Camera Embedded Software Engineer

Apple; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Apple is seeking a highly capable embedded software engineer to join the Video Engineering team, shaping next-generation camera firmware for hundreds of millions of devices. The role blends real-time systems, silicon design, and computational imaging to deliver high-performance, power-efficient software across iPhone, iPad, and Mac platforms.

You will own camera firmware architecture, develop ISP and ML algorithms, and collaborate across silicon, algorithms, and systems teams to push imaging

Qualifications

• BS and a minimum of 3 years relevant industry experience.
• Proficiency in C/C++ with a strong emphasis on performance, memory safety, and code quality.
• Experience developing and debugging on ARM-based SoCs or DSPs.
• Familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS) or bare-metal environments.
• Excellent analytical, debugging, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the architecture and implementation of next-generation camera firmware — from early prototyping through mass production.
• Develop and optimize ISP and ML algorithms powering Apple's most advanced photo and video features.
• Profile, debug, and drive improvements in performance, latency, and power efficiency across the full camera stack.
• Partner directly with silicon, algorithms, and systems teams to co-design hardware-software interfaces that unlock new imaging capabilities.
• Drive architectural decisions that scale across Apple's entire device portfolio — your designs ship in hundreds of millions of devices.
• Contribute to a culture of technical excellence through design reviews, mentorship, and cross-functional collaboration.

Skills

C/C++

Performance optimization

Memory safety

RTOS/bare-metal

Debugging skills

Education

BS degree in CS/EE

Tools

ARM SoCs

DSPs

Job description

At Apple, we don't just build products — we craft experiences that redefine what's possible. The Video Engineering team is behind the cutting-edge camera and imaging technologies that power hundreds of millions of iPhones, iPads, and Macs around the world. From capturing cinematic video to enabling breakthrough computational photography, we're shaping how people see and share their world.

Description

This role sits at the intersection of real-time embedded systems, silicon design, and computational imaging — a rare opportunity to influence camera technology at a scale no other company can match. If you're passionate about building software that blends hardware innovation with algorithmic intelligence, we'd love to have you on our team.

Who you are:

You thrive on solving complex technical challenges and turning ideas into elegant, efficient software.

You take pride in writing clean, maintainable, high-performance code — and you enjoy helping others do the same.

You're curious, collaborative, and motivated by impact — you want your work to matter, and here, it ships to hundreds of millions of people.

You're energized by working across disciplines — partnering with silicon architects, algorithm researchers, and systems engineers to build something none of you could alone.

Responsibilities

• Own the architecture and implementation of next-generation camera firmware — from early prototyping through mass production.
• Develop and optimize ISP and ML algorithms powering Apple's most advanced photo and video features.
• Profile, debug, and drive improvements in performance, latency, and power efficiency across the full camera stack.
• Partner directly with silicon, algorithms, and systems teams to co-design hardware-software interfaces that unlock new imaging capabilities.
• Drive architectural decisions that scale across Apple's entire device portfolio — your designs ship in hundreds of millions of devices.
• Contribute to a culture of technical excellence through design reviews, mentorship, and cross-functional collaboration.

Minimum Qualifications

• BS and a minimum of 3 years relevant industry experience.
• Proficiency in C/C++ with a strong emphasis on performance, memory safety, and code quality.
• Experience developing and debugging on ARM-based SoCs or DSPs.
• Familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS) or bare-metal environments.
• Excellent analytical, debugging, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in embedded software development.
• Deep understanding of image and video signal processing, including ISP tuning pipelines or camera HAL development.
• Experience with camera systems, machine learning for imaging, or sensor data processing.
• Exposure to multi-camera systems or computational photography features such as HDR, Night Mode, or depth sensing.
• Interest in or experience with AI-assisted development tools and workflows.