Systems Engineer — Apple Reference Image

Summary

Reference Image is one of Apple's most ambitious end-to-end security and imaging initiatives: a system that lets users cryptographically verify that a photo genuinely came from an Apple device sensor, unaltered. It spans everything from the image sensor, through on-device capture and RAW pipelines, to Private Cloud Compute (PCC) processing and signing, all the way to viewing and sharing experiences across iOS and macOS.

We're looking for a Systems Engineer to join the Reference Image team and own key pieces of the technical architecture and cross-stack integration, someone who can reason across hardware security, cloud infrastructure, and application-layer behavior. You'll work under the guidance of the project DRI, taking ownership of specific systems-level work streams while helping drive alignment across a distributed, multi-team effort toward a coherent, secure, and shippable system.

Description

In this role you’ll be expected to:

• Contribute to and help maintain the systems architecture for Reference Image, spanning sensor-level signing, on-device RAW capture pipelines, and cloud-based development in PCC.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of cryptographic key rotation, certificate lifecycle management, and revocation frameworks.
• Work closely with Security and Privacy teams to help threat-model end-to-end media authenticity workflows, evaluating cryptographic integrity, data privacy, and downstream non-destructive edit handling.
• Help evaluate and advance standard and extended image container formats to support secure provenance and authenticity metadata.
• Coordinate with PCC/Cloud infrastructure teams on specific integration points to ensure the signing and certificate infrastructure scales and meets the security bar.
• Represent your work stream's technical tradeoffs in cross-functional forums (Photos, Camera Capture, ISP/hardware, QA, Privacy, Legal, Marketing), proactively identifying and resolving cross-team technical dependencies and blockers.
• Contribute to scoping and planning for future hardware generations under the direction of the DRI.

  Minimum Qualifications

  • BS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field and 5+ years of experience in industry.
  • Familiarity with cryptographic signing/verification concepts (certificates, secure boot, key management, revocation) and comfort partnering closely with Security/Privacy teams.
  • Experience with image/media pipelines (RAW processing, ISP behavior, DNG/JPEG/HEIF formats) is a strong plus.
  • Experience with distributed cloud infrastructure and confidential compute environments (PCC or similar) preferred.
  • Ability to work effectively across many stakeholder teams (hardware, platform software, cloud, privacy, legal, QA) on ambiguous, evolving requirements, while keeping the project DRI informed of key tradeoffs and risks.
  • Strong communicator who can translate deep technical tradeoffs into clear guidance for both engineering and non-engineering stakeholders (e.g., legal, marketing, support).

  Preferred Qualifications

  • Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, still-evolving system with real security stakes and public-facing implications (e.g., newsroom/wire-service use cases).
  • Capable of coding to fill functional gaps in the team.
  • Familiarity with trusted time stamping mechanisms and their role in establishing chain-of-custody for signed data.
  • Experience working on flagship security or trust features that ship across multiple operating systems.
  • Familiarity with international privacy/regulatory considerations affecting feature availability by region.
  • Experience standing up or evolving 3rd-party applications involving sensitive capabilities.
  • Familiarity with certificate management practices, including issuance, validation, and revocation workflows.

  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 $150,400 and $277,600, 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