Applied Research Software Engineer

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end incubations from ideation to deployment by applying state-of-the-art machine learning research and algorithmic innovation. Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to bridge the gap between scientific research and productized intelligent systems.

Requirements

Requires a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Science or a related field with at least 6 years of engineering experience. Candidates must demonstrate strong proficiency in Python and C++ alongside expertise in deep learning frameworks.

Skills

• Python
• C++
• PyTorch
• Deep Learning
• Machine Learning
• Data-intensive Systems
• Agentic Systems
• Computer Vision
• Robotics
• Machine Perception
• Graphics
• Simulation
• Algorithm Design
• Software Engineering
• System Architecture

About this role

You are a technical leader with a demonstrated track record of identifying the
right problems, taking calculated risks, and shipping at scale. The candidate
will be a core contributor on an interdisciplinary team of specialized
researchers and engineers focused on emerging technologies. As an Applied
Research Software Engineer on this team, you will be responsible for leading
end-to-end incubations from early ideation to deployment, applying
state-of-the-art ML research, algorithmic innovation, and agentic systems to
challenges with both immediate and long-term impact. You bring deep intellectual
curiosity, the ability to operate at the frontier of new technologies, and
excellent communication skills to align company leaders and cross-functional
collaborators alike.

DESCRIPTION

The work is hands-on, highly cross-disciplinary, and central to shaping how
Apple’s intelligent systems evolve. You’ll be working on the pipeline between
research and product that unlocks the kinds of the delightful user experiences
Apple is known for, iteratively crafting ideas that turn science fiction into
reality. You care deeply about the process of applied scientific research, enjoy
supporting technology investigations, and are comfortable jumping across
multiple layers of the productization process when the team calls on you, from
prototype through shipping. This is not a typical ML engineering role where you
will be responsible for an existing system in a large team: instead, the work is
equal parts interdisciplinary pathfinding and helping realize your projects as
critical features of Apple’s next-gen products.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Science or adjacent technical field 6+
years of engineering experience building and maintaining data-intensive systems
- including feature pipelines, training infrastructure, or evaluation
frameworks. Strong proficiency in both Python and C++ with experience in
complex, multi-language systems. Expertise in deep learning frameworks such as
PyTorch. Familiarity with SOTA ML approaches (VLMs, diffusion models, RL, etc.)

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Close to the frontier. You’re the person your friends come to when a new model
drops or a new research paper emerges as state-of-the-art. Experience with a
specialty discipline such as robotics & machine perception, computer vision,
graphics, or simulation. An interest in contextual, personalized computing and
the supporting principles of cognitive science and psychology. A strong point of
view on where human-AI interaction is headed — and a drive to be a leading part
of creating ethical, privacy-centric products. Experience with real-time or
near-real-time systems and deeply integrated architectures that span local SoCs
through cloud compute. Familiarity with hardware bring-up, data communication
protocols, or sensor integration.

About Apple

Computers and Electronics Manufacturing · 10,001+ employees · headquartered in Cupertino, California · founded 1976