Senior SDET - Apple, Inc.

Summary

What if the test infrastructure you own directly shapes the quality of a product followed by millions of sports fans every single day? The Sports App Services QA team needs a Senior SDET to set the technical direction for its server-side automation platform, spanning GraphQL and REST APIs, CI/CD pipelines, and the shared libraries every contributor on the team depends on. This is not a maintenance role; it is an architectural one, where your decisions about framework design, flake detection, and shift-left strategy determine how confidently the team ships.

Description

Day-to-day work centers on architecting and extending test frameworks and shared libraries, monitoring CI/CD pipelines, and triaging regressions to keep the automation platform healthy and reliable. The role involves qualifying server release candidates, reporting quality status to stakeholders, and building diagnostics tooling that accelerates root-cause analysis. Close collaboration with developers, project managers, QA partners, and cross-functional teams ensures quality is embedded throughout the development process.

Responsibilities

• Architect the server test automation platform end-to-end, owning its framework design, shared libraries, and long-term technical roadmap.
• Define API test strategy for GraphQL and REST surfaces, translating feature and risk signals into coverage decisions that ship with confidence.
• Drive flaky-test elimination by instrumenting pipelines, automating detection, and resolving root causes so CI results are trustworthy signal, not noise.
• Build diagnostics and triage tooling that cuts root-cause time, distinguishes real regressions from environment failures, and keeps release velocity high.
• Own server release qualification, synthesizing coverage data and risk assessments into clear go/no-go recommendations for engineering and product stakeholders.
• Mentor engineers contributing to the automation platform, raising the quality and consistency of test code through structured reviews and design guidance.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of SDET or test automation engineering experience, with a portfolio of framework and shared-library work at production scale.
• Advanced Python or Java proficiency; comfortable applying software design patterns to test infrastructure, not just test scripts.
• Deep expertise in GraphQL and REST API testing, including schema validation, contract testing, and behavior verification across service boundaries.
• Proven track record architecting CI/CD-integrated test automation platforms, including pipeline authoring, result reporting, and flakiness management.
• Demonstrated ability to develop risk-based test strategies and translate them into test plans with measurable coverage targets and explicit risk sign-off.
• Hands-on experience building or extending triage and diagnostics tooling, such as log parsers, failure classifiers, or observability integrations.
• Strong debugging skills applied to distributed server systems, with experience isolating failures across service, data, and infrastructure layers.
• Track record of cross-functional collaboration across engineering, product, and program management in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with backend and data systems such as caches, databases, and data pipelines.
• Familiarity with log-based verification and observability tools.
• Hands-on experience with pytest-style frameworks, test scheduling platforms, and defect tracking systems.
• Strong background in testing mobile applications.
• Proficiency with AI-assisted development tools.

Pay & Benefits

At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $149,200 and $297,200, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.

Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You’ll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation. Learn more about Apple Benefits

Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.

Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant