Apple

Software Development Manager, Device Services

Apple$150K — $180K *
Enterprise Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5+ years managing software or systems engineering teams with a focus on developing talent.
  • Strong technical foundation in distributed systems and infrastructure at scale.
  • Ability to engage deeply in system design and architecture while maintaining a strategic overview.
  • Experience bringing predictability to teams managing high operational loads through strong planning and prioritization.
  • Familiarity with AI and LLM-based tools to enhance engineering and operational workflows.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and develop a nine-person team across multiple sites.
  • Ensure predictable execution and strengthen collaboration among team members.
  • Drive completion of concurrent, time-sensitive programs and initiatives.
  • Manage the health of systems ensuring reliability and fault tolerance.
  • Engage in technical discussions, informing design and architectural decisions.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to lead a well-established and skilled team.
  • Engage in cross-team collaboration and strategic infrastructure programs.
  • Work in a multi-site environment across San Diego, Santa Clara Valley, and Munich.
  • Chance to apply and improve operational practices like CI/CD and incident response.
  • Participation in cutting-edge technology areas such as AI tools and distributed systems.
Full Job Description
We are looking for a seasoned engineering manager to lead an established nine-person team - spanning software development, systems engineering, and production services - across our San Diego, Santa Clara Valley, and Munich sites. This is a leadership role focused on people, execution, and cross-team delivery. You will bring predictability to a team that carries significant operational load, help a group of strong individual engineers work as a collaborative team, and steer strategic infrastructure programs to completion.

Description

As the team's manager, you are accountable for its people, its delivery, and the health of the systems it runs. Your focus is to make execution predictable, strengthen collaboration, and drive a portfolio of concurrent, time-sensitive programs, new initiatives, improvements, and simplifications to completion.

Minimum Qualifications

* 5+ years of experience managing software or systems engineering teams, with a track record of developing engineers and growing their scope and careers.

* Strong technical foundation in distributed systems and infrastructure at scale - reliability and fault tolerance, automation, and the operational practices (CI/CD, monitoring and observability, incident response) that keep large fleets and services healthy.

* Able to engage at a low level on system design, architecture, and operational trade-offs - contributing to and challenging technical decisions (APIs, reliability, testing strategy, security) while keeping a strategic view.

* Proven ability to bring predictable execution to a team with heavy operational/on-call load - instituting planning, prioritization, incident and runbook discipline, and turning reactive work into committed, scheduled work.

Experience applying AI and LLM-based tools to improve engineering and operational workflows, and helping a team adopt them.

Experience leading a portfolio of concurrent programs with real cross-team dependencies - holding scope, sequencing dependencies, and surfacing hard architectural, technical, and risk questions early.

Excellent communication and a collaborative leadership style that builds shared ownership and knowledge-sharing across a team.

BS/MS in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience leading a team through significant change, such as retiring operational toil through consolidation or automation and growing operations-focused engineers into higher-leverage systems and software-development work.

Comfort guiding full-stack teams that own their systems end to end, including the data and database layers.

Success leading distributed teams.

History of building strong relationships with partners, understanding and advocating for their needs.

Familiarity with the team's technology areas, e.g. Linux and macOS, virtualization, configuration management, observability, relational and NoSQL databases, and services written in Python, Go, or Ruby/Rails.

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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