Senior Software Engineer, AI Tools – Special Projects

Summary

Apple’s next generation of intelligent experiences requires new ways for engineers, designers, animators, roboticists, and researchers to explore, visualize, and shape how AI systems behave. We’re looking for a senior tools engineer who can build the applications, pipelines, and creative workflows that make this possible — from interactive data visualization tools to content creation utilities, user-study data collection systems, and annotation platforms.

You will develop the software that empowers Apple teams to understand complex, multi-modal data, prototype intelligent behaviors, and craft delightful user experiences. Your work will directly influence how Apple builds, evaluates, and iterates on AI-driven features across devices and platforms.

Description

Our team works at the intersection of hardware, software, and intelligence. We design the systems, infrastructure, and tools that enable Apple’s next generation of AI-driven experiences — from on-device middleware and distributed inference platforms to large-scale data pipelines, interactive analytics, and advanced developer tooling. We collaborate closely with hardware, robotics, ML, design, and platform teams to build end-to-end solutions that are performant, intuitive, and deeply integrated into Apple’s ecosystem. The work is hands-on, highly cross-disciplinary, and central to shaping how Apple’s intelligent systems evolve.

Responsibilities

Design and build interactive tools for data visualization, analysis, introspection, and scenario replay across multi-modal datasets
Develop content creation and workflow tools for animators, designers, and roboticists, including standalone macOS/iOS/visionOS applications or integrations/plugins for 3D authoring environments
Create data collection systems that support user studies, multi-device interactions, and experiment workflows
Develop annotation and labeling tools that support large-scale dataset creation and evaluation
Architect scalable applications that interact with real-time data pipelines and cloud-backed services
Define and refine creative and technical workflows, enabling teams across product development to ideate, experiment, and iterate more effectively
Work closely with AI, robotics, design, and platform teams to gather requirements, propose architectural approaches, and deliver scalable solutions
Participate in architecture reviews, establish best practices, and help ensure quality, maintainability, and performance
Prototype novel ideas, explore emerging technologies, and guide the evolution of Apple’s AI tooling ecosystem

Minimum Qualifications

Proven experience developing high-quality tools with intuitive workflows for technical or creative professionals
Proficiency in Swift, SwiftUI, Objective-C, or C++, with strong experience developing for macOS and iOS (visionOS experience strongly preferred)
Experience developing software in Python, including scripting, pipelines, or backend integrations
Experience working with 3D content creation tools or environments (e.g. Maya, Unity, or Unreal)
Understanding of system architecture, including multi-device workflows, real-time data handling, and cloud-connected applications
Strong grasp of Apple development tools and frameworks
Ability to design modular, maintainable architectures and decompose complex requirements into practical, high-impact features
Demonstrated success collaborating with cross-functional teams
Excellent problem-solving, debugging, and communication skills
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or related technical field, and 5+ years of industry experience

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with 3D animation workflows, including rigged characters, blendshape systems, or runtime animation frameworks (e.g. RealityKit or game-engine animation systems)
Experience with 3D content creation pipelines and familiarity with common formats such as USD
Knowledge of modern rendering techniques, including Metal
Experience developing connected applications backed by large-scale data storage and cloud services
Experience with data visualization, data mining, or analytics tooling
Familiarity with creative pipelines in animation, simulation, robotics, or game development
Experience building annotation tools, labeling systems, or user-study data pipelines
Experience with game engines or spatial computing environments (e.g. Unity, Unreal, or RealityKit)
Understanding of interaction paradigms for spatial interfaces or AR/VR workflows

Pay & Benefits — Cupertino, 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 $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 Deadline

Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.