Job Details

Role Number: 200644197-0836

Summary

The Runtime Tools team is looking for developers with a passion for memory and resource optimization to enhance, adapt, and innovate in creating tools for the next generation of software and hardware on Apple's platforms. Runtime Tools exist to understand how code runs, mapping the execution back to code and the system calls responsible. Memory is also an important and limited shared resource, making intelligent, developer-friendly tools critical for identifying optimization opportunities. Core responsibilities of the role include working with Apple’s internal performance optimization engineers, Swift and Objective-C runtime teams, and frameworks teams to provide symbolication services and introspect memory usage across Apple's ecosystem.

This role is within Apple's Xcode group which encompasses more than just the IDE — providing tools like Instruments and CLI tools that allow dreamers, makers, and shapers to design, write, build, debug, profile, and deploy software for iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. Tools development is a uniquely rewarding area as the primary users are developers, making it an opportunity to influence and improve the productivity of developers and efficiency of Apps all across the world.

The Memory & Symbolication team primarily focuses on runtime analysis techniques to introspect running software and on-disk binaries to understand and improve them. The team is responsible for command-line tools like leaks, heap, vmmap, sample, atos, symbols, symbolication services and frameworks, Xcode's Memory Graph Debugger, and runtime libraries that improve the built-in debugging experience on Apple's platforms. These tools and services for process analysis are used on over a billion devices and by developers worldwide who make life-changing ideas a reality.

Description

We're looking for developers who are passionate about making software better! Core interests should include areas such as profiling, optimization, reverse engineering, debugging, security, graph theory, and data visualization. You should have an interest in all levels of the system with the ability to connect OS concepts like virtual memory with language-level tools such as runtime reflection and Swift Concurrency.

With every new technology, framework, or product Apple releases there's a need for tools to help expose and explain important system behaviors. As a result, it's key that you have a strong passion for learning! You'll need to work effectively with Apple teams of different engineering disciplines, anticipate problems early, and communicate ideas clearly. You should be able to drive development projects independently, collaborating with other teams to innovate in solving engineering challenges, and iteratively develop solutions to novel and complex problems.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years macOS or iOS development experience

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Passion for leading other engineers, developing skills, and providing clear and actionable feedback

• Ability to facilitate respectful, creative, and pragmatic, solution-focused technical discussions

• Expertise in C or C++, proficiency in Swift and/or Objective-C

• Strong operating systems background, understanding allocators, virtual memory, and process lifecycle

• Detail-oriented code review skills, reasoning through edge cases and security implications

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior engineering management experience

• Problem solving and debugging skills with lldb, gdb, or other interactive tools

• Experience using AI technologies to assist in authoring, reviewing, and debugging code

• Skills in reverse engineering, exploit analysis, fuzzing, binary analysis tools helpful

• Familiarity with macOS internals, mach APIs, sandboxing, and other security subsystems

• History of designing, implementing, or improving development tools

• Experience in computer science or a related field commensurate with a 4-year degree

• If possible, we’d love to see an example of your relevant work, such as a personal project or open source contribution.

• If you believe you have relevant transferable skills not listed on this posting, please share that information via a Cover Letter

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) .