Haptics Firmware Engineer

Apple•Cupertino, CA

About The Position

Develop Taptic Engine firmware for next-generation Apple products, including iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac, as part of a closely integrated engineering team. Collaborate with Hardware, Software, QA, and Design teams to create haptic experiences for customers. Work across all stages of product development with a vertically integrated technology team. Bring up proof-of-concept prototypes and demos for Design teams to explore and evaluate new interactions. Architect low-latency, end-to-end haptics solutions involving touch and force sensors by gathering requirements, creating block diagrams, reviewing hardware schematics, and coordinating communication protocols, operating modes, and feature requirements with software driver teams. Develop and document firmware features on prototype hardware and custom silicon, integrating actuator-control algorithms subject to tight real-time requirements and using DSP concepts. Coordinate with factory teams on test and calibration requirements. Bench-test firmware against performance, power, and thermal requirements, and work with QA to debug and root-cause issues and deliver robust production firmware.

Requirements

B.S. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, or a related field.
At least 3 years of relevant industry experience.
Expertise in C or C++ for embedded systems.
Experience interfacing microcontrollers with sensors and actuators, such as LRA, VCA, or Piezo devices.
Knowledge of embedded peripherals and protocols such as DMA, USB, UART, SPI, and I2C.
Ability to apply software best practices to firmware design in bare-metal or RTOS environments.
Board bring-up and debugging skills using JTAG, mixed-signal oscilloscopes, and/or logic analyzers.
Experience and enthusiasm for using AI-powered development tools to streamline workflows, accelerate coding and debugging, create test frameworks, and improve code quality and testing.

Nice To Haves

M.S. with advanced coursework in Embedded Systems, Controls, and/or Signal Processing.
Working knowledge of closed-loop control systems and experience implementing low-level control algorithms in embedded environments.
Development of production DSP or FPGA firmware for haptic or audio applications.

Responsibilities

Develop Taptic Engine firmware for next-generation Apple products.
Bring up proof-of-concept prototypes and demos to support Design teams in exploring and evaluating new interactions.
Gather requirements, construct block diagrams, review hardware schematics, and architect low-latency, end-to-end haptics solutions with touch and force sensors.
Negotiate and specify communication protocols, operating modes, and feature requirements with software driver teams.
Develop and document firmware features on prototype hardware and custom silicon.
Integrate actuator-control algorithms with tight real-time requirements using DSP concepts.
Work with factory teams to meet test and calibration requirements.
Bench-test firmware to verify performance, power, and thermal requirements.
Work with QA to debug and root-cause issues and deliver robust production firmware.
Collaborate with Hardware, Software, QA, and Design teams.