Sr. Tools and Automation Engineer

Apple Inc.; Northern, San Diego (KY, CA); On-site; USD 167,000 - 296,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental coverage

Retirement benefits

Employee stock programs

Tuition reimbursement

Relocation assistance

Discounted products

Job summary

Apple Inc. in San Diego, California, is seeking a Tools and Automation Engineer for the VideoApps QA team to shape test strategy and automation for Final Cut Pro for iPad and related video apps.

You will design automated test frameworks in Swift and Python, translate features into test plans, and drive high-quality releases through meticulous manual and automated testing, bug detection, and CI/CD integration.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in software QA or quality engineering roles.
• 4+ years planning, designing, writing, maintaining and executing test cases manually and through automation using Swift and/or Python.
• 3+ years testing customer-facing software applications with focus on functional correctness.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement scalable automated test frameworks in Swift and/or Python targeting Final Cut Pro for iPad and related video applications.
• Plan, author, and maintain manual and automated test cases derived from feature specifications and user-facing requirements.
• Execute test plans across functional, regression, and exploratory testing cycles, ensuring thorough coverage ahead of each release.

Skills

QA experience

Automation

Swift

Python

Bug tracking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Xcode

Instruments

CI/CD pipelines

Job description

San Diego, California, United States Software and Services

The VideoApps QA team is responsible for ensuring the quality and reliability of Apple's video editing applications, including Final Cut Pro for iPad and related products. As a Tools and Automation Engineer, you will play a critical role in shaping the test strategy and infrastructure that keeps these creative tools polished and performant for users worldwide. This is an opportunity to blend deep QA expertise with hands-on automation engineering in a fast-moving, high-impact environment.

Description

In this role, you will plan, design, write, maintain, and execute test cases — both manually and through automation — using Swift and/or Python. You will work closely with engineering and product teams to extract user scenarios from feature descriptions and requirements, translating them into effective, comprehensive test plans. Day-to-day work spans bug detection, isolation, regression testing, and continuous investment in automation frameworks that scale with the product.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement scalable automated test frameworks in Swift and/or Python targeting Final Cut Pro for iPad and related video applications
• Plan, author, and maintain manual and automated test cases derived from feature specifications and user-facing requirements
• Execute test plans across functional, regression, and exploratory testing cycles, ensuring thorough coverage ahead of each release
• Detect, isolate, and document bugs with precision — providing clear reproduction steps, logs, and impact assessments to engineering teams
• Evaluate and integrate AI/ML-driven testing approaches to improve test efficiency and coverage breadth
• Collaborate with software engineers and product managers to translate feature requirements into actionable test strategies
• Triage and track defects through the full software development lifecycle, driving issues to resolution
• Balance multiple concurrent testing efforts and automation projects while consistently meeting strict ship deadlines
• Contribute to continuous improvement of QA processes, tooling, and best practices across the VideoApps QA team

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in software QA or quality engineering roles, with a strong command of testing methodologies, QA terminology, and processes
• 4+ years planning, designing, writing, maintaining and executing test cases manually and through automation using Swift and/or Python
• 3+ years testing customer-facing software applications, with a focus on functional correctness, usability, and reliability
• Proven experience shipping at least one commercial or consumer product through a full release cycle
• Deep expertise in software development lifecycle practices and the role QA plays at each stage
• Strong bug detection, isolation, and regression skills — able to identify root causes and articulate impact clearly
• Demonstrated ability to extract meaningful user scenarios from feature descriptions and requirements and translate them into effective, maintainable test plans
• Track record of managing multiple simultaneous testing efforts and meeting non-negotiable release deadlines without sacrificing quality
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or we may consider an equivalent industry experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience writing test automation using Swift and/or Python in a professional setting
• Familiarity with video technologies, codecs, or media pipelines relevant to editing and playback applications
• Experience testing creative or media-focused applications such as video editors, DAWs, or content creation tools
• Proficiency with Xcode, Instruments, or Apple platform debugging tools for diagnosing and reproducing issues
• Skilled in building and maintaining CI/CD-integrated test pipelines that catch regressions early in the development cycle
• Background in contributing to or owning QA tooling and internal test infrastructure improvements

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 $166,600 and $296,000, 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
• 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

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.