Backend Engineer, QoS Apple Services Engineering

Apple Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 142,000 - 214,000; Full time

Job summary

Apple Inc. is seeking a software engineering professional to join the Apple Services Engineering team in San Diego. You will build and operate large-scale observability platforms that monitor Apple TV, App Store, Music and more, ensuring reliability across Apple’s cloud infrastructure.

You will design and implement backend services, data pipelines, and tooling while mentoring peers and collaborating with cross-functional teams to maintain a trusted, premium user experience.

Qualifications

• Experience building and scaling high-performance backend services and APIs (GraphQL/REST/gRPC).
• Proficiency with JVM languages (Java/Scala/Kotlin) and polyglot experience (Go/Python/Swift).
• Experience designing large-scale data pipelines (Spark/Flink).
• Designing cloud-native distributed systems with microservices and Kubernetes.
• Strong fundamentals in relational and NoSQL databases.
• Commitment to secure, observable, and reliable software.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to design, development, and scaling of backend services and real-time data pipelines.
• Build tools and interfaces enabling engineers to monitor service health.
• Collaborate with teams across Apple services to meet their observability needs.
• Navigate ambiguity, deliver impact, and mentor junior engineers.
• Guide technology choices, architectures, and broader challenges as you grow.

Skills

Backend & Systems Engineering

Observability

Security fundamentals

Mentoring

Cross-team collaboration

Curiosity for AI

Education

Related technical degree

Non-traditional education path

Tools

GraphQL

REST

gRPC

Java

Scala

Kotlin

Go

Python

Swift

Apache Spark

Apache Flink

Kubernetes

Kafka

Splunk

Grafana

Prometheus

Job description

San Diego, California, United States Software and Services

The Apple Services Engineering (ASE) team is one of the most exciting examples of Apple’s long-held passion for combining art and technology. We are the people who power the App Store, Apple TV, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Apple Books. And we do it on a massive scale, meeting Apple’s high expectations with high performance to deliver a huge variety of entertainment in over 35 languages to more than 150 countries. Our engineers build secure, end-to-end solutions. We develop the custom software used to process all the creative work, the tools that providers use to deliver that media, all the server-side systems, and the APIs for many Apple services. Thanks to Apple’s unique integration of hardware, software, and services, engineers here partner to get behind a single unified vision. That vision always includes a deep commitment to strengthening Apple’s privacy policy, one of Apple’s core values. Although services are a bigger part of Apple’s business than ever before, our teams remain small, nimble, and cross-functional, offering greater exposure to the array of opportunities here.

Description

Join the team that serves as the central nervous system for Apple's services. We build and operate the large-scale observability platforms that monitor the health of Apple TV, the App Store, Apple Music, iCloud, Podcasts, Fitness+, and more, ensuring the experience is as reliable and delightful as our customers expect. This is a software engineering role where you will build the tools that proactively identify and diagnose service disruptions across Apple's global cloud infrastructure. This is a unique opportunity to see how all of Apple's services work, with the freedom to make a significant impact. Our real-time data pipelines and services are the first to detect potential issues, and the analytics we generate provide the trusted record of service health, delivering critical insights that inform executive-level decisions. We created this capability from the ground up, and as Apple's services continue to grow, our team is expanding to provide this same level of insight for new and massive lines of business.

Responsibilities

• What you will do:
• Contribute to the design, development, and scaling of critical backend services and real-time data pipelines that process petabytes of data from across Apple's cloud infrastructure.
• Help build the definitive tools and interfaces that Apple engineers will use to ensure their services are reliable. Your work will be the lens through which they see service health.
• Collaborate closely with teams across Apple services (Music, Video, Games, etc.) to understand their needs and provide observability for new and expanding lines of business.
• Tackle complex challenges, learn to navigate ambiguity, and work with the team to deliver real impact.
• Learn from and mentor other engineers, fostering a team culture of psychological safety, collaboration, and continuous growth.
• As you grow in your career, you will have opportunities to guide technology choices, influence complex architectures, and take on broader challenges.
• This role is not just about maintaining systems; it's upholding the integrity of the Apple experience. The code you write and the systems you build will ensure that when someone discovers a new song, watches a live game, or downloads an app, the experience is seamless and reliable. At Apple, where phenomenal ideas quickly become extraordinary customer experiences, you will be a guardian of the trust our customers place in us every day.
• What We Offer:
• A chance to make a real impact on services that define the future of entertainment and technology for millions of people.
• A community built on the belief that diverse backgrounds and perspectives are essential to innovation.
• An environment that encourages deep focus and creative partnership, giving you the space to solve hard problems individually and the opportunity to build with a team of brilliant and dedicated engineers.
• Opportunities for professional growth, including dedicated mentorship, technical guidance from industry-leading experts, and the ability to expand your skills across different parts of the services stack.
• A commitment to your well-being, with genuine support for a healthy and sustainable work-life balance.

Minimum Qualifications

• We believe that the most innovative teams are diverse and inclusive. We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every qualification. Your skills and passion will stand out—and set you apart—especially if your career has taken a non-traditional path.
• Core Backend & Systems Engineering
• Experience building and scaling high-performance backend services and APIs (e.g., GraphQL, REST, gRPC). We primarily use JVM languages (Java, Scala, Kotlin) but value polyglot engineers with experience in Go, Python, or Swift.
• Experience designing and building large-scale data pipelines for batch or stream processing using frameworks like Apache Spark or Apache Flink.
• Proficiency in designing and building cloud-native, distributed systems, with experience in microservices, container orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes), and event-driven patterns (e.g., Kafka).
• Strong fundamentals in data systems, with experience using both relational and NoSQL databases.
• Software Craftsmanship & Operations
• A commitment to building high-quality software and owning it from start to finish, demonstrated through practices like thorough testing, effective CI/CD, and performance tuning.
• Experience with modern observability practices and tooling (e.g., Splunk, Grafana, Prometheus), with a talent for diagnosing and troubleshooting complex issues in large-scale systems.
• A strong understanding of security fundamentals and a commitment to building secure, resilient software.
• A passion for mentoring other engineers and fostering a team culture of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement.
• A passion for product excellence and for deeply understanding customer needs to build better solutions.
• Curiosity for applying emerging technologies, like generative AI, to solve engineering challenges.
• A track record of building and delivering exceptional software. This can come from a variety of places: a related technical degree, a non-traditional educational path, or equivalent practical experience. We believe your work and passion speak for themselves.
• An understanding of security fundamentals and a commitment to building secure, resilient software.
• Strong fundamentals in data systems, with experience using both relational and NoSQL databases.

Preferred Qualifications

• These qualifications are not required, but they would help you make an even bigger impact.
• Proficiency in designing and building cloud-native, distributed systems, with experience in microservices, container orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes), and event-driven patterns (e.g., Kafka).
• Experience with modern frontend development, including web frameworks (e.g., React, Vue, Svelte) or native application development for macOS/iOS using Swift.
• Curiosity for applying emerging technologies, like generative AI, to solve engineering challenges.
• Experience designing and building large-scale data pipelines for batch or stream processing using frameworks like Apache Spark or Apache Flink.
• Experience with modern observability practices and tooling (e.g., Splunk, Grafana, Prometheus), with a talent for diagnosing and troubleshooting complex issues in large-scale systems.

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 $142,300 and $214,300, 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

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

At Apple, we believe accessibility is a fundamental human right. You’ll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong.

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