Acoustics ML & DSP Engineer

Apple • Boulder, CO

2d

About The Position

The Audio System Tuning team is seeking an Acoustics ML and DSP Engineer to develop, tune, and ship machine-learning and digital signal processing algorithms for voice processing across Apple devices, including iOS, macOS, and wireless products. This applied, product-focused role aims to improve clarity and naturalness in phone and video calls and reliability for Siri and voice recognition in real-world conditions. The engineer will take algorithms from prototype through on-device testing and into production.

The role involves developing speech enhancement algorithms that combine machine learning and DSP, and using or extending large-scale data preprocessing, simulation, and cloud training pipelines. The engineer will tune, optimize, and listen to algorithms; debug issues across data, models, and signal chains; improve voice quality and intelligibility in challenging conditions such as echo, double talk, and noise; and measure the effects of front-end processing on telephony quality and machine-listening applications. The engineer will track developments in speech processing and adjacent fields and collaborate with tuning, DSP, and audio ML colleagues, as well as hardware and software partners.

Requirements

• MS with 3+ years of relevant experience, or PhD, in Acoustics, Audio, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Solid grasp of acoustics and signal processing fundamentals.
• Experience shipping audio or speech enhancement ML algorithms from prototype to production.
• Proficiency with PyTorch and Python, including version control, testing, and reproducible experiments.
• Working knowledge of Max/MSP for real-time audio prototyping.
• Experience with causal, streaming models under real-time latency and compute constraints.
• Experience using, and where needed building, large-scale data and cloud training pipelines, including preprocessing and data simulation.
• Working knowledge of speech quality evaluation, including objective metrics, telephony quality and echo performance measures, and subjective listening tests.
• Understanding of the state of the art in speech processing and adjacent fields.
• Ability to explore and test new ideas, prioritize, and deliver across several projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to work in cross-functional teams.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with audio DSP, such as echo and double-talk handling, microphone array processing, beam-forming, dynamics processing, EQ, and noise suppression.
• Experience with hybrid systems combining classical signal processing and machine learning.
• Familiarity with telephony voice quality requirements.
• Knowledge of front-end processing for speech recognition and machine listening.
• Experience with multi-modal machine learning.
• Strong coding and debugging skills in Python and C/C++, plus MATLAB for analysis.
• Knowledge of transducers and their acoustic integration.
• Curiosity and eagerness to try new ideas quickly while keeping multiple product programs on track.

Responsibilities

• Develop speech enhancement algorithms combining machine learning and DSP, from prototype through production on Apple devices.
• Use and extend large-scale data preprocessing, simulation, and cloud training pipelines, building new pipelines where needed.
• Tune, optimize, and listen to algorithms, and debug issues by tracing them to data, models, or the signal chain.
• Improve voice quality and intelligibility for telephony and voice calls in challenging conditions, including echo, double talk, and noisy environments.
• Measure the effect of front-end processing on telephony quality and machine-listening applications.
• Follow the state of the art in speech processing and adjacent fields.
• Work cross-functionally with tuning, DSP, and audio ML colleagues and partners across hardware and software organizations.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time