Color Material Finish : Engineering Program Manager

Role Overview

Industrial Design (ID) at Apple focuses on the physical hardware experience, encompassing color, materials, finishes, digital sculpting, rendering, and physical prototyping. The discipline sits at the intersection of nearly every major function at the company, working seamlessly with Product Design Engineering, Manufacturing, Marketing, Human Interface Design, and Human Factors to bring ideas to life.

The Apple Design Team is seeking a Color Material Finish (CMF) Engineering Program Manager. This is a fast-paced, collaborative position where you will work to deliver world-class colors, materials, and finishes for all Apple products. The right candidate will have outstanding organizational skills and be able to see multiple projects through from design exploration to engineering development all the way to manufacturing, while working with multiple groups internal and external to Apple.

Responsibilities

Color EPMs are responsible for tracking, managing and driving multiple color palettes for multiple products, all with different lead times and release dates. They must juggle multiple project schedules in order to ensure the deadlines for color design decisions and engineering builds are met. A huge part of the job entails ownership of hundreds of physical samples and documents that are crucial for the product development cycle.

Requirements & Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Strong organizational skills with proven experience tracking complex projects and distilling large amounts of information into clear next steps.

Technical or professional experience in materials science, engineering, consumer products, textiles, fashion, or automotive.

Comfortable in a fast-paced environment and quick to pivot when priorities or timelines shift.

Clear, effective verbal and written communication across both creative and technical teams.

High emotional intelligence, with the ability to read urgency, filter noise, and know when to escalate or start important conversations.

Self-motivated and comfortable working independently, while staying deeply collaborative and open to feedback. Proficient in Keynote, Numbers, and Excel. BS or advanced degree in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Textile Engineering, or a related field. In lieu of a degree, 10+ years of relevant industry experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Prior experience directly supporting industrial designers, color designers, or materials specialists.

A strong interest in or curiosity about the fundamentals of color science, surface finishing, or appearance measurement.

Experience handling physical samples, tracking prototype builds, or interfacing with vendors and lab teams.

Compensation & Benefits

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 advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation. Learn more about Apple Benefits Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.

Application Instructions

Apply directly on Apple Jobs at Color Material Finish : Engineering Program Manager↗.

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