DRM Software Engineer

Summary

The Apple Services Engineering (ASE) Commerce group is looking for an extraordinary DRM Software Engineer that will help protect the experiences that hundreds of millions of people trust every day—from Apple TV and Apple Music to Fitness+, Podcasts, and Apple Books. Here, security isn't just a feature; it's the foundation that lets creativity and commerce thrive at an unprecedented scale.
You'll work at the intersection of cutting-edge DRM technologies—FairPlay, PlayReady, and Widevine—and the endpoint security systems that safeguard our entire ecosystem, from device signatures to user tokens. This is a team that doesn't just maintain what exists; it questions assumptions, explores gray areas, and builds the next generation of security infrastructure from the ground up.
Whether you're a seasoned engineer or someone eager to grow into this space, you'll be empowered to drive projects from idea to production, obsess over performance and scale, and collaborate with some of the best engineers in the industry. If you're energized by big challenges and want your work to protect and power extraordinary experiences for millions of customers, this is where you belong.

Description

At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job, and there's no telling what you could accomplish. As a DRM Software Engineer within the Apple Media Products Commerce team, you will have the opportunity to develop and implement DRM and security solutions across our entire ecosystem of media products.
We strive to provide a flawless experience for our millions of customers and developers. The Apple Media Products Commerce Engineering team manages DRM and media security solutions across all Apple media products, including Apple TV, Apple Music, Fitness+, Podcasts, Apple Books, and more. Beyond media playback, our team is responsible for the security of the entire organization's endpoints. We utilize FairPlay technology to verify device signatures, manage device one-time passwords, and ensure the absolute security of user tokens. This scale is truly unprecedented and requires tremendous thinking to develop new initiatives and maintain existing systems.
We are looking for a self-starting, energetic individual who is not afraid to question assumptions or charge head-first into gray areas. While prior experience isn't strictly required, an ideal candidate will have, or be eager to develop, an interest in DRM technologies, including FairPlay, PlayReady, and Widevine, as well as endpoint security and authentication protocols. An understanding of relational databases, data-modeling techniques, and Cassandra or other NoSQL knowledge is a plus. We are primarily a Java shop.
You will drive projects from inception to production deployment with a strong focus on performance to get the most out of your systems' designs and implementations, no matter what the scale. You will care about measuring, profiling, and tuning, but you will also be able to think creatively and question assumptions. You should be a phenomenal teammate and have excellent communication and presentation skills.
If you like the stimulation and challenges of building systems and features exposed to hundreds of millions of transacting users, and you want to make a difference, you will find Apple Media Products Engineering to be a fast-paced, rewarding environment where the best engineers and scientists collaborate to deliver fantastic products and features to our customers.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement DRM & security solutions – Design and build DRM technologies (FairPlay, PlayReady, Widevine) and security solutions across Apple's entire media ecosystem (Apple TV, Apple Music, Fitness+, Podcasts, Apple Books, and more).
Secure endpoints and authentication systems – Verify device signatures, manage device one-time passwords, and ensure the security of user tokens to protect the organization's endpoints at massive scale.
Drive projects end-to-end with a performance focus – Own initiatives from inception through production deployment, with strong emphasis on measuring, profiling, and tuning systems to maximize performance at scale.
Innovate and challenge assumptions – Think creatively to develop new initiatives while maintaining existing systems, tackling ambiguous ("gray area") problems as a self-starter in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Minimum Qualifications

2+ years experience in software development.
Interest in (or willingness to develop expertise in) DRM technologies such as FairPlay, PlayReady, or Widevine
Interest in endpoint security and authentication protocols
Strong programming skills, primarily in Java
Ability to drive projects independently, from inception to production deployment
Strong focus on performance — comfortable measuring, profiling, and tuning systems
Excellent communication and presentation skills
A self-starting, energetic mindset — comfortable questioning assumptions and navigating ambiguity ("gray areas")
Strong collaborative instincts
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

Preferred Qualifications

Prior hands-on experience with DRM technologies (FairPlay, PlayReady, Widevine)
Understanding of relational databases and data-modeling techniques
Familiarity with Cassandra or other NoSQL databases

Pay & Benefits — New City, New York, 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 $150,400 and $277,600, 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.