Mechanical Design Engineer, AppleCare Engineering - Hardware Tool & Packaging Design
Apple
Other Engineering, Design
San Francisco, CA, USA · Oregon, USA · San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA · Multiple locations
USD 128,400-236,700 / year + Equity
Posted on Jun 6, 2026
At Apple, we don't just build products; we create experiences that change how people interact with the world. AppleCare is at the heart of that promise, ensuring every customer who needs support leaves feeling delighted. AppleCare Engineering (ACE) is the technical team that makes that possible by developing the tools, fixtures, and processes that keep Apple products performing at their best, long after they leave the box. Within ACE, the Hardware Tool & Packaging Design (HWTPD) team is the group responsible for engineering the physical solutions that make repair possible: the fixtures, diagnostic tools, and packaging that technicians around the world rely on every day. We're looking for a curious, driven mechanical design engineer who is ready to take on real program responsibility, work across disciplines, and contribute to solutions that reach customers around the world.
As a Mechanical Design Engineer on the ACE team, you will play a central role in designing and delivering electromechanical tools and fixtures that support the diagnosis and repair of Apple products across all business lines. You will contribute across the full development lifecycle, from early concept and requirements definition through detailed design, vendor development, certification, and production ramp, working with growing independence as you build expertise in the role. This is a hands-on, high-impact position that sits at the intersection of mechanical engineering, cross-functional collaboration, and global repair operations.
- Collaborate with repair process teams to assess tooling feasibility and contribute to product requirement documents (PRDs) that define scope, function, and success criteria
- Drive detailed computer-aided design (CAD) of electromechanical fixtures, developing mechanical system architectures and resolving design tradeoffs across mechanical, electrical, and thermal domains
- Engage cross-functional partners, including Product Design, Retail, AppleCare Repair Process Development, repair and distribution centers, and Channel Planning, to gather input, surface issues early, and keep programs aligned
- Support and progressively lead vendor relationships through design for manufacturability (DFM) development, design revision reviews, prototype procurement, and validation and debugging
- Plan and execute design of experiments (DOEs) to validate fixture and tool performance, including reliability and durability testing protocols, and present findings to stakeholders
- Support global safety certification efforts (UL, CE, and other applicable standards), tracking compliance milestones to ensure on-schedule regulatory approval
- Contribute to mass production ramp planning and hold vendors accountable to agreed milestones in coordination with the broader team
- Develop packaging solutions designed for worldwide distribution of repair tooling
- Bachelors degree or equivalent experience in Mechanical Engineering or related field of study with at least 3 years of experience in mechanical design
- Background contributing to electromechanical system design across multiple phases of development, from concept through production
- Knowledge of 3D CAD software such as NX or SolidWorks to produce production-ready models and author 2D drawing packages
- Application of design for manufacturability across plastics and metals, including molding, machining, casting, stamping, and 3D printing
- Understanding of electromechanical systems including mechanical, electrical, and thermal integration, and engaging on electrical engineering (EE) design decisions at the system level
- Execution of design of experiments (DOEs) to validate tools, fixtures, or processes
- Utilization of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), first article inspection (FAI), and process capability index (Cpk) practices on 2D drawings
- Familiarity with prototyping, assembly, testing, and troubleshooting
- History of communicating technical information to cross-functional and non-technical audiences
- Masters degree or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on manufacturing, dynamics, controls, robotics, or electromechanical design
- Experience with robotic or automated electromechanical systems, including motion control, actuation, and sensing integration
- Ability to define firmware and software logic flows for electromechanical systems, and collaborate with software and firmware engineers to implement, validate, and refine designs
- Knowledge of manufacturing change order (MCO) processes for printed circuit board (PCB) designs within electromechanical systems
- Experience working with international suppliers through product development and production ramp
- Understanding of global safety certification programs such as UL or CE through to approval
- Experience managing multiple concurrent programs in ambiguous environments, including creating PRDs, BOMs, part tracking systems, and revision schedules
- Proficiency in Mandarin Chinese