ML Data - Research Scientist

Apple Inc.; Cupertino (CA); Hybrid; USD 185,000 - 278,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Apple stock programs

Comprehensive medical and dental care

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Apple Inc. is seeking an ML Data Researcher in Cupertino to design experiments for multi-modal data collection and to reduce subjectivity in ground-truth labels.

You will define topics, run controlled experiments, and translate findings into robust data specifications for model training. The role collaborates with hardware, software, research, and ML engineering teams to drive data collection from concept to production, aiming for faster convergence and higher performance.

Qualifications

• BS in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, Neuroscience, or a closely related field.
• Hands-on experience in a data-oriented, experimentation-heavy role, ideally supporting ML model development.
• MS/PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, Neuroscience, or a closely related field.

Responsibilities

• Define research topics and data strategies aligned with model performance and product requirements
• Design, build, and run controlled experiments to evaluate data collection methods and their impact on model convergence
• Develop and analyze real-world data collection experiments to support model training
• Translate insights into improved collection protocols and data specifications
• Characterize limits of data collection setups to inform feasibility and data requirements
• Analyze and report results with actionable recommendations for data pipelines and datasets
• Partner with multidisciplinary teams across hardware, software, research, and ML engineering to drive data collection to production-scale
• Communicate results clearly to diverse audiences

Skills

Data experimentation

Multi-modal data analysis

Data labeling protocols

Communicating complex findings

Education

BS in CS/ML/Statistics/Neuroscience or related field

Job description

Cupertino, California, United States Hardware

Imagine what you could do here. 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. Dynamic, smart people and inspiring, innovative technologies are the norm here. The people who work here have reinvented entire industries with all Apple Hardware products. The same passion for innovation that goes into our products also applies to our practices, strengthening our commitment to leave the world better than we found it. Join us to help deliver the next groundbreaking Apple product.Do you love working on challenges that no one has solved yet? As a member of our dynamic group, you will have the unique and rewarding opportunity to craft upcoming products that will delight and inspire millions of Apple's customers every single day.

Description

When collecting multi-modal human data, establishing a reliable "ground truth" can be notoriously difficult and subjective. We are looking for an ML Data Researcher who will tackle this exact challenge. Your goal will be to design and conduct experiments on our data collection methods to discover techniques that reduce subjectivity, improve signal quality, and ultimately help our multi-modal models converge faster and achieve higher performance.

Responsibilities

• Define research topics and data strategies aligned with model performance and product requirements
• Design, build, and run controlled experiments to evaluate how data collection methods, quality, and composition affect model convergence and downstream performance
• Design new ways to collect, label, and interpret multi-modal human data, translating insights into improved collection protocols and data specifications
• Design novel methods to collect, analyze, and interpret multi-modal human data, translating these insights into highly reliable "ground truth" specifications
• Characterize the practical and statistical limits of data collection setups (sensors, protocols, annotation pipelines) to inform feasibility and define data requirements
• Develop and analyze real-world data collection experiments (e.g., A/B tests on collection methodology, sampling strategy, labeling schemes) to support model training work
• Analyze and report results clearly, translating findings into actionable recommendations for data pipelines, labeling guidelines, and dataset design
• Partner with multidisciplinary teams across hardware, software, research, and ML engineering to drive data collection from concept to production-scale

Minimum Qualifications

• BS in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, Neuroscience, or a closely related field
• Hands‑on experience in a data‑oriented, experimentation‑heavy role, ideally supporting ML model development

Preferred Qualifications

• MS/PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, Neuroscience, or a closely related field
• 10 years of relevant industry experience
• Experience with multi-modal human data (e.g., video, audio, motion capture) and the challenges of establishing ground truth for such data
• Familiarity with human probing/annotation methods and inter‑rater reliability techniques
• Experience designing data collection experiments and interpreting their effect on model training/convergence
• Outstanding communicator with the ability to present complex technical findings to diverse audiences
• Collaborative team player who thrives in multidisciplinary, cross‑functional environment

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 $184,700 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.

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.

Learn about accessibility in Apple’s workplace

Learn about reasonable accommodations for job applicants

Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.