Database Engineer - RAG Platform Developer

Apple Inc.; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology company is looking for a Database Engineer located in Austin, Texas, to architect and optimize its large-scale RAG platform. The role requires deep knowledge of vector databases and strong SQL skills, alongside at least a BS degree and 10 years of relevant experience. Responsibilities include database optimization and application development in a collaborative environment. The company is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages applicants from all backgrounds.

Qualifications

• Minimum requirement of BS degree plus at least 10 years of relevant industry experience.
• Production experience deploying and managing vector databases at scale.
• Experience with Postgres advanced features and RAG systems.

Responsibilities

• Architect and optimize large-scale database systems for a Retrieval-Augmented Generation platform.
• Contribute to full-stack GenAI application development.
• Collaborate with engineering teams and mentor junior engineers.

Skills

Production experience with vector databases (Milvus, Qdrant, Weaviate)

PostgreSQL or MySQL expertise

Understanding of RAG pipelines

Strong SQL proficiency

Kubernetes experience

Education

BS in related field

Tools

Prometheus

Grafana

Job description

We're seeking a Database Engineer to architect and optimize our large-scale RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) platform that serves our users across all of the Hardware Tech group. This role combines deep database expertise with modern AI/ML infrastructure, enabling design teams to seamlessly onboard and query enterprise-scale datasets. You'll be responsible for database architecture and optimization while also contributing to full-stack GenAI application development.

Description

Minimum Qualifications

• Production experience deploying and managing vector databases (Milvus, Qdrant, or Weaviate) at scale
• Experience with PostgreSQL or MySQL in production environments
• Understanding of RAG pipelines, including embedding strategies, chunking, and retrieval optimization
• Minimum requirement of BS + 10 years of relevant industry experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of Vector database indexing strategies and tradeoffs
• Strong SQL proficiency with deep understanding of query planning, indexing strategies, and optimization techniques
• Postgres advanced features (extensions, replication, sharding)
• Experience managing large-scale databases serving high-concurrency workloads
• Experience with embedding models and LLM integration patterns
• Demonstrated experience building or optimizing RAG systems in production environments
• Collaborative mindset with ability to mentor engineers and work closely with DevOps/SRE teams
• Monitoring and observability tools (Prometheus, Grafana)
• Kubernetes experience, particularly with stateful applications and database deployments
• Proven ability to make architectural decisions for scalable database systems

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 .

Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.