Lead Forward Deployed Engineer, AI Evaluation Platform

AI systems are only as trustworthy as the methods used to evaluate them. At

Apple, where AI powers experiences for billions of people, getting evaluation

right is not a support function. It is a foundational. Join Apple Services

Engineering to build the next generation of AI evaluation systems. We are

building the scientific foundation and self-service tools for how AI evaluation

is done at scale, spanning LLMs, agentic systems, and human-AI interaction. We

are looking for a Lead Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) to lead the solutions and

adoption strategy for our organization. In this highly strategic, hybrid role,

you will act as the connective tissue between our science, platform engineering,

and partner teams, transforming complex workflows into intuitive,

developer-first platforms.

DESCRIPTION

As the Lead FDE, you will balance deep technical advocacy with organizational

execution. You will partner directly with Science, Platform Engineering, and

Product Management to ensure we are building and adopting the right solutions.

You will serve as a technical bridge between the research organization and the

broader engineering ecosystem, ensuring our tools integrate seamlessly with

existing ML infrastructure and developer workflows. You will spend your time

equally between internal alignment and external engagement. You will be "boots

on the ground" with ML practitioners across Apple, working hand-in-hand with

researchers and developers to operationalize sophisticated measurement

techniques. You will then bring those insights back to the team, representing

the voice of the developer to help Product and Engineering leadership refine the

roadmap. If you thrive in the ambiguity of new initiatives, are passionate about

democratizing AI evaluation, and want to be the strategic bridge for a rapidly

growing AI organization, this is the role for you.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

5+ years of experience in Solutions Architecture, Forward-Deployed Engineering,

Developer Advocacy, Technical Program Management, or a related highly technical,

cross-functional role. Customer Obsession & Product Thinking: Experience acting

as a technical partner to internal customers. You can translate vague

requirements from other teams into concrete engineering specifications.

Functional literacy in AI/ML concepts: You understand the fundamental lifecycle

of machine learning (datasets, training vs. inference, evaluation metrics) and

can discuss the engineering challenges involved. Demonstrated experience

partnering with Applied Scientists or Researchers: You have the ability to

navigate the ambiguity of research workflows and operationalize scientific code.

Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to represent the platform to

executive leadership, partner teams, and the broader engineering community.

Demonstrated ability to navigate extreme ambiguity, define roadmaps where none

existed, and influence without direct authority.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Deep familiarity with AI Evaluation Frameworks: You have used or contributed to

modern evaluation tools like DeepEval, Ragas, TruLens, or LangSmith. Experience

designing research or tools with self-service adoption as a first-class

constraint. Previous experience operating in a "Chief of Staff" or strategic

proxy capacity for a technical organization. A background in bridging

research-heavy environments with production engineering teams