iOS App Development Engineer

Adobe Inc.; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 177,900 - 257,550; Full time

Job summary

Adobe in San Jose, CA is seeking a Software Development Engineer to build iOS camera apps, with expertise in Swift, Objective‑C, and modern C++. You will shape APIs, optimize performance, and contribute to Project Indigo’s cutting‑edge mobile experience.

Join a fast‑moving team focused on high‑quality UX, AI-assisted development, and maintaining production apps. Strong collaboration and passion for photography are valued as you advance mobile camera technology.

Qualifications

• Proficiency in Swift, Objective‑C, and modern C++.
• Experience with iOS app architectures and design patterns (MVC/MVVM).
• Ability to write thread‑safe code and design concurrent systems.
• Experience shipping production iOS applications.

Responsibilities

• Design APIs (evolving existing components and architecting new ones).
• Develop features and optimize performance (OS, algorithmic, GPU).
• Debug on-device and via unit tests; stay current with iOS developments.
• Reduce technical debt and contribute to UX improvements.
• Collaborate across team to deliver high-quality camera/photography features.

Skills

Swift

Objective‑C

Modern C++

iOS architectures (MVC/MVVM)

Concurrency & thread-safety

Unit testing

SwiftUI

Production iOS apps

AI-assisted development

Tools

Xcode

Instruments

Git / CI/CD tooling

Job description

The Opportunity

Adobe's Nextcam team is seeking a Software Development Engineer with training and/or experience in building smartphone apps for iOS, to join our team in San Jose, California. We are particularly interested in candidates who have experience developing, optimizing, and shipping camera, photography, graphics, or image processing apps.

About our Team and Project Indigo

Nextcam is a relatively new team, led by VP and Fellow Marc Levoy. We're part of the larger org responsible for Photoshop and Lightroom, but we operate like a startup inside that org - with significant agility and autonomy. As part of our portfolio, we recently launched Project Indigo, an experimental camera app for iPhone that combines computational photography and AI, and that deliberately explores the boundaries of what is possible in a mobile camera. The app offers full manual controls, a more natural "SLR‑like" look, and the highest image quality that computational photography can provide. It also introduces new photographic experiences that are not available in other camera apps.

What will you work on?

While you will have significant ownership in shaping your role within the team, your responsibilities will broadly include API design (evolving existing components and architecting new ones), feature development, performance optimization (at the OS, algorithmic, and GPU levels), debugging (both on-device and through unit testing), staying current with iOS platform developments, reducing technical debt, and contributing to overall UX improvements.

Required skills (you don't need to have every one of these skills)

• Proficiency in Swift, Objective‑C, and modern C++
• Experience with iOS app architectures and common design patterns (MVC/MVVM, modularization)
• Ability to write thread‑safe code, and design systems with concurrency in mind
• Ability to write concise and well‑documented code and unit tests
• Experience building Swift UIs
• Ability to debug and profile applications using Xcode and Instruments
• Experience working with source control, CI/CD pipelines, and automated test harnesses
• Experience shipping and maintaining production iOS applications
• Enthusiasm for working with AI coding agents while maintaining high quality

Nice to have

• Experience with camera apps, computational photography, and/or modern AI
• Computational photography or image processing experience
• Camera Raw and Lightroom experience
• GPU programming experience, especially Metal
• Experience integrating machine learning on iOS (CoreML, ONNX)
• Ability to manage memory effectively, including low‑level C++ memory management
• Familiarity with camera systems and capture pipelines
• Ability to optimize CPU and memory usage
• Familiarity with CI and similar build systems
• Experience managing iOS signing, provisioning and build configuration
• Proficiency with Python for tooling, prototyping, or pipeline support
• A passion for photography

Equal Employment Opportunity

Adobe is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on gender, race or color, ethnicity or national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or any other protected characteristic.

Accommodations for applicants with disabilities

Adobe aims to make our Careers website and recruiting process accessible to any and all users. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation to navigate our website or complete the application process, email [e-mail] or call [phone].

Expected Pay Range

The U.S. pay range for this position is $139,000 - $257,550 annually. In California, the pay range is $177,900 - $257,550.

State‑Specific Notices

California

Adobe will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and fair‑chance ordinances.

Colorado

If this role is open to hiring in Colorado, the application window will remain open until at least the date and time stated above in Pacific Time, in compliance with Colorado pay transparency regulations.

Massachusetts

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.