Systems Engineer - Input Systems

Summary

Apple's vision products — our head-worn compute platforms (HMD and glasses) — are designed to become the fastest way to do serious, detailed work when paired with Mac, faster than a laptop alone. This role owns the systems architecture for fusing spatial inputs (hand, wrist, eye, and head tracking) with the keyboard, mouse, and trackpad connected to Mac, targeting a meaningful improvement in input efficiency without adding physical or cognitive fatigue. You will define how discrete input modalities combine into one continuous interaction model, and you will be the one who proves — with data — that people can type, point, select, and manipulate faster on our vision products than on any other platform, while feeling just as comfortable as they do today.

Description

As a Systems Engineer, you will own the architecture that lets our vision products fuse spatial sensing with best-in-class keyboard, mouse, and trackpad input when plugged into Mac. Your mandate: make our vision products the world's most efficient mechanism for detailed, sustained productive work.
You will:

Define the system-level architecture for fusing spatial input (hand, wrist, eye, head) with keyboard/mouse/trackpad signals into a single, low-latency interaction model
Set and validate an ambitious input-efficiency improvement target against Mac-only baselines, across representative productivity tasks (text entry, navigation, selection, precision pointing)
Own the specification for how our vision products preserve best-in-class high-rate text input — keyboard remains the backbone for speed; fusion must augment it, not compete with it
Build the measurement methodology and test harness for input efficiency (throughput, error rate, correction cost) and for fatigue/comfort (physical and cognitive), and treat the two as co-primary metrics — no speed win counts if it costs comfort
Decompose the fused-input experience into system requirements and drive them through sensor, firmware, input-stack, and macOS-integration teams
Partner closely with Sense & Constellation (sensor selection/config), Display Systems (latency budget), hand/eye tracking, human factors, and product design to land a coherent end-to-end spec
Run structured human-performance studies, own the resulting data, and be the team's authority on what's actually faster versus what only feels faster

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, Human Factors/Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field
6+ years of experience in systems engineering, HCI, or input-technology roles, ideally on shipped consumer hardware
Deep experience in systems engineering for human input devices (HID), sensor fusion, or human-computer interaction on shipping consumer hardware
Experience with sensor fusion algorithms and multi-modal input systems
Fluency in the trade-offs between input speed, precision, and physical/cognitive fatigue across keyboard, trackpad, mouse, and spatial (hand/eye/head) trackingmodalities
Track record of defining and driving end-to-end system requirements across sensors, firmware, the OS input stack, and application layer
Comfortable owning ambiguous, cross-functional problems that span hardware, firmware, ML/perception, human factors, and macOS software integration
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to turn a fuzzy product ambition into a testable spec with clear acceptance criteria

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, Human Factors/Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field
Experience designing and running quantitative human-performance studies (e.g. words-per-minute, Fitts's-law target acquisition, task completion time) and defensibly translating results into system/product requirements
Working knowledge of fatigue and comfort measurement methods (EMG, perceived exertion scales, longitudinal wear studies) — including evaluating physical and/or cognitive fatigue in wearable or prolonged-use hardware — and how to hold comfort constant while pushing performance
Experience building or integrating novel text-entry or pointing techniques, or shipping input features that combine wearable sensors with traditional peripherals
Publications, patents, or shipped features in multi-modal input, text entry, or spatial interaction

Pay & Benefits — San Jose, California, United States

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 $216,200 and $394,000, 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 Deadline

Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.