Principal Applied Research Engineer/Scientist
At Apple, we don't just build products; we create experiences that enrich the lives of billions. You have the unique opportunity to seamlessly integrate foundational AI research with world-class hardware and software, bringing cutting-edge technology to billions of users. Your work will have a far-reaching impact, setting precedents for how autonomous, deeply personalized AI technologies enrich lives across our entire product ecosystem.
Description
We are seeking a Principal Applied Research Engineer to drive breakthrough innovation across self-improving systems, agentic memory, and deeply personalized autonomous multi-agent systems. You will shape next-generation intelligent architectures that learn continuously, retain and reason over persistent memory, coordinate across agents, and translate frontier research into scalable product experiences. This unique opportunity places you at the forefront of innovation, working on projects that redefine user experiences through advanced machine learning.","responsibilities":"Advance self-improving systems that learn from deployment signals, adapt over time, and optimize performance autonomously in real-world environments.
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Design and operationalize agentic memory frameworks that enable long-horizon reasoning, contextual continuity, personalization, and durable knowledge across interactions.
Architect deeply personalized autonomous multi-agent systems capable of coordination, task decomposition, tool use, and dynamic collaboration to solve complex user problems.
Lead product-oriented research and rapid prototyping, translating foundational advances into validated user experiences and production-ready architectures.
Partner cross-functionally to influence platform strategy, define technical direction, and deliver scalable ML systems that integrate tightly across hardware, software, and services.
Preferred Qualifications
Demonstrated ability to influence high-level architecture decisions and effectively advocate for novel research directions to product leadership.
Minimum Qualifications
MSc or PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or related field; or equivalent practical experience delivering zero-to-one LLM productization.
Deep expertise in transformer-based LLMs and multi-modal foundation models, with a focus on integrating text, vision, and audio with cross-modal attention.
Hands-on mastery across the model lifecycle, including pre-training, fine-tuning, performance optimization, and safety alignment.
Expertise in designing AI agents for complex reasoning while navigating the unique challenges of on-device compute constraints.
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 .
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 $212,000 and $386,300, 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.
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
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