Firmware Engineer - AirPods
Posted
Jul 05, 2026 (10d ago)
Seniority
Senior
Work Model
Not Specified
Type
Not Specified
Category
Salary
$278k+
Skills
Description
The AirPods Firmware team is looking for an enthusiastic engineer to join our team. This is an individual contributor role to develop the technical development of the audio platform for our products. You will have the opportunity to drive the technology and product development for Apple's consumer audio products. In this role, you will work with a wide cross-functional team to continually innovate technology implemented in Apple products.
Description
This is a high visibility role that involves architecting and developing our audio platform. This platform is a key technology that integrates and manages the data and system states for our products. We are seeking someone who is passionate about our products and the drive to improving the quality and innovation of our deliverables. The people here at Apple don't just build products - they build the kind of wonder that's revolutionized entire industries. Excellent communication and collaboration is a must, as you will be asked to partner with team members and other engineering teams.
Responsibilities:
Collaborate with cross-functional engineering and design teams to define product features and requirements
Design, implement, debug, and test embedded C/C++ code running on MCU's for Apple-branded audio products
Develop highly efficient firmware designs delivering outstanding performance, optimizing power and memory footprints while meeting latency requirements
Enable expansion of our product ecosystem features through creation of performance and test tools
Debug real-time systems with limited visibility, working hands-on with development hardware and lab equipment
Align cross-functional teams behind complex problems and solutions
Preferred Qualifications
Master's Degree in Science or Engineering
Experience with Python and/or other scripting languages
Experience with configuration and release management (git), continuous integration, unit and regression testing
Experience working with globally distributed teams working on large scale software projects
Strong understanding of design strategies for maintainability, scalability, and code reuse
Experience with development board and/or new silicon bringup
Experience with SoC power management, flash storage management, filesystems, telemetry and/or logging firmware
Minimum Qualifications
BS in Science or Engineering
5+ years of proven excellence in firmware, embedded software, embedded product development, or equivalent experience
Solid C/C++ coding abilities, experience implementing firmware in RTOS environments
Embedded software fundamentals, including knowledge of design and development-flows, real-time constraints, concurrency, multi-threaded environments
Software and hardware debugging skills, familiarity with low-level hardware interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART, etc)
Passion for product ownership, defining the customer experience, and track record of product development
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
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.
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