Apple

Engineering Leader, Data Engineering

Apple$150K — $200K *
Consumer Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years of engineering experience, including 5+ years in leadership roles with large teams (50+ engineers).
  • Experience in recruiting and developing engineering talent at scale.
  • Expertise in the architecture of large-scale data systems and strong software engineering practices.
  • Proven success in technology modernization or platform migration.
  • Ability to navigate between detailed technical discussions and high-level strategic planning.
  • Experience managing distributed teams across multiple time zones.
  • Exceptional communication skills for engaging stakeholders across levels.

Responsibilities

  • Direct the design, development, and operation of large data pipelines and services.
  • Lead the transition from traditional data pipelines to an AI-first architecture.
  • Collaborate with engineering and business organizations at Apple.
  • Influence platform strategy at the executive level.
  • Foster a high-performing culture to empower engineers.
  • Ensure customer-facing features meet Apple's standards for reliability and privacy.
  • Oversee the production of ML-ready data for machine learning applications at scale.

Benefits

  • Collaborative and cross-functional work environment.
  • Opportunities for leadership development and mentorship.
  • Access to cutting-edge technologies and tools.
  • Strong focus on privacy and ethical data handling.
  • Engagement with a diverse range of engineering challenges.
Full Job Description
As a data engineering leader within Media Services, you will direct a large organization responsible for the design, development, and operation of massive-scale data pipelines and services across Apple's commerce, payments, and content domains. Your team's work powers customer-facing features like search and personalization, as well as critical reporting and analytics for internal and external partners, all built to Apple's exacting standards for reliability, quality, and privacy. Crucially, you will lead the team through a critical evolution: shifting from traditional data pipelines to an AI-first paradigm, architecting systems that produce the ML-ready data necessary to fuel machine learning applications at scale. This is a deeply cross-functional leadership role. You will collaborate with engineering and business organizations across Apple, influence platform strategy at the executive level, and build a high-performing culture where engineers are empowered to deepen their expertise and extend their impact across the organization. 10+ years of engineering experience, including 5+ years leading large engineering organizations (50+ engineers) with multiple layers of management. Proven track record of recruiting, developing leadership talent, and building high-performing engineering cultures at scale. Deep architectural expertise in large-scale data systems, with strong instincts for technical excellence and software engineering best practices. Demonstrated success planning and executing large-scale technology modernization or platform migration programs. Ability to shift seamlessly between deep technical details and big-picture strategy, with the judgment to know when each is required. Experience leading geographically distributed engineering teams across multiple time zones. Exceptional communication skills, able to drive clarity in ambiguity, distill complex concepts concisely, and effectively engage stakeholders at all levels. Strong cross-functional collaboration skills, with a track record of influencing outcomes across diverse engineering organizations without direct authority. Hands-on experience with large-scale data processing and streaming technologies such as Spark, Flink, Kafka, Apache Iceberg, and Snowflake. Background in AI and machine learning applications within data engineering contexts, such as feature pipelines, model serving infrastructure, or ML platform development. Experience operating data platforms at consumer-internet scale, with a deep appreciation for the intersection of data quality, privacy, and user-facing impact. Background in commerce, payments, digital content, or media domains. Familiarity with Apple's privacy principles or equivalent experience designing data systems with privacy-by-default architectures. History of driving cross-organizational data platform standards or governance programs adopted across multiple engineering teams.

About Apple

Apple is a corporation that designs, manufactures, and markets mobile communication and media devices, personal computers, portable digital music players, and sells a variety of related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications. Apple provides many products and services, including iPhone; iPad; iPod; Mac; Apple TV; a portfolio of consumer and professional software applications; the iOS and OS X operating systems; iCloud; and accessories, service, and support offerings. It sells its products worldwide through its retail stores, online stores, direct sales force and third-party cellular network carriers, wholesalers, retailers, and value-added resellers to the consumer and also sells third-party iPhone, iPad, Mac and iPod compatible products, including application software and accessories through its online and retail stores. Introduced in 1984, the Macintosh was the first widely sold personal computer with a graphical user interface (GUI). That feature and others such as an improved floppy drive design and a low-cost hard drive that made data retrieval faster helped Apple cultivate a reputation for innovation. Apple was named as the most admired company in the United States in 2008 and in the world from 2008 to 2012 by the Fortune magazine. The company was founded by Steven Paul Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Gerald Wayne on April 1, 1976, and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.

Apple Careers

Join Apple, a place where extraordinary people gather to do their best work. Our ever-expanding global team is at the forefront of innovation and leadership in the tech industry. At Apple, we're not just building products—we're crafting the kind of wonder that revolutionizes entire industries. It's the diversity of our people and their ideas that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do, from amazing technology to industry-leading environmental efforts. Work You’ll Do Embark on a journey with Apple’s market-leading team to help some of the world’s most influential companies navigate their path to digital mastery with cutting-edge technology and services. Transform industries and touch lives with your unique ideas at Apple. Here, you’ll lead through a unique position at the intersection of technology, creativity, and robust industry expertise. Collaborate with a global team of professionals who are at the top of their game in technology and design. Apple isn’t just a company, it’s a community of innovators and passionate thinkers. Introducing the Apple Innovation and Leadership Initiative We are building a market-leading team to drive our efforts in delivering groundbreaking solutions and services. At Apple, job opportunities are abundant, offering you the chance to explore diverse roles from engineering to marketing, all designed to empower your career growth. Do Innovative Work Join the largest group of creative and technical experts in the world—professionals dedicated to redefining what’s possible through technology and innovation. Deliver targeted solutions through a depth and breadth of expertise that’s unmatched, driving forward our commitment to excellence and leadership in every project we undertake. Be Part of a Great Team Engage in a wide range of projects utilizing Apple’s technology and resources. Harness the unparalleled capabilities, global scale, and joint solution development that only Apple can offer. Future-Proof Your Career Advance your career with limitless opportunities at Apple. Go as far as your ambition takes you with unmatched training, development, and certification support. Explore Discover how Apple is leading the way in tech innovation: [With iOS] Businesses can streamline operations and enhance customer interactions... READ MORE Smart home technology integration that sets the standard for convenience and security... READ MORE The Apple Experience Our combined service capabilities, global scale, and joint solution development help clients overcome challenges and lead transformation in their industries. Clients worldwide look to Apple for new strategies and solutions that drive growth and innovation in the digital era. Stay Connected Join Our Team Search open positions that match your skills and interests. We look for passionate, curious, creative, and solution-driven team players. Whether you’re seeking a professional role, an internship, or a leadership position, Apple offers a variety of employment opportunities. SEARCH APPLE JOBS Keep Up to Date Stay ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. READ CAREERS BLOG Job Alert Emails Personalize your subscription to receive job alerts, latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. See what exciting and rewarding opportunities await at Apple, a company committed to diversity, innovation, and leadership. Explore job opportunities, employment benefits, and the culture of growth and innovation at Apple. Prepare your resume, hone your interview skills, and ready yourself for a career at one of the most prestigious companies in the world. Join us in pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
Learn more about Apple
Size
154,000 employees
Market Cap
$2,074.3 billion
Industry
Net Income
$63.9 billion
Founded
1976
5 Year Trend
+11.5%
Revenue
$294.1 billion
NASDAQ

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