Senior Software Engineering Manager, Creative Apps

Socket.dev; Cupertino (CA); On-site; USD 190,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

Apple's Creator Studio team is seeking a seasoned engineering leader to manage a high-performing group of engineers and managers. You will drive technical strategy, mentor teams, and deliver polished features on UIKit, AppKit, and modern Apple frameworks.

You will balance hands-on work with people leadership, partner with product and design, and influence multiple workstreams to ship consumer-facing apps at scale.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of engineering management experience, including direct management of engineers and managers.
• Deep expertise in iOS and/or macOS app development using UIKit and/or AppKit.
• Proven experience delivering complex, consumer-facing apps from concept through App Store release.
• Strong background in software architecture, app frameworks, and UI systems at production scale.
• Track record of building and developing high-performing engineering teams in a fast-paced product environment.
• Demonstrated ability to drive technical decisions across multiple concurrent workstreams with minimal direction.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple engineering teams, driving technical strategy, execution, and team development.
• Partner closely with product, design, and XFN teams to deliver polished, innovative features built on UIKit, AppKit, and modern frameworks.
• Balance hands-on technical engagement with people leadership — hiring, mentoring, and growing both engineers and managers on your team.

Skills

Engineering leadership

iOS/macOS dev

UIKit/AppKit

Software architecture

Cross-team leadership

Mentoring & hiring

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering

Job description

Apple's Creator Studio team builds the creative applications that empower millions of users to express their creativity and vision on Apple platforms. We are looking for a seasoned engineering leader to manage a high-performing team of domain expert engineering creatives looking to do the best work of their careers on a highly visible, highly impactful product.

Description

In this role, you will lead multiple engineering teams, driving technical strategy, execution, and team development. You will partner closely with product, design, and XFN teams to deliver polished, innovative features built on UIKit, AppKit, and modern agentic frameworks. Day-to-day, you will balance hands-on technical engagement with people leadership — hiring, mentoring, and growing both engineers and managers on your team.

Minimum Qualifications

5+ years of engineering management experience, including direct management of both engineers and managersDeep expertise in iOS and/or macOS application development using UIKit and/or AppKitProven experience delivering complex, consumer-facing apps from concept through App Store releaseStrong background in software architecture, app frameworks, and UI systems at production scaleTrack record of building and developing high-performing engineering teams in a fast-paced product environmentDemonstrated ability to drive technical decisions across multiple concurrent workstreams with minimal direction

Preferred Qualifications

Hands-on experience with photography, imaging, or creative application development on Apple platformsFamiliarity with on-device machine learning integration, or intelligent creative toolingSkilled in navigating large, cross-functional organizations and aligning diverse stakeholders around a shared technical visionExperience contributing to or consuming first-party Apple frameworks, or deep knowledge of Apple platform internalsProficiency in Swift and modern Objective-C, with a strong sense of what high-quality Apple platform code looks likePrior experience managing geographically distributed or hybrid engineering teamsBachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience