About the role

What will you do at Apple?

The watchOS Systems team is looking for a creative senior software engineer to

help define the future of Apple Watch. Your core responsibility will be to build

and optimize the foundational software that drives the device's performance and

power efficiency. You will also have the unique opportunity to conduct

investigative research, prototyping new technologies that will help define

future hardware and software features. This role is perfect for a collaborative

engineer who is passionate about the intersection of hardware and software and

thrives on solving complex, open-ended problems.

DESCRIPTION

As a key engineer on this team, you will tackle a wide range of complex

challenges and collaborate closely with Performance, Power, OS, and Hardware

experts across Apple. Your responsibilities will be dynamic, ranging from

architecting core OS features to acting as a performance specialist for other

teams. This includes defining and implementing critical system-level

functionality, such as new systems to manage the process lifecycle, reclaim

memory, or lead the transition to a 64-bit OS architecture. You will also dive

into other teams' code to diagnose and resolve significant power issues, and

will build and maintain tools to help all engineers model and analyze

performance and memory.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

8+ years industry experience. Deep technical understanding and hands-on

experience with software development and lifecycle management. Experience with

low-level OS systems, i.e. kernel, Darwin or drivers. Deep experience with power

and performance measurement and investigation techniques. Solid computer science

fundamentals. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for collaborating

with a technical team.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience defining and contributing to application or systems architecture.

Ability to work with technology partners at all levels of the stack, from

hardware, sensors, and firmware to frameworks and applications. Experience in

additional technical areas, like Graphics, UI or networking. Strong

problem-solving and debugging skills, especially with ambiguous or undefined

problems.

Which skills does this role require?

Software developmentLifecycle managementKernel developmentDarwinDriver developmentPower measurementPerformance measurementComputer science fundamentalsCommunicationWatchOSSystems EngineeringSoftware DevelopmentKernelDriversPower EfficiencyPerformance OptimizationMemory Management64-bit ArchitecturePrototypingProcess LifecycleHardware-Software Integration

Make your next move

Build a shortlist and prepare

Identify the requirements you can demonstrate, then choose examples from your work to discuss with the hiring team.

Build a focused shortlist before you applyCompare role requirements with your experience and give each application a clear reason.
Practice explaining your experience in an interviewRehearse your answers before meeting the hiring team.

Review the responsibilities and requirements before adding an opening to your shortlist.