Prototyping Engineer

Apple; Cupertino (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Apple seeks a visionary Prototyping Engineer at the bleeding edge of spatial computing, generative AI, and computational photography. You will help architect simulated testing grounds for next-gen Apple hardware, blending visual effects aesthetics with AI-accelerated workflows.

You will translate insights from high-fidelity simulations into hardware specs, tackle embodied AI challenges, and accelerate prototyping with modern AI tools, driving innovation across camera systems and sensors.

Qualifications

• BS and a minimum of 3 years relevant industry experience.
• Strong ability to accelerate software development and rapid prototyping with AI coding assistants and automation.
• Deep understanding of optical physics and real-world camera characteristics to mirror hardware in simulations.
• Strong foundation in real-time computer graphics and novel view synthesis with an eye for lighting, composition, and cinematography.
• Experience bridging software and hardware, translating AI simulations into physical camera specs.
• Familiarity developing for the Apple ecosystem (Swift, Metal, RealityKit, visionOS).
• Hands-on experience with motion capture pipelines and synthetic 3D datasets for ML research.

Responsibilities

• Architect simulated testing grounds for next‑gen Apple hardware.
• Translate insights from high‑fidelity simulations into concrete hardware specs.
• Accelerate prototyping using AI development paradigms and automation.

Skills

AI prototyping

Real-time rendering

Computer graphics

Cinematography

Camera simulation

Motion capture

Education

Bachelor’s degree

MS or PhD (preferred)

Tools

Swift

Metal

RealityKit

visionOS

Job description

Summary

We are seeking a visionary Prototyping Engineer who operates at the bleeding edge of spatial computing, generative AI, and computational photography. In this role, you will not just build 3D environments; you will architect the simulated testing grounds for the next generation of Apple hardware. By blending the aesthetic sensibilities of visual effects and cinematography with modern AI-accelerated workflows, you will explore how emerging world models can redefine what a camera is capable of.

Description

Your work will directly inform hardware design, translating insights from high-fidelity simulations into concrete specifications for future sensors. You will tackle the defining challenges of embodied AI: making sense of chaotic physical environments, filtering noisy sensor data, and accurately interpreting user intent to create seamless, magical experiences. The ideal candidate possesses exceptional taste, deep technical rigor, and a relentless drive to accelerate their prototyping process using the latest AI development paradigms.

Minimum Qualifications

• BS and a minimum of 3 years relevant industry experience


• Demonstrated ability to accelerate software development and rapid prototyping by seamlessly integrating modern AI coding assistants and automation into your workflow


• Deep understanding of optical physics and real-world camera characteristics (e.g., motion blur, sensor noise, optical geometry, lens distortion) to ensure synthetic data and simulations accurately mirror physical hardware


• Strong foundation in real-time computer graphics and novel view synthesis, paired with a refined aesthetic eye for lighting, composition, and cinematography

Preferred Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Computer Science, AI/ML, Computer Graphics, HCI, or a related technical discipline, with substantial applied research or industry experience


• Proven track record of designing robust systems that can interpret ambiguous user inputs and noisy sensor data within unpredictable, real-world conditions


• Passion for the frontier of spatial intelligence, with experience leveraging, fine-tuning, or developing foundation models specifically tailored for multimodal sensor data (camera, microphone, IMU, etc.)


• Demonstrated ability to bridge the gap between software and hardware, translating software-driven insights and AI simulations into actionable physical camera specifications


• Familiarity developing for the Apple ecosystem (Swift, Metal, RealityKit, visionOS)


• Hands-on experience with motion capture pipelines and the generation of high-quality synthetic 3D datasets for machine learning research


• Comfortable navigating the ambiguity of an incubation environment, with a talent for communicating complex technical tradeoffs across design, software, and hardware teams