Hardware Lab Operations Lead

Apple, Inc.; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 121,000 - 201,000; Full time

Job summary

Apple, Inc. in Sunnyvale, California is seeking a Lab Manager to keep our engineering labs running safely and efficiently. You will own day-to-day lab operations, stay hands-on with equipment and test fixtures, and support engineering programs.

The role begins as a technical individual contributor with a clear path to leading a team of lab technicians, including hiring, onboarding, and mentoring as the lab scales.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or equivalent industry experience.
• Experience in a technical, R&D, or hardware lab environment.
• Experience with equipment maintenance, calibration procedures, and asset management systems.
• Ability to lift and move lab equipment up to 50 lbs as needed.
• On-site five days a week, with occasional early or late hours to support deliveries or repairs.

Responsibilities

• Operate, calibrate, and troubleshoot complex lab equipment in support of engineering tests and experiments.
• Run test protocols, collect and analyze data, and contribute to hardware engineering programs.
• Serve as the primary technical escalation point for complex equipment issues and non-standard test setups.
• Design, build, and implement new test fixtures and lab processes for prototype needs.
• Manage daily lab operations: equipment inventory, maintenance, calibration, and repair coordination.
• Own procurement, vendor relationships, and budget tracking for lab equipment and services.
• Develop and enforce lab safety protocols aligned with EHS standards and Apple policies.
• Plan lab layouts, allocate space and resources, and support new equipment installations.
• Maintain records for asset tracking, certifications, and regulatory documentation.
• Manage access control, security, and confidentiality for sensitive prototype hardware.
• Identify and implement process improvements to increase lab efficiency and uptime.
• Coordinate logistics across engineering, facilities, EHS, and supply chain teams.
• Scale operations by hiring and mentoring a team of lab technicians.

Skills

Lab management

Equipment calibration

Leadership/mentoring

Asset management

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

Asset management software

Procurement systems

Job description

Apple, Inc. in Sunnyvale, California is seeking a Lab Manager to keep our engineering labs running safely and efficiently. You will own day-to-day lab operations, stay hands-on with equipment and test fixtures, and support engineering programs.

The role begins as a technical individual contributor with a clear path to leading a team of lab technicians, including hiring, onboarding, and mentoring as the lab scales.