Principal AI & Data Governance Architect

Apple, Inc.; Cupertino (CA); On-site; USD 185,000 - 325,000; Full time

Job summary

Apple, Inc. is seeking a Principal AI & Data Governance Architect to define and drive the governance and compliance architecture for its AI/ML platform.

You will bridge legal, regulatory, and engineering teams and design platform capabilities that ensure Apple meets its obligations at every layer. You will translate requirements into durable technical solutions, partnering with ML infrastructure and data teams to embed governance as a scalable platform capability, guiding policy into practice at

Qualifications

• Deep experience in data governance, ML governance, or compliance architecture within complex environments.
• Deep understanding of ML workflows, data engineering, and ML infrastructure.
• Proven cross-functional collaboration with legal, privacy, compliance, and engineering teams.
• Ability to translate legal/regulatory requirements into precise technical requirements.

Responsibilities

• Architect end-to-end AI & Data governance frameworks across the ML lifecycle.
• Own the compliance architecture translating requirements into scalable technical solutions.
• Bridge legal, privacy, and engineering to align governance with regulatory reality.
• Define data classification at scale for diverse data assets within AI/ML systems.
• Navigate regulatory landscape for AI/ML to meet evolving obligations.
• Embed governance controls into the platform as a cross-cutting capability.
• Develop standards, playbooks, and architectural patterns for Apple Services teams.
• Advise senior stakeholders on governance risks and trade-offs.

Skills

Data governance

ML governance

Compliance architecture

Cross-functional collaboration

Ambiguity handling

Education

Bachelor's in Computer Science or similar

Master's degree preferred

Tools

ML platforms

Data catalogs

Model registries

Job description

Principal AI & Data Governance Architect

Cupertino, California, United States Software and Services

Description

We are looking for a AI & Data Governance Architect who can define and drive the governance and compliance architecture for our AI and ML platform — holistically, not piecemeal. This is not a role about enforcing rules from the sidelines. It is about getting deep into how data flows, how models are built, how systems interconnect, and designing the platform capabilities that ensure Apple meets its legal, regulatory, and ethical obligations at every layer. You will be the person who understands both the compliance landscape and the engineering reality — and who builds the bridge between them.

Responsibilities

• In this role, you will:
• Architect end-to-end AI & Data governance frameworks — design the structures, policies, and technical controls that govern data classification, data lineage, model provenance, access management, and audit trails across the ML lifecycle — from raw data ingestion to model deployment and monitoring.
• Own the compliance architecture — translate requirements from legal, privacy, and regulatory stakeholders into durable, scalable technical solutions. Understand not just what is required, but how it maps to systems, pipelines, and data assets — and design accordingly.
• Connect compliance, legal, and engineering — serve as the authoritative bridge between legal counsel, privacy teams, data engineering, ML infrastructure, and ML researchers. Ensure that compliance requirements are understood in technical terms and that engineering decisions are grounded in regulatory reality.
• Define data classification at scale — lead the strategy and architecture for classifying, cataloging, and governing the data assets that fuel Apple's AI and ML systems, including sensitive, regulated, and proprietary data across a diverse portfolio of use cases.
• Navigate the regulatory landscape — have deep fluency in the legal and regulatory requirements relevant to AI/ML systems — data residency, retention, auditability, fairness, and emerging AI-specific regulation — and ensure our platform architecture is positioned to meet obligations as they evolve.
• Establish governance as a cross-cutting platform capability — partner with data and AI & ML infrastructure teams to embed governance controls natively into the platform, making compliance the path of least resistance for ML researchers and engineers rather than a burden layered on top.
• Drive policy into practice — develop the standards, playbooks, and architectural patterns that engineering teams across Apple Services can adopt consistently, ensuring governance is applied uniformly at scale.
• Advise senior stakeholders — synthesize governance risk, compliance gaps, and architectural trade-offs into clear, well-reasoned positions for technical and executive audiences. Be the voice that keeps leadership informed and aligned on where the risks are and how they are being addressed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Deep experience in data governance, ML governance, or compliance architecture within complex, large-scale technical environments.
• Deep understanding of ML workflows, data engineering, and ML infrastructure — drive and provide feedback in design and architectural discussions.
• Proven track record of working cross-functionally with legal, privacy, compliance, and engineering teams to define and implement governance solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to refine legal and regulatory requirements into technical architecture and engineering deliverables.
• Fluent in both legal and engineering languages — able to take prescriptive or loosely defined compliance obligations and translate them into precise technical requirements without losing the spirit of the original intent.
• Experience engaging upstream with legal and policy stakeholders to shape policy guidance, ensuring that it is technically coherent.
• Exceptional ability to operate in ambiguity — connecting requirements that don't come pre-connected, and driving clarity across organizations with different vocabularies and priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with AI/ML regulatory frameworks and emerging legislation (e.g., EU AI Act, GDPR, CCPA, data residency requirements).
• Experience designing or implementing data classification systems, data catalogs, or model registries in a production ML environment.
• Experience building governance frameworks for internal developer platforms or MLOps tooling.
• Comfortable presenting complex compliance and architectural topics to senior and executive engineering and legal audiences.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or similar degree. Master's degree preferred.

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 $324,800, 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.