Software Engineer - Face ID

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

Job summary

Apple Inc. Sunnyvale seeks a software engineer for the Face ID team to design, build, and ship the software stack behind Face ID on Apple devices.

You will collaborate across OS, CV/ML researchers, hardware, and silicon teams to bring real-time computer vision capabilities to production on next‑generation hardware. Applicants should have a strong track record shipping robust software on resource-constrained or embedded platforms, with emphasis on performance, memory, latency, and power.

Qualifications

• BS and a minimum of 10 years relevant industry experience.
• Track record of designing and shipping robust software in a collaborative environment.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals: API and framework design, data structures, concurrency, memory management, and debugging complex systems.
• Experience writing production software for resource‑constrained or embedded platforms, with an emphasis on performance, memory, latency, and power.
• Experience integrating computer vision or machine learning components into shipping products (you don't need to invent the models, but you should be comfortable working alongside those who do)
• Experience with profiling, instrumentation, automated testing, and continuous integration

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and ship the software stack behind Face ID across Apple platforms.
• Work on architecture and API design, integration across the OS stack, optimization, automated testing, and benchmarking.
• Collaborate with CVML researchers to move capabilities from prototype to production.
• Coordinate with hardware and silicon teams on sensor bring‑up and collaboration with framework, accessibility, and QA teams.
• Partner with teams across code review and design discussions to ensure high quality, scalable software.

Skills

C/C++

Python

Objective-C

Swift

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Sunnyvale, California, United States Machine Learning and AI

The Face ID team is an engineering and applied research team responsible for developing real-time, on‑device Computer Vision and Machine Perception technologies that power secure authentication across Apple products. We focus on a balance of research and engineering to deliver Apple quality, state‑of‑the‑art experiences. As a member of the Face ID team you will build and ship the software that brings these technologies to life on Apple's next generation hardware and silicon. We are looking for a software engineer to help us take our platform, frameworks, and shipping experiences to the next level.

Description

We are looking for a proactive software engineer to help design, build, and ship the software stack behind Face ID. The ideal candidate has a strong passion for delivering high‑quality products and solving challenging real‑world technical problems. Responsibilities range across architecture and API design, implementation, integration across the OS stack, optimization, automated testing, and benchmarking - with a particular emphasis on performance, power, reliability, and security. You will work with CVML researchers to bring new capabilities from prototype to production, partner with hardware and silicon teams on sensor bring‑up, and collaborate with framework, accessibility, and QA teams to make sure the experience works well for everyone who uses it. In this position you will work closely with similar minds in a unique development team building software that runs billions of times a day.

Minimum Qualifications

• BS and a minimum of 10 years relevant industry experience
• Track record of designing and shipping robust software in a collaborative environment.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals: API and framework design, data structures, concurrency, memory management, and debugging complex systems
• Experience writing production software for resource‑constrained or embedded platforms, with an emphasis on performance, memory, latency, and power
• Experience integrating computer vision or machine learning components into shipping products (you don't need to invent the models, but you should be comfortable working alongside those who do)
• Experience with profiling, instrumentation, automated testing, and continuous integration

Preferred Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• Expert C/C++ skills, with working knowledge of Python; Objective‑C or Swift experience
• Familiarity with camera, depth, or other sensor pipelines; experience with 3D or time‑of‑flight imaging
• Comfort working close to hardware and collaborating with silicon, firmware, and hardware teams
• Interest in security and privacy‑preserving system design
• Passion for shipping high‑quality products, including accessible experiences that work for a wide range of users
• Self‑motivated, with excellent problem‑solving and communication skills, and a collaborative approach to code review and design discussion

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.

Learn about accessibility in Apple's workplace

Learn about reasonable accommodations for job applicants

Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.