Data Systems Engineer

Apple•Sunnyvale, CA

About The Position

Apple is where individual imaginations gather together, committing to the values that lead to great work. Every new product we build, service we create, or Apple Store experience we deliver is the result of us making each other's ideas stronger. That happens because every one of us shares a belief that we can make something wonderful and share it with the world, changing lives for the better. It's the diversity of our people and their thinking that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do. When we bring everybody in, we can do the best work of our lives. Here, you'll do more than join something — you'll add something. In SSP Data, our mission is to power the technological and design aspirations of the best products in the world through Data, while championing quality, privacy, safety, and an ethical experience. We are seeking a highly-motivated Data Systems Engineer to design and build custom data collection rigs serving a variety of core Apple technologies. You'll work at the intersection of hardware, software, and data collection operations. Your ground-up platforms will address future data needs and modalities. This role demands strong engineering fundamentals: first-principles problem solving, the ability to move from concept to working prototype, and an understanding of your final customer. A successful Data Systems Engineer will have strong analytical and problem-solving skills grounded in engineering fundamentals and hardware/software integration experience. You will build custom engineering rigs and optimize end-to-end system performance across our data infrastructure. This role requires technical depth across multiple disciplines, comfort working from first principles, and judgment about when to build custom solutions versus leveraging existing systems.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer, Electrical, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Data Science, or similar and 3+ years of industry experience in hardware/software integration, sensor systems, or data platforms
Strong programming skills (in Python, C++, or similar) to control hardware
Experience debugging complex systems across hardware, software, and network layers
Systems thinking: ability to trace problems from sensor to database and identify root causes

Nice To Haves

Proven ability to work cross-functionally with hardware, software, and operations teams
Track record of taking projects from prototype to production handoff
Comfortable with ambiguity — defining problems while solving them
Experience with sensor integration/synchronization, timing systems, or custom instrumentation
Strong communication skills with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Adaptable, with precise attention to detail and a strong work ethic
Understanding of networking fundamentals (troubleshooting packet loss, latency, reliability)
Background in computer vision, robotics, or metrology systems
Familiarity with embedded systems, thermal management, or power systems
Experience with controlled testing environments or lab instrumentation
Understanding of data quality metrics and validation frameworks
Background in data collection for ML/algorithm development