DRM Software Engineer

Apple Inc.; New City (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 278,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical and dental

Employee stock programs

Tuition reimbursement

Discounted products & free services

Job summary

Apple Inc. in New City, New York, United States, is seeking a DRM Software Engineer for the Apple Services Engineering Commerce group.

You will develop DRM and security solutions across the media ecosystem, including Apple TV, Apple Music, Fitness+, Podcasts, and Apple Books, while focusing on performance and scale. The role emphasizes end-to-end project ownership, collaboration with top engineers, and the opportunity to work on cutting-edge DRM technologies (FairPlay, PlayReady, Widevine)

Qualifications

• 2+ years of software development experience.
• Interest in DRM technologies such as FairPlay, PlayReady, or Widevine.
• Interest in endpoint security and authentication protocols.
• Strong programming skills, primarily in Java.
• Ability to drive projects from inception to production deployment.
• Strong focus on performance—measuring, profiling, and tuning systems.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Self-starting, energetic mindset—comfortable navigating ambiguity.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field (or equivalent).

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement DRM & security solutions—Design and build DRM technologies (FairPlay, PlayReady, Widevine) and security solutions across Apple's media ecosystem.
• Secure endpoints and authentication systems—Verify device signatures, manage device one-time passwords, and ensure the security of user tokens.
• Drive projects end-to-end with a performance focus—Own initiatives from inception through production deployment, with emphasis on performance at scale.
• Innovate and challenge assumptions—Think creatively to develop new initiatives while maintaining existing systems in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Skills

Java

DRM technologies

Endpoint security

Performance profiling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science/Software Engineering or related field

Tools

Relational databases

Cassandra/NoSQL

Job description

New City, New York, United States Software and Services

The Apple Services Engineering (ASE) Commerce group is looking for an extraordinary DRM Software Engineer that will help protect the experiences that hundreds of millions of people trust every day—from Apple TV and Apple Music to Fitness+, Podcasts, and Apple Books. Here, security isn't just a feature; it's the foundation that lets creativity and commerce thrive at an unprecedented scale.You'll work at the intersection of cutting-edge DRM technologies—FairPlay, PlayReady, and Widevine—and the endpoint security systems that safeguard our entire ecosystem, from device signatures to user tokens. This is a team that doesn't just maintain what exists; it questions assumptions, explores gray areas, and builds the next generation of security infrastructure from the ground up.Whether you're a seasoned engineer or someone eager to grow into this space, you'll be empowered to drive projects from idea to production, obsess over performance and scale, and collaborate with some of the best engineers in the industry. If you're energized by big challenges and want your work to protect and power extraordinary experiences for millions of customers, this is where you belong.

Description

At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job, and there's no telling what you could accomplish. As a DRM Software Engineer within the Apple Media Products Commerce team, you will have the opportunity to develop and implement DRM and security solutions across our entire ecosystem of media products.We strive to provide a flawless experience for our millions of customers and developers. The Apple Media Products Commerce Engineering team manages DRM and media security solutions across all Apple media products, including Apple TV, Apple Music, Fitness+, Podcasts, Apple Books, and more. Beyond media playback, our team is responsible for the security of the entire organization's endpoints. We utilize FairPlay technology to verify device signatures, manage device one-time passwords, and ensure the absolute security of user tokens. This scale is truly unprecedented and requires tremendous thinking to develop new initiatives and maintain existing systems.We are looking for a self-starting, energetic individual who is not afraid to question assumptions or charge head-first into gray areas. While prior experience isn't strictly required, an ideal candidate will have, or be eager to develop, an interest in DRM technologies, including FairPlay, PlayReady, and Widevine, as well as endpoint security and authentication protocols. An understanding of relational databases, data-modeling techniques, and Cassandra or other NoSQL knowledge is a plus. We are primarily a Java shop.You will drive projects from inception to production deployment with a strong focus on performance to get the most out of your systems' designs and implementations, no matter what the scale. You will care about measuring, profiling, and tuning, but you will also be able to think creatively and question assumptions. You should be a phenomenal teammate and have excellent communication and presentation skills.If you like the stimulation and challenges of building systems and features exposed to hundreds of millions of transacting users, and you want to make a difference, you will find Apple Media Products Engineering to be a fast-paced, rewarding environment where the best engineers and scientists collaborate to deliver fantastic products and features to our customers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement DRM & security solutions – Design and build DRM technologies (FairPlay, PlayReady, Widevine) and security solutions across Apple's entire media ecosystem (Apple TV, Apple Music, Fitness+, Podcasts, Apple Books, and more).


• Secure endpoints and authentication systems – Verify device signatures, manage device one-time passwords, and ensure the security of user tokens to protect the organization's endpoints at massive scale.


• Drive projects end-to-end with a performance focus – Own initiatives from inception through production deployment, with strong emphasis on measuring, profiling, and tuning systems to maximize performance at scale.


• Innovate and challenge assumptions – Think creatively to develop new initiatives while maintaining existing systems, tackling ambiguous (\"gray area\") problems as a self-starter in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Minimum Qualifications

• 2+ years experience in software development.


• Interest in (or willingness to develop expertise in) DRM technologies such as FairPlay, PlayReady, or Widevine


• Interest in endpoint security and authentication protocols


• Strong programming skills, primarily in Java


• Ability to drive projects independently, from inception to production deployment


• Strong focus on performance — comfortable measuring, profiling, and tuning systems


• Excellent communication and presentation skills


• A self-starting, energetic mindset — comfortable questioning assumptions and navigating ambiguity (\"gray areas\")


• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior hands-on experience with DRM technologies (FairPlay, PlayReady, Widevine)


• Understanding of relational databases and data-modeling techniques


• Familiarity with Cassandra or other NoSQL databases

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 $150,400 and $277,600, 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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Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.