Embedded Real Time Critical Control Firmware Engineer

Apple • San Diego, CA

1d

About The Position

As a Distinguished Engineer specializing in real-time critical control, you will define the technical vision and multi-year architecture for Apple's embedded 5G/4G/multimode cellular firmware effort across silicon design groups responsible for the most advanced cellular SoCs in the industry. This role demands a recognized industry expert who drives organization-wide technical strategy, shapes hardware/software co-design at the earliest stages of silicon planning, and elevates the entire engineering organization through deep mentorship and thought leadership. You will set the standard for firmware excellence, influence cross-functional roadmaps, and represent Apple's technical point of view in industry forums and standards bodies.

Requirements

• BS and a minimum of 18 years of relevant industry experience, with a demonstrable track record of technical leadership and broad organizational impact.
• Experience with design and implementation of bare metal control firmware which is highly optimized for cycles and memory.
• Deep understanding of the difference between design for a software platform and a highly constrained firmware environment.
• Demonstrated history of owning and delivering multi-generational firmware programs across the complete hardware/software lifecycle, from early silicon architecture through production.
• Recognized expertise in architecting complex, cross-functional system-level solutions that span firmware, hardware, and protocol layers; experience driving architectural decisions with organization-wide adoption.
• Fundamental facility with C and C++, compilers, build and source code control tools.
• Solid understanding of computer architecture with particular emphasis on the HW/SW interfaces of high-speed communication subsystems.
• Some mainstream OS application-level development and Python or Perl scripting experience.
• Strong foundation in Machine Learning and Deep Learning: Experience with ML algorithms and deep learning architectures (e.g., CNNs, RNNs, Transformers).
• Proven track record of applying ML/AI techniques to production firmware systems, not only as a productivity tool but as a core design principle for algorithm design and parameter estimation.
• Strategic use of generative AI to accelerate design, verification, and team productivity at an organizational scale.

Nice To Haves

• Theoretical understanding of the implementation of AI/ML Algorithms: In-depth knowledge of the mathematical foundations of various AI/ML algorithms and how to apply to parameter estimation algorithms.
• Understanding of HW architectures and programming models for how to target algorithms to AIML acceleration HW.
• Understanding of design for asymmetric multiprocessing solutions.
• Deep expertise in 5G and 4G 3GPP protocols with experience contributing to or tracking standards development; ability to translate standards evolution into firmware architecture strategy.
• Advanced understanding of wireless communications theory and system design, sufficient to engage with modem algorithm teams and make authoritative HW/SW co-design trade-offs.
• Extensive experience driving silicon prototyping and pre-silicon bring-up strategies across multiple SoC generations; recognized as an authority in pre-silicon firmware methodology.
• Deep, organization-shaping expertise with memory-constrained RTOS and concurrent programming, including architectural contributions to RTOS design or scheduling policy for constrained cellular firmware environments.
• History of growing and retaining senior technical talent; recognized as a mentor and multiplier within a large engineering organization.

Responsibilities

• Define the long-range technical strategy for constrained real-time firmware across cellular SoC generations.
• Drive system-level architectural decisions that span algorithm design, AI/ML integration, and hardware co-design.
• Serve as the primary technical authority for the organization on embedded firmware, setting direction that influences product roadmaps and silicon investments over multi-year horizons.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees