Engineering Manager - ASE Data Services

Apple

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About The Position

Join ASE Data Services to build and evolve databases that power Apple services at massive scale. The organization builds and operates high-performance distributed datastores, relies heavily on open-source technologies, and contributes to the projects it depends on.

The Engineering Manager will lead a talented group of engineers based in China who are matrix-embedded (dotted line) in global Data Services teams. The role bridges local operations with Data Services leadership outside China and ensures the team delivers distributed datastores and database proxy solutions. Team members work across multiple Data Services squads on client libraries, high-performance proxy services, core database engines, and control planes supporting Apple’s operations in China.

The manager will serve as the primary manager and mentor for engineers in China, address local compliance, regulatory, and work-culture considerations, and foster collaboration, inclusivity, and technical excellence. They will work with global leadership to maintain strategic alignment and clear communication, provide technical leadership informed by software engineering and database experience, and drive engineering practices, performance tuning, and operational excellence. The role also includes evolving team processes and values, guiding engineers’ technical and career development in a dotted-line structure, and promoting a healthy work-life balance. The platforms support hundreds of millions of Apple users worldwide.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field.
• At least 5 years of software engineering experience with a proven record of technical impact.
• At least 3 years of engineering management experience leading high-performing software development teams.
• Strong understanding of databases, data services, and distributed systems fundamentals, including relational and NoSQL databases, replication, and caching.
• Exceptional communication skills and ability to work across time zones with local teams and global, cross-functional leadership.
• Deep people-management expertise, including understanding local HR compliance and regulations and advocating for teams.
• Experience managing engineers in a matrixed or embedded dotted-line reporting model across multiple global workstreams.
• At least 8 years of total software engineering experience, specifically in highly scalable distributed services.
• Hands-on experience building and operating distributed databases or storage systems at scale, such as Cassandra, Kafka, Redis, or Zookeeper.
• Familiarity with capacity planning, observability, and performance tuning for massive-scale stateful workloads.
• Full product lifecycle ownership mindset, from design through implementation and production, and experience navigating ambiguity in complex environments.
• Track record of driving initiatives that improve developer experience, operational reliability, and large-scale data delivery.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary manager and mentor for engineers in China.
• Navigate local compliance, regulatory, and work-culture considerations while fostering collaboration, inclusivity, and technical excellence.
• Collaborate with Data Services leadership outside China to ensure strategic alignment, clear communication, and integration of embedded engineers into global initiatives.
• Apply technical judgment to distributed-system trade-offs and database architectures, maintaining high standards for availability, consistency, performance, and security.
• Drive engineering best practices, performance tuning, and operational excellence for large-scale platforms.
• Evolve team processes and values, provide technical guidance, support career growth in a dotted-line matrix structure, and promote work-life balance.
• Lead and empower engineers designing, building, and operating features for distributed database systems, including client libraries, proxy services, database engines, and control planes.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager