Apple

Technical Creative Director, Generative Imagery Systems

Apple$150K — $200K *
Consumer Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years experience in generative models, including diffusion and transformer-based synthesis.
  • Proven track record in developing creative tools and production workflows for ML/AI-generated visuals.
  • Strong understanding of compute trade-offs and optimization techniques in generative imagery.
  • Experience designing evaluation frameworks for generated imagery, combining quantitative metrics and qualitative reviews.
  • A distinctive portfolio showcasing refined visual taste and creative perspective across various formats.
  • Experience building teams and practices in nascent environments with cross-functional collaboration.
  • Ability to clearly communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

  • Co-develop creative direction for AI-generated imagery aligned with Apple's standards.
  • Lead collaborative efforts with generative artists and creative technologists across multiple projects.
  • Partner with Engineering to establish scalable pipelines for generative visual production.
  • Create evaluation frameworks defining quality standards for AI-generated imagery.
  • Explore innovative applications of generative imagery across new formats and platforms.
  • Work with ethics and policy teams to ensure responsible generative creative practices.
  • Collaborate with content teams to unify sourced and generated visual assets.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to shape a nascent creative discipline at Apple.
  • Collaborative work environment with cross-functional teams.
  • Focus on quality and intentionality in creative output.
  • Engagement with cutting-edge technologies and emerging formats.
  • Participation in shaping ethical guidelines and standards in generative imagery.
Full Job Description
We9re looking for a Technical Creative Director, Generative Imagery Systems, to lead work at the intersection of generative AI, visual craft, and product storytelling. This role will help define what AI-made visual media looks like when it9s held to Apple9s standard of quality, intentionality, and humanity.

You9ll shape both the what and the how of generative visuals at Apple, working alongside Design, ML/AI, Marketing, and Engineering teams, across photorealism, illustration, motion, texture, spatial media, and formats that don9t exist yet. You come from a technical or computational background but think like an artist and communicate like a creative leader. You thrive in deeply collaborative environments where the best outcome comes from combining perspectives, not working in isolation. This is a rare opportunity to help define a creative discipline at the moment it9s being born, inside a company where craft and intentionality aren9t aspirations but requirements.

Description

As Technical Creative Director of Generative Imagery Systems, you will:

Co-develop the creative direction for how generative AI produces imagery worthy of Apple9s in-product experience, working with Design and Product teams to align on visual modes, styles, and quality benchmarks

Lead and collaborate with generative artists, creative technologists, tool developers, and generative systems designers across projects that require tight cross-functional coordination

Partner with Engineering and tool development teams to build creative pipelines that allow generative work to be produced at scale with consistency, quality control, and stylistic precision

Co-create evaluation frameworks with Design, ML/AI, and QA partners that codify what 49good49 looks like for AI-generated imagery, and build shared systems to measure and enforce it

Explore new formats and applications alongside product and platform teams, charting where generative imagery goes next across spatial computing, interactive experiences, and emerging platforms

Collaborate with policy, legal, and ethics partners to develop standards for responsible generative creative, including provenance, bias, and representation

Align generative creative strategy with teams across Design, ML/AI, Marketing, and Engineering through ongoing partnership and shared planning

Work with sibling content teams to build bridges between sourced, captured, and generated imagery, ensuring a coherent creative ecosystem

Minimum Qualifications

Deep, hands-on fluency with generative models (diffusion, transformer-based synthesis, procedural systems, or related architectures) and practical understanding of how model architecture, training data, and parameter choices manifest in visual outcomes

Experience building or directing creative tools, custom pipelines, or production workflows that harness ML/AI for visual output at scale, including control mechanisms, fine-tuning methods, and reproducibility infrastructure

Knowledge of inference and deployment considerations: compute tradeoffs, optimization techniques, and how they constrain or enable creative decisions

Experience designing evaluation systems for generated imagery, whether quantitative metrics, structured human review, or both

A refined visual eye and a body of work that demonstrates taste, craft, and a point of view, in any format (portfolio, generative art, research, tools, experimental projects)

Experience building teams or practices from zero in ambiguous, emerging spaces, with a track record of bringing cross-functional partners along from the start

Ability to translate technical possibilities into creative direction that non-technical partners can rally around and contribute to

A deep sense of responsibility about the ethical, cultural, and societal implications of generated imagery

Preferred Qualifications

A point of view on where generative imagery is headed in 3-5 years, and the conviction to make bets

Background in adjacent fields: VFX pipelines, computational photography, real-time rendering, creative coding, or technical art direction

Direct experience training models or contributing to model development, not just using existing tools

Understanding of data provenance, rights-cleared training, and responsible model infrastructure

Exposure to emerging areas: video generation at scale, 3D asset generation, spatial/volumetric content, or audio-visual synthesis

A history of thriving in matrixed, cross-functional environments where influence matters more than authority

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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