Apple

Apple

Posted via Apple Careers

System Design Engineer

Always Hiring

Posted Sep 9, 2026

Role at a glance

Job function
Engineering & R&D Electrical, Electronics & Controls Engineering
Salary
$123.7K – $186.9K/yr
Location
Cupertino, California, United States
Work arrangement
On-site
Employment
Full-time
Education
Bachelor's

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About the role

Original posting provided by Apple

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Summary

As a System Design Engineer, you will design hardware to validate board-level system functionality and electrical performance of new Apple products. Working cross-functionally with design, firmware, software, and operations teams, you will play a key role in ensuring Apple's quality standards are exceeded and our customers receive the best possible product experience.

Description

Lead the design of custom hardware testing fixtures, software (firmware and/or FPGA IP), and instrumentation critical to Apple's product integrity. Drive the development of testing hardware and software instrumentation in parallel with product design timelines. Develop a deep understanding of the full product architecture at both the hardware and system level to deliver complete and thorough testing solutions. Collaborate cross-functionally with design, firmware, software, and operations teams to develop and test groundbreaking products. Apply strong communication skills and technical expertise to lead cross-functional efforts from concept through execution.

Responsibilities

You will own and lead the system architecture, hardware design, and implementation of product testing on new Apple products from prototype to mass production.

You will lead our organization in developing custom electrical instruments and algorithms, software tools for data analysis, diagnostic tests, or solve any problem or feature in the test process you desire, and design hardware test fixtures both locally and at the factory.

You will work closely with the system design and diagnostics teams early in the product development lifecycle to learn the system architecture, influence product’s DFT (design for test) and provide suggested tests for functionality and performance.

Be the technical expert for designing, understanding, presenting, communicating and debugging, the system testing and testing processes of your product

You will be a key liaison between our organization and the Contract Manufacturers to ensure that our test station hardware and software is validated and ready for manufacturing testing

This position requires the ability to deal with a dynamic and rapidly changing environment requiring decision-making with ambiguous information.

This includes documentation of tests and developing/executing product test plans, specifying test stations and diagnostics for testing product features, and implementing test process control and parametric data collection

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent
Good understanding analog, digital, and power electronics hardware architectures and design
Experience in schematic & PCB layout design using Allegro or a similar CAD tool
Ability to design and debug complex electrical schematics and PCB layouts and propose clear, relevant experiments
Good oral & written communication skills - be able to communicate complex engineering concepts clearly and concisely to various cross functional teams and leadership
Willingness to travel domestically and/or internationally up-to 10% of the time; estimated 8-10 days per trip.

Preferred Qualifications

Working knowledge of USB 3.2, USB-PD, Display Port, PCIe, I2C, SPI technologies and
protocols, and design
Prior experience with bed of nails test fixture and designing custom test instruments.
Basic software engineering experience (writing, editing, debugging Python or LUA scripts, C/
C++ etc.)
Experience in FPGA development (Verilog, SysVerilog, VHDL)
Prior technical leadership and/or project management experience
Prior experience of performing parametric data statistical analysis (CPK, GRR etc)

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 $123,700 and $186,900, 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.

Apple

About the company

Apple

Large Enterprise

Apple Inc. is a global technology company known for its innovative products and services, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac computers, and Apple Watch. Founded in 1976, Apple has continuously pushed the boundaries of design and functionality, earning a reputation for high-quality consumer electronics and software solutions like iOS and macOS. With a strong commitment to user experience and privacy, Apple also leads in digital services, offering platforms such as the App Store, Apple Music, and iCloud. The company's focus on sustainability and corporate responsibility further enhances its standing as a leader in the technology sector.