Concept Prototyping Engineer

Cupertino, California, United States Hardware

Next Gen Computing (NGC) develops new concepts and capabilities for Apple products. The team brings expertise in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, software design, and interaction design, enabling it to build fully functional prototypes that inform decisions across Apple. From rapid proofs of concept to live-on platforms distributed to dozens of internal users for longer durations, we can take an exploration as far as needed to enable our colleagues and stakeholders to get a hands-on feel for an experience instead of just an idea.

We work across a variety of product lines and work regularly with engineering, design, and human factors functions to realize our work as clearly as possible. Our team offers a unique opportunity to inform the future of Apple products.

Next Gen Computing team is looking for a highly motivated, creative, and design-sensitive product prototyping engineer to join our team to help build functional prototypes. In this role, you will be building functional, integrated prototypes and platforms that bring new concepts to life and generating the knowledge that helps Apple make informed decisions about what to build next. You will help the team to move from a sketched concept to a hands-on integrated prototype with an eye for experience quality and reliability.

These prototypes are meant to be used and shared among Apple stakeholders, so a relentless attention to user-facing functionality is essential.

• Brainstorm, co-develop, and iterate on experience concepts with your team and cross-functional collaborators — moving from preparing a paper sketch to a demo and to an integrated prototype
• Present and advocate for multiple design approaches, clearly articulating the trade-offs of each
• Design parts, fabricate, and build integrated prototypes in alignment with cross-functional collaborators such as designers, electrical engineers, and software engineers
• Take a hands-on role in fabrication and assembly, including fit-checking, functionality-checking, and servicing prototypes as needed
• Synthesize and communicate feedback from multiple stakeholders across different disciplines to evolve and improve concepts
• Support concept transfer to Apple’s world-class product development and software engineering groups
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, adapting your approach as program needs change

• Strong foundation in product design with sensitivity to industrial design, experience working with 3D and 2D CAD
• Experience with fabrication tools and processes
• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering, Industrial Design, or a technically equivalent field

• 5+ years of product design/prototyping experience, or an MS/PhD in a related field
• Ability to evolve demonstration prototypes into stable platforms for extended testing and evaluation
• Ability to work with a variety of disciplines including industrial designers, experience designers, and software, hardware, and product development engineers
• A passion for doing the best possible work, with the ability to balance speed with fidelity
• Independent, self-starter, with good interpersonal skills.
• Excellent storytelling and communication skills

At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $184,700 and $324,800, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.

Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You’ll also receive benefits including:
Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to…