Subject Matter Expert - PVD

Summary

Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, creative ideas have a way of becoming wonderful 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!

Description

In this role, you will manage the development, implementation and optimization of cosmetic and functional coating process, for Apple’s world-class enclosure designs. You will apply your PVD engineering experience and work with cross functionally with Product Design Engineering and Industrial Design to assess product features for manufacturability, and recommend capable and advanced production processes and equipment.

Responsibilities

• Participate on a team tasked with developing and implementing next-generation PVD processes for cosmetic and protective finishes, specifically focusing on PVD coatings and equipment hardware for Apple’s world-class enclosure designs.
• Domain Integration & PVD Process: Understand the complex relationship between equipment automation parameters, PVD chamber hardware (e.g., vacuum systems, target configurations, gas delivery), and the underlying PVD process and materials chemistry (thin film stack design, formulation, sputtering power, coating, and curing processes).
• Failure Analysis (FA) & Yield Improvement: Leverage deep Failure Analysis (FA) capabilities to troubleshoot production problems and close yield gaps. Correlate FA findings with process or equipment data for trouble shooting, and develop error-proofing and closed-loop process controls for preventing.
• Work with cross-functional operations teams (PD, MD, ID) and contract manufacturers to evaluate implementation risk, create technical requirements/qualification packages, assess the capabilities of PVD process integrators, and provide DFM feedback.
• Coordinate activities with global counterparts to push process capability. Present detailed technical and statistical analyses of manufacturing capability to diverse cross-functional teams and key decision-makers.
• Provide leadership at manufacturing sites during development and product production ramp, and drive engineering issues to resolution. Coordination of activities and direction through clear communication between the Asia and US-based teams, and vendors is a necessity.

Minimum Qualifications

• BS/MS in Engineering (Materials Science, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent).
• 5+ years of professional experience working on development of PVD and CVD coatings in R&D and/or production environment in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Domain & PVD Experience: Familiarity with surface treatment and manufacturing processes, specifically PVD (including basic knowledge of PVD chamber hardware and process parameters), establishing and validating coating processes for mass production.
• Failure Analysis (FA): Proven ability to conduct structured Failure Analysis and root cause investigations on manufacturing defects or equipment failures, translating findings into actionable automation improvements.
• Verbal and written English proficiency.

Preferred Qualifications

• PVD Process and Hardware Expertise: Deep understanding of PVD chamber hardware design, modification, and maintenance, coupled with a strong track record of optimizing PVD process recipes for advanced cosmetic or functional coatings.
• FA Capabilities: Expertise using advanced analytical techniques (such as XRF, SEM, EDS, FTIR, TEM, & XPS) to characterize film quality or troubleshoot failure modes to drive complex root cause analysis and predictive quality modeling.
• Proficiency with optical simulation capability like Macleod, TFCALC, to review and design coating stack and optimize chamber hardware/fixtures and create proper engineering solutions for color and cosmetic improvement.
• Advanced statistical analysis skills and design/process optimization using DOE, Cpk, correlation, and GR&R (familiarity with JMP, Minitab, or Matlab).
• Excellent problem solving skills with an emphasis toward implementing solutions, Self-motivated with a commitment to delivering high quality results in a fast paced environment.
• Vendor management experience, be good handling the conflicts and command vendors to implement actions and deliver results. Ability to program-manage across multiple projects, vendors, and resources globally.
• Action oriented, is able to manage the challenges and proactive to provide solutions.
• Frequent domestic and some overseas travel expected.