Data Center Hardware Engineering - Hardware Technician

At Apple, we push the boundaries of what's possible and nowhere is that more evident than in the infrastructure that powers our most ambitious technologies. The Data Center Hardware Engineering Team designs and delivers the high-performance compute solutions that underpin Apple's services and products at scale. From custom silicon to full-system integration, our work ensures that Apple's global infrastructure is fast, efficient, and built to last. The Hardware System Integration team is central to this mission, owning the design and realization of customized compute platforms from concept to mass production.

Description

We're looking for a hands-on, detail-oriented Hardware Technician to support development of next-generation custom server hardware. This hybrid role is ideal for someone with expert rework skills and solid ability to take lab measurements and debug hardware. Your main focus will be precise electrical rework and modifications on prototype server main logic boards (MLBs), companion boards, and test fixtures. Fast, reliable rework lets the team bring up early hardware revisions quickly. You'll also use oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, DMMs and power supplies to verify rework, take measurements and help engineers track down problems during bring-up. In addition, you'll help with failure analysis, test fixture builds, test automation setups and general lab operations, working closely with the System Integration engineers to turn schematic changes and debug ideas into finished, verified, documented results.

Minimum Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in high-precision manual assembly and rework of electronic circuit boards in an R&D lab, hardware development or production-support setting
• Proven ability to hand-solder and rework BGA, LGA, QFN and CSP packages and passives down to 0201 under a microscope, including fine jumper wires, micro-coax and trace modifications
• Expert operation of rework equipment: soldering irons, hot air, preheaters and hot plates, and BGA rework stations
• Skilled with electrical lab instruments: oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, DMMs and DC power supplies. This includes setting triggers and timebase, using correct grounding and choosing the right probe, and capturing waveforms for engineering review
• Able to read schematics and PCB layouts and find components and test points on dense boards
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including managing engineer expectations, explaining technical tradeoffs and documenting work clearly
• Strong commitment to lab safety, ESD practices and housekeeping. Familiarity with basic chemical hazards (solvents, fluxes, epoxies), and able to lift up to 35 lbs

Preferred Qualifications

• (Rework)
• Experience reworking large server or high-layer-count (16+ layer) boards, including BGA reballing and thermal profiling
• Experience operating and interpreting 2D/3D X-ray inspection for BGA/LGA voiding and assembly defects
• Experience with automated or semi-automated BGA rework systems (e.g., Ersa HR550 or similar)
• IPC-7711/7721, IPC J-STD-001 and/or IPC-A-610 certification
• (Measurement, debug & failure analysis)
• Experience debugging failed units and performing structured failure analysis
• Experience with active, differential and current probes, and with protocol decode (I2C/SMBus, SPI, UART)
• Experience taking EE validation measurements from engineer-defined procedures, such as power rail ripple and noise, load transient response, sequencing and timing margins, and signal quality on low-speed buses, and recording results against spec limits
• Familiarity with power sequencing and VRM behavior on multi-rail compute platforms
• Experience with high-current test setups, electronic loads and other benchtop instruments
• (Test automation & fixtures)
• Experience developing or supporting automated test systems, including script setup, data collection and test reports
• Familiarity with scripting (Python, Bash, LabVIEW or similar) for instrument control or data capture
• Experience building test fixtures and support hardware, including basic mechanical modifications
• (General)
• Experience with high-performance compute hardware or custom server platforms
• Able to navigate ECAD viewers (Allegro or ODB++ viewers) to examine board design files
• Able to lift and configure server components up to 50 lbs
• Associate or Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, technical certificate in electronics, or equivalent military or industry training
• 5+ years of experience in high-precision manual assembly and rework of electronic circuit boards in an R&D lab, hardware development or production-support setting