Senior Reliability Engineer - Data, Apple Ads

Apple Inc.; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Apple Inc. in Austin, Texas is seeking a Senior Data Site Reliability Engineer for Apple Ads.

You will design, build, and operate cloud-based data infrastructure that stores, processes, and analyzes petabyte-scale datasets, collaborating with data science and product teams to ensure reliability and performance. The role emphasizes strong experience with AWS, Kubernetes, Spark, Flink, Kafka and Iceberg, plus a focus on automation, cost optimization, and production excellence across distributed

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in infrastructure engineering focused on cloud data systems.
• Proven experience with AWS cloud services and managed infrastructure.
• Experience with Spark, Flink, Kafka, Iceberg or similar data technologies.
• Experience with Kubernetes.
• Experience leveraging ML and GenAI capabilities to improve infrastructure and operational efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Design, build and manage large-scale distributed data systems on AWS.
• Develop tooling to improve data infrastructure reliability, cost-efficiency, and observability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to define infrastructure architecture and troubleshoot issues.
• Lead automation initiatives to reduce toil and improve deployment patterns.
• Contribute to multi-cloud strategy while maintaining current stack reliability.

Skills

Cloud computing

Reliability engineering

Data platforms

Incident response

Cost optimization

Tools

AWS

Kubernetes

Apache Spark

Kafka

Iceberg

Flink

Job description

Senior Reliability Engineer - Data, Apple Ads

Austin, Texas, United States Software and Services

At Apple, we focus deeply on our customers’ experience. Apple Ads brings this same approach to advertising, helping people find exactly what they’re looking for and helping advertisers grow their businesses.Our technology powers ads and sponsorships across Apple Services, including the App Store, Apple News, MLS Season Pass and Apple Maps. Everything we do is designed for trust, connection, and impact: We respect user privacy, integrate advertising thoughtfully into the experience, and deliver value for advertisers of all sizes—from small app developers to big, global brands. Because when advertising is done right, it benefits everyone.

Description

As a Data Site Reliability Engineer in Apple Ads, you will focus on designing, building, and managing cloud-based systems and infrastructure that stores, process, transforms and analyzes large datasets. You will ensure data and corresponding infrastructure is accessible, reliable, and secure within the cloud environment, working with various Apple Internal and 3rd party cloud providers like AWS.

Responsibilities

• Design, build and manage large scale distributed data systems on AWS using services such as EMR, EKS, MSK, Iceberg, etc.
• Design and develop internal tooling and automation frameworks to improve data infrastructure reliability, cost-efficiency, and observability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams like advertising, machine learning and data platforms to define infrastructure architecture, troubleshoot complex issues, and drive production excellence.
• Lead initiatives to eliminate toil via automation, improve efficiency and scalable deployment patterns.
• Contribute to strategic decision making related to adoption of a multi-cloud echo system to maintain operational excellence on the current stack while still enabling the path for future innovation.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in Infrastructure Engineering with a strong focus on building, scaling and operating cloud based distributed data systems.
• Proven expertise running cloud infrastructure built on managed services offered by cloud providers like AWS
• Strong technical grasp and experience working on Open Source technologies designed for large scale data processing, like Apache Spark, Flink, Kafka, Iceberg or other similar technologies
• Strong expertise and experience with container orchestration systems like Kubernetes
• Experience leveraging ML and GenAI capabilities to improve infrastructure and Operational efficiency
• Track record owning reliability and performance of cloud-native data platforms (AWS/Kubernetes), including capacity planning, cost optimization, and incident response for production-critical systems
• Experience designing, building, and operating large-scale distributed data infrastructure (e.g., Spark, Flink, Kafka, other equivalent data technologies) supporting petabyte-scale batch and streaming pipelines with high availability and low latency.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to partner with data science, ML, and product teams to define infrastructure standards, automate deployment/observability tooling, and mentor engineers on distributed systems best practices.
• Track record of driving automation, cost optimization and performance tuning at scale for data systems.
• Experience designing, analyzing and troubleshooting large-scale distributed systems.
• Experience driving adoption of new technologies and influencing designing of systems.
• Strong programming skills on object-oriented, functional or procedural programming languages, preferably Java / Scala / Kotlin / Python
• Experience designing and managing Infrastructure as Code with Helm and CRD, ensuring repeatable, secure, and scalable deployments.

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

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