DFM PCBA Engineer

Apple Inc.; Cupertino (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Apple Inc. in Austin, TX seeks a PCBA Design for Manufacturing Engineer to bridge design and mass production. You will collaborate with Product Design, Electrical Engineering, Operations, and vendor partners to deliver high-quality PCBA assemblies.

You will drive DFM reviews, optimize processes, and apply advanced testing and reliability techniques while reducing cost and environmental impact. 3+ years in PCBA or electronics packaging is required, with travel up to 25%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in engineering or equivalent practical experience.
• 3+ years of experience in PCBA or electronic assembly.
• Strong background in materials science and electronics packaging.
• Willingness to travel internationally up to 25% and self-manage projects.

Responsibilities

• Drive PCBA and related system design decisions to optimize performance, cost, and sustainability.
• Develop, champion, and apply PCB design and assembly guidelines across product lines.
• Conduct rigorous DFM reviews of PCBA designs and provide actionable feedback.
• Design and optimize PCBA manufacturing processes, including panel design and parameters.
• Collaborate with design engineers and suppliers to develop new PCBA technologies.

Skills

PCBA

Electronic Assembly

Materials Science

Manufacturing

Project Management

International Travel

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

Valor

SPI

AOI

X-ray

JMP

Minitab

MATLAB

Python

SQL

Job description

Austin, Texas, United States Operations and Supply Chain

Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish.The people here at Apple don’t just create products — they create the kind of wonder that’s revolutionized entire industries. It’s the diversity of those people and their ideas that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do, from amazing technology to industry-leading environmental efforts. Join Apple, and help us leave the world better than we found it.Apple products are as alluring on the inside as they are on the outside. Inside every one of our products, are some of the world's most challenging consumer PCBA and Flex designs. Imagine yourself as a select member of the team that brings these assemblies from concept to high volume manufacturing.

Description

At Apple, our PCBA Design for Manufacturing (DFM) Engineers are the bridge between groundbreaking design and mass production. If you've ever wondered how the electronics in the world's most iconic products are made, this is your chance to be at the forefront.You will collaborate closely with Product Design, Electrical Engineering, Product Integrity, the Advanced Technology Group, PCB Design, Operations, and our global vendor partners. Your expertise will be critical in developing, productizing, and mass producing some of the world’s most challenging consumer PCBA designs, ensuring unparalleled quality, reliability, and cost-effectiveness from concept through high-volume manufacturing, all while minimizing our environmental footprint.Opportunities to Grow and Develop:This role provides an unparalleled opportunity to deepen your expertise in:

• Holistic PCBA and process design optimization, balancing competing considerations such as assembly material selection and validation, cutting-edge process development, reliability, environmental footprint reduction, raw material usage, cost, quality, and factory throughput.
• Advanced tolerance analysis for PCBA, fixture, and equipment design.
• Proficiency with industry-standard CAD tools like Siemens NX and Valor for design review and array panel creation.
• Applying advanced simulation tools and modeling techniques to predict and proactively mitigate complex manufacturing or reliability risks.
• Strategic high-volume manufacturing planning, including line planning, capital expenditure analysis, and manufacturing value-add reduction.
• Leading root cause and failure analysis investigations, recommending and applying advanced analytical techniques (e.g., DMM, Optical Microscopy, X-Ray, CSAM, SEM/EDS, FTIR, TDM, XPS, cross-sectioning).
• Use internal LLM based tools for automating workflows and smarter decision making in design and manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Drive PCBA and related system design decisions to optimize product performance, cost-efficiency, and environmental sustainability.
• Develop, champion, and apply internal guidelines and best practices for PCB design and assembly across Apple's product lines.
• Conduct rigorous DFM reviews of rigid and flexible PCBA and custom component designs, providing actionable feedback and solutions to design teams.
• Design and optimize PCBA manufacturing processes, including process flow, assembly materials, panel array design, and critical process parameters.
• Collaborate strategically with design engineers, manufacturing partners, and material suppliers to develop and validate cutting-edge PCBA assembly technologies and materials.
• Innovate and develop new manufacturing processes, tooling, and automation solutions, driving efficiency and capability.
• Establish and refine design rules and formulas to ensure the consistent creation of manufacturable component land patterns.
• Partner with eCAD Librarians to review and validate component land patterns for multi-vendor compatibility and DFM.
• Plan and execute Design of Experiments (DOEs) and test builds to establish robust manufacturing boundary conditions and validate new technologies.
• Assess and verify PCB assembly vendor technical capabilities, proactively identifying and articulating potential gaps and risks.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive checklists to ensure design maturity and factory readiness for new product introductions.
• Define and implement robust methodologies for workmanship, maintenance, and data retention requirements with PCBA assembly vendors, ensuring compliance and quality.
• Communicate complex technical information fluidly and effectively across diverse cross-functional teams and present clear, concise updates to Apple leadership.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in an engineering discipline (e.g., Mechanical, Industrial, Chemical, Electrical, Materials Science) or equivalent practical experience.
• 3+ years of relevant experience in PCBA, electronic assembly or related field.
• Demonstrated high level of creativity and intellectual curiosity, particularly in materials science and electronics packaging.
• Robust understanding of engineering fundamentals, with the ability to apply material science, thermodynamics, and mechanical engineering principles to complex manufacturing and design challenges.
• Proven ability to self-manage projects, drive initiatives, and deliver impactful results in a fast-paced development environment.
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally up to 25%.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with, or a strong aptitude to rapidly learn, various advanced soldering methods (e.g., reflow, wave, selective, robotic, laser solder jetting, hotbar soldering).
• Deep understanding of PCBA material selection considerations, including solder alloys, fluxes, epoxies, adhesives, conformal coatings, and cleaning solvents.
• Knowledge of PCB Fabrication, Flexible PCB Fabrication, and First-Level Interconnect (FLI) Si Packaging processes.
• Experience with common PCBA inspection and test techniques (e.g., SPI, AOI, X-ray, AXI, ICT).
• Familiarity with relevant industry standards (e.g., IPC, JEDEC, ASTM, IEEE).
• Proficiency with statistical process control (SPC) and data analysis software (e.g., JMP, Minitab, MATLAB).
• Ability to leverage programming and scripting for problem-solving (e.g., Python, C++, SQL) and experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau) is a plus.

Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant

At Apple, we believe accessibility is a fundamental human right. You’ll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong.
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Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.