STEM OPT Product Design Manager Jobs
Product Design Manager roles sit at the intersection of engineering leadership and user-centered design, making them a strong fit for STEM OPT graduates in computer science, human-computer interaction, or industrial engineering. Your 24-month STEM OPT extension applies here, and every employer must be enrolled in E-Verify to hire you.
Find STEM OPT Product Design Manager JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 566+ Product Design Manager jobs
See all 566+ Product Design Manager Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Product Design Manager roles.
Get Access To All JobsSUMMARY
As a Product Design Engineering Program Manager you will be a part of the team responsible for the technical management of the development and implementation process for the mechanical components designed by our development teams. In this role you will drive the exciting challenge of executing the overall program objectives focusing on engineering, development planning and validation cycles. This involves engaging and contributing to the large collaborative engineering teams to balance several competing objectives while meeting aggressive timelines in a creative fashion!
DESCRIPTION
- Support product definition and drive closure of architecture and technical opens in early stages of a project.
- Establish and contribute to program feature baseline, scheduling, budget, critical paths, and technology risk areas for execution through final delivery of the product
- Identify and highlight technical risk areas and mitigation strategies in partnership with impacted teams to help drive them to closure
- Enable the development effort by creating and monitoring an efficient, detailed process
- Drive drawing releases and tooling kickoff with PD Engineering and the vendors to meet aggressive schedules
- Plan and execute prototype builds by directing OEM partners
- Lead cross functional communication between project teams and external vendors
- Drive challenging activities to meet overall project objectives including calling and running meetings collaborating with diverse teams
- Offer multiple levels of status across a wide spectrum of individual contributors to executive management via written and verbal communication
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- BS engineering degree required
- 1-4+ years of project management experience
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Excellent communication, organizational, presentation and leadership skills
- Self motivated and proactive with demonstrated creative and critical thinking capabilities
- Understands and deals well with rapid development cycles; remains flexible when faced with uncertainty and changes in direction
- Knowledge of product development processes as well as an understanding of manufacturing processes, mechanical engineering fundamentals; prior experience with metal stamping, forging, machining (CNC), die casting, plastic injection and metal injection molding (MIM) is highly desirable
- Strong attention to detail and ability to effectively manage complex design strategies
- Participated in delivering products comprised of multiple materials and high esthetic quality
- Experience interfacing with proficient design teams including Mechanical Engineering and Design, Systems Engineering, Reliability, Operations, and Marketing.
COMPENSATION
- Base pay range for this role is between $144,600 and $263,800, 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.
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
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.
Apple believes 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.
Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.
SUMMARY
As a Product Design Engineering Program Manager you will be a part of the team responsible for the technical management of the development and implementation process for the mechanical components designed by our development teams. In this role you will drive the exciting challenge of executing the overall program objectives focusing on engineering, development planning and validation cycles. This involves engaging and contributing to the large collaborative engineering teams to balance several competing objectives while meeting aggressive timelines in a creative fashion!
DESCRIPTION
- Support product definition and drive closure of architecture and technical opens in early stages of a project.
- Establish and contribute to program feature baseline, scheduling, budget, critical paths, and technology risk areas for execution through final delivery of the product
- Identify and highlight technical risk areas and mitigation strategies in partnership with impacted teams to help drive them to closure
- Enable the development effort by creating and monitoring an efficient, detailed process
- Drive drawing releases and tooling kickoff with PD Engineering and the vendors to meet aggressive schedules
- Plan and execute prototype builds by directing OEM partners
- Lead cross functional communication between project teams and external vendors
- Drive challenging activities to meet overall project objectives including calling and running meetings collaborating with diverse teams
- Offer multiple levels of status across a wide spectrum of individual contributors to executive management via written and verbal communication
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- BS engineering degree required
- 1-4+ years of project management experience
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Excellent communication, organizational, presentation and leadership skills
- Self motivated and proactive with demonstrated creative and critical thinking capabilities
- Understands and deals well with rapid development cycles; remains flexible when faced with uncertainty and changes in direction
- Knowledge of product development processes as well as an understanding of manufacturing processes, mechanical engineering fundamentals; prior experience with metal stamping, forging, machining (CNC), die casting, plastic injection and metal injection molding (MIM) is highly desirable
- Strong attention to detail and ability to effectively manage complex design strategies
- Participated in delivering products comprised of multiple materials and high esthetic quality
- Experience interfacing with proficient design teams including Mechanical Engineering and Design, Systems Engineering, Reliability, Operations, and Marketing.
COMPENSATION
- Base pay range for this role is between $144,600 and $263,800, 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.
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
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.
Apple believes 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.
Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.
See all 566+ STEM OPT Product Design Manager Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Product Design Manager Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Product Design Manager
Verify your CIP code before applying
STEM OPT eligibility depends on your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code mapping to an approved STEM field. Confirm your program qualifies through USCIS before targeting roles, since Product Design Manager positions require a STEM degree in a directly related discipline.
Check E-Verify status before final negotiations
Confirm every employer is enrolled in E-Verify before accepting an offer. Ask the recruiter directly or search the E-Verify employer search tool, since hiring you on STEM OPT without active enrollment violates your authorization and voids your extension.
Build a portfolio that signals engineering depth
Product Design Manager hiring panels often distinguish between design-track and engineering-track candidates. Emphasize system-level decisions, cross-functional specs, and technical constraints you resolved, not just visual outputs, to align your background with STEM degree expectations during screening.
Use Migrate Mate to target verified employers
Filtering job listings by E-Verify enrollment status saves significant screening time. Migrate Mate surfaces Product Design Manager roles specifically at employers verified to hire STEM OPT students, so your applications go to companies already set up to bring you on.
Negotiate your start date around I-983 approval timing
Your DSO must approve the I-983 training plan before your STEM OPT extension begins. Build at least two to three weeks of buffer into your proposed start date so your employer's training plan is signed and filed before your initial OPT expires.
Research prevailing wage before salary discussions
Employers filing an LCA for future H-1B visa sponsorship must meet DOL wage requirements for your occupation. Pull the wage level for your metro area and job zone using the OFLC Wage Search before entering offer negotiations, so you know the floor they're legally bound to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Product Design Manager role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not just the job title. Product Design Manager positions typically qualify if your bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree is in computer science, human-computer interaction, industrial engineering, or another approved STEM field with a qualifying CIP code. Confirm your program's CIP code maps to the USCIS STEM designated degree list before applying.
What does the I-983 training plan require for a Product Design Manager position?
The I-983 must describe how the role provides practical training directly related to your STEM degree. For a Product Design Manager, your employer documents the connection between your engineering or HCI coursework and responsibilities like leading design systems, managing prototyping cycles, or applying user research methods. Your DSO must approve the plan before your extension begins, and it requires formal employer and student signatures.
Does my employer need to be enrolled in E-Verify for my STEM OPT to be valid?
Yes, active E-Verify enrollment is a hard requirement for STEM OPT employment. If your employer isn't enrolled at the time you start, your extension is not authorized regardless of what your EAD card says. Always confirm enrollment status before signing an offer letter, not after.
How does cap-gap protection apply if I'm a Product Design Manager waiting on H-1B approval?
If your employer files an H-1B petition before April 1 and your OPT or STEM OPT expires before October 1, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization through September 30. You can continue in your Product Design Manager role during this period without interruption. USCIS issues an updated I-20 reflecting the cap-gap extension, which you present to your employer alongside your existing EAD.
Where can I find Product Design Manager jobs where employers are set up for STEM OPT?
Migrate Mate lists Product Design Manager roles filtered for employers enrolled in E-Verify, so you're not wasting applications on companies that can't legally hire STEM OPT students. You can search by location, company size, and design discipline to match openings to your STEM degree background and remaining authorization timeline.