Skip to main contentA logo with &quat;the muse&quat; in dark blue text.

Database Engineer - RAG Platform Developer

3 days ago Austin, TX

We're seeking a Database Engineer to architect and optimize our large-scale RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) platform that serves our users across all of the Hardware Tech group. This role combines deep database expertise with modern AI/ML infrastructure, enabling design teams to seamlessly onboard and query enterprise-scale datasets. You'll be responsible for database architecture and optimization while also contributing to full-stack GenAI application development.

Description

As a Database Engineer on our team, you will architect and optimize our SQL and vector database infrastructure supporting enterprise-scale design data. You'll lead technical decisions on database architecture, scaling patterns, and technology selection for our RAG platform while designing comprehensive strategies to ensure optimal performance. Working closely with the development team, you'll build and refine data ingestion pipelines that enable design teams across all disciplines to seamlessly onboard their data. You'll collaborate with DevOps/SRE teams to ensure quality of service, proper resource allocation, and system scalability while improving RAG retrieval performance through hybrid search strategies, index tuning, and embedding optimization. In addition to your primary database focus, you'll contribute to full-stack development using Python and JavaScript, monitor database health and performance metrics for our multi-tenant system, and develop and maintain database operations procedures, monitoring, and disaster recovery strategies while driving continuous improvement of retrieval quality, search latency, and overall system reliability. You'll also provide mentorship to other engineers on database best practices and scalable design patterns.

Preferred Qualifications

Understanding of Vector database indexing strategies and tradeoffs

Strong SQL proficiency with deep understanding of query planning, indexing strategies, and optimization techniques

Postgres advanced features (extensions, replication, sharding)

Experience managing large-scale databases serving high-concurrency workloads

Experience with embedding models and LLM integration patterns

Demonstrated experience building or optimizing RAG systems in production environments

Collaborative mindset with ability to mentor engineers and work closely with DevOps/SRE teams

Monitoring and observability tools (Prometheus, Grafana)

Kubernetes experience, particularly with stateful applications and database deployments

Proven ability to make architectural decisions for scalable database systems

Minimum Qualifications

Proficiency in Python or Javascript.

Production experience deploying and managing vector databases (Milvus, Qdrant, or Weaviate) at scale

Experience with PostgreSQL or MySQL in production environments

Understanding of RAG pipelines, including embedding strategies, chunking, and retrieval optimization

Minimum requirement of BS + 10 years of relevant industry experience

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 .

Want more jobs like this?

Get jobs in Austin, TX delivered to your inbox every week.

Job alert subscription
Client-provided location(s): Austin, TX
Job ID: apple-200633452-0836_rxr-659
Employment Type: OTHER
Posted: 2025-12-08T19:12:05

Perks and Benefits

  • Health and Wellness

    • Parental Benefits

      • Work Flexibility

        • Office Life and Perks

          • Vacation and Time Off

            • Financial and Retirement

              • Professional Development

                • Diversity and Inclusion

                  Company Videos

                  Hear directly from employees about what it is like to work at Apple.