Systems Software Engineer - Performance & Agentic Tools

Apple Inc.; Cupertino (CA); On-site; USD 129,000 - 225,000; Full time

Job summary

Apple Inc. in Cupertino, CA is seeking a Systems Software Engineer to advance performance tooling for macOS, iOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS.

You will build tools and agentic workflows to analyze diagnostics, scale performance triage, and help developers ship faster, more reliable software. You will work at the intersection of systems performance, developer tooling, and AI, collaborating across hardware, kernel, frontend and data analytics teams.

Qualifications

• Excellent problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• Proficient in C/ObjC/Swift or similar language.
• Prior development experience in Unix, Linux, macOS, or iOS.
• Aptitude to independently learn new technologies, prototype and propose software design and solutions.
• Excellent spoken and written communication.
• CS degree or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Triage real performance issues and identify automatable patterns.
• Collaborate across teams to build agentic workflows and tools.

Skills

Excellent problem-solving

Proficient in C/ObjC/Swift

Unix/Linux/macOS/iOS experience

Aptitude to learn new technologies

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Education

CS degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Systems Software Engineer - Performance & Agentic Tools

Cupertino, California, United States Software and Services

The OS Performance Tools team is looking for a passionate and versatile engineer to help Apple engineers and 3rd party developers understand and improve the performance of code running on Apple's platforms (macOS, iOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS). The team builds software that Apple engineers and 3rd party developers use to understand & analyze performance of their code, enabling them to ship delightful experiences to Apple customers.

Description

This role will focus on leveraging AI to scale the team’s work on performance triage and analysis. This will involve building agentic workflows to glean deeper insights from diagnostics and telemetry, connecting issues surfaced by different pipelines, and automating performance investigations. We are looking for someone who is excited to learn about the full OS stack and apply that knowledge to make our software — and the engineers who depend on them — dramatically more effective.

Responsibilities

• You will work at the intersection of systems performance, developer tooling, and applied AI — building next-generation tools to inspect, analyze, and model performance across Apple's platforms. Day-to-day work spans triaging real performance issues, identifying patterns that can be automated, and turning those patterns into tools and agentic workflows that multiply the team's reach. You will deliver robust solutions in the areas of usability, cross-platform compatibility, and efficient analysis and debugging of performance issues across the OS.
• This position requires both technical breadth and strong collaboration skills. A successful candidate will have solid systems or app development experience (preferably on iOS or macOS), a strong conceptual understanding of how computer systems work from hardware up through the user interface, and a passion for solving challenging technical problems. Experience building robust agentic workflows following industry best practices is a plus. You will collaborate extensively with teams across Apple — from hardware and kernel groups to frontend, graphics, and data analytics — drawing on their domain expertise to build software that ultimately help Apple deliver the fast, fluid experiences our customers expect across millions of devices.

Minimum Qualifications

• Excellent problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
• Proficient in C/ObjC/Swift or similar language
• Prior development experience in Unix, Linux, macOS, or iOS
• Aptitude to independently learn new technologies, prototype and propose software design and solutions
• Passion for product quality and attention to detail
• Excellent spoken and written communication
• CS degree or equivalent experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building agentic workflows following industry best practices
• Hands-on experience using AI to solve complex software engineering problems

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 $129,300 and $225,300, 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.