Plan, propose, and lead experiments to produce timely and accurate analyses that drive design, development, and supply chain decisions. - Assess the suitability of a fabrication technology for a given part design. Plan validation exercises to demonstrate initial feasibility and manufacturing capability. Analyze results of validation exercises and provide technical recommendations. - Review progress of development activities at supplier locations and serve as point of escalation for critical process related issues. INSPECTION DEVELOPMENT: - Develop and qualify inspection methods to enable challenging measurements in early development - Plan and execute statistical DOEs, multifactor analysis, and data visualization that generate confidence in conclusive results. - Recommend and prioritize which data and analysis to conduct in early proof-of-concept and prototype builds. Provide analytical insights to assist with design convergence and process development. NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTION: - Act as lead engineer to drive process and inspection development, process capability assessment, and review of part designs to ensure alignment with manufacturing methods. - Assign specific tasks and work with Apple suppliers to support process development, data collection, and analysis. Set clear goals for results and provide timely reviews of performance throughout programs. - Establish validation procedures to determine acceptance of process and inspection equipment into development builds and mass production. - Quantify impact of process and inspection innovations with respect to operational goals including labor reduction, cost, and Carbon Neutral 2030. - Ensure successful investigations, process, and inspection solutions are handed off, adopted, and supported across SoftGoods Operations teams. SUPPLIER EXECUTION: - Review supplier tool design, process flow, inspection methods, equipment selection, DFM, and DOE proposals. Identify shortfalls and corrective actions to ensure design compliance. - Work with supplier engineering teams to conduct process development exercises, qualify inspections, secure resources, and commit to schedules that meet program goals. - Assess equipment vendor capabilities to achieve machine/automation requirements, provide expert recommendations, optimize for cost and footprint, and provide ongoing support. - Assess supplier readiness to support build events and production ramp. Identify potential execution issues and provide recommendations to mitigate risk.