Job Details

Senior Systems Software Engineer

Cupertino, California, United States

Software and Services

Summary

Posted: Jul 22, 2025

Weekly Hours: 40

Role Number: 200613647

Envision your potential here at Apple, where fresh concepts swiftly transform into extraordinary products. Bring your passion and dedication to your role, and there's no limit to what we can achieve together. We're seeking a diligent and enthusiastic individual to join our exceptional team, and if that's you, we'd love to hear from you!

The Apple Service Engineering (ASE) team is responsible for the systems and infrastructure that drive Apple's services, including iCloud, iTunes, Siri, and Maps. Apple's unique integration of hardware, software, and services means you'll collaborate with top-tier engineers from various disciplines to design and deliver products our customers adore. Our services must scale globally, remain highly available, and "just work." If you're passionate about designing, engineering, and managing systems that will benefit millions of customers, then you're in the right place!

The ASE Compute team is seeking a seasoned software engineer to enhance our internal cloud infrastructure offerings. You will be accountable for the central components of an innovative high-performance batch compute platform, integrating the latest cloud hardware technologies with Apple's proprietary hardware and software. In this role, you will work with teams across Apple to deliver forward-looking, high-performance virtualized infrastructure, supporting the hardware and software teams that power the next generation of Apple devices. You'll partner with internal application teams to understand their requirements, co-design operating system features and data center infrastructure to meet your needs, and identify emerging technologies to incorporate into our services.

Description

As a Senior Systems Software Engineer, you will develop, debug, and maintain an in-house virtualized infrastructure platform. Your responsibilities will include:

• Designing, implementing, and optimizing virtualized compute offerings across a range of hardware types

• Developing, implementing, and debugging core execution environment components, including designing secure VMs and container runtime solutions tailored to Apple's unique workloads

• Working on reliability, scalability, resilience, security, and performance limits of infrastructure services, while maintaining curiosity about system operation and failure

• Collaborating with Software and Hardware teams to tackle and resolve complex issues across virtualization, and networking layers, ensuring robust performance, stability, and security

• Developing benchmarks representative of real workloads, analyzing and improving scale, troubleshooting performance efficiency and resilience issues, and fine-tuning performance of low-latency, high-throughput virtualized workloads

• Conducting root cause analysis for on-server system failures and implementing preventive measures

• Collaborating with multi-functional teams across Apple to understand, integrate, and optimize critical workloads into our platform

• Participating in software release qualifications and large-scale software and hardware upgrades to production clusters

• Participating in a business-hours rotation for platform issue responses and same-day resolution

Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in distributed systems and operating systems, applied to build stable, performant, and secure execution environments

• Strong Linux / XNU development background, including kernel-level development

• Familiarity with all aspects of software development, from architecture to deployment and maintenance

• Ability to tackle and resolve complex issues across accelerator, virtualization, and networking layers, ensuring robust performance, stability, and security

• Quick learner and contributor to new code bases

• Customer-focused thinking and strong problem-solving skills with attention to detail

• Effective communication within a team, experience leading initiatives and collaborating across multidisciplinary teams. Willingness to act as a team catalyst to help grow the team and mentor junior engineers

• Enthusiasm about upholding Apple’s standards in product quality, design, and user experience

• BS with 5+ years of experience in system software development or MS in Computer Science

Preferred Qualifications

• Fluency in Go (Golang), Python, C++ or similar languages in a systems context

• Prior experience working with diverse hardware, operating systems, container runtimes (lxc, docker, containerd), and virtualization stacks (Qemu, KVM, Libvirt on x86, ARM)

• Deep understanding and prior experience with node management agents (e.g., kubelet) and node orchestration solutions for managing large-scale infrastructures

• Strong proficiency in Linux/Unix internals, administration, and troubleshooting

• Experience with measuring, analyzing, and optimizing performance in both host and guest environments

Pay & Benefits

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 $181,100 and $318,400, 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. (https://www.apple.com/careers/us/benefits.html)

Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.

Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf) .

Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf) .

Apple will not discriminate or retaliate against applicants who inquire about, disclose, or discuss their compensation.

Apple participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law.Learn more about the E-Verify program (https://www.apple.com/jobs/pdf/EverifyPosterEnglish.pdf) .

Apple is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with physical and mental disabilities. Reasonable Accommodation and Drug Free Workplace policy Learn more .

Apple is a drug-free workplace. Reasonable Accommodation and Drug Free Workplace policy Learn more .

Apple will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law. If you’re applying for a position in San Francisco, review the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance guidelines applicable in your area.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.