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The Cellular SW & Technologies organization within Apple's Wireless Technologies & Ecosystems group is responsible for in-house cellular baseband software development, wireless performance, and cellular & connectivity technologies. Within this organization, the Cellular CoreBSP Enablement team is the first team to boot firmware on every new cellular modem chip Apple designs, from the earliest pre-silicon emulation models through post-silicon hardware validation and into product commercialization. We are looking for a hands-on firmware engineer to join this high-visibility team. You will own critical bring-up milestones, build intelligent AI-powered debug tooling, maintain the hardware configuration verification infrastructure, and work shoulder-to-shoulder with hardware, Physical layer, protocol stack, and platform software teams to ship world-class wireless connectivity. This role demands someone who fights for excellence in everything they build, drives what matters by focusing on the highest-impact problems, and fosters trust through transparent communication with partners across the organization.
Description
As a member of the Cellular CoreBSP Enablement team, you will be at the center of Apple’s cellular modem development from the earliest stages of each new chip program. You will be involved in the silicon bring-up on pre-silicon emulation platforms (Virtual prototypes, FPGA models) and post-silicon hardware, debugging firmware boot flows, triaging system-level crashes, and resolving cross-functional integration issues across memory maps, bus fabrics, calibration engines, and subsystem boundaries. What sets this role apart is that you’ll not only debug but also build AI systems and algorithms that learn from every failure you encounter. This transformation will turn manual triage into intelligent automation. AI-powered engineering tools, AI and LLM APIs, including MCP servers, AI agents, and automated workflows, will be utilized to accelerate crash debugging, root-cause analysis, and silicon validation. Throughout, you will document and share knowledge that enables the broader team to move faster across parallel chip programs.
Responsibilities
Boots and validates firmware across pre-silicon emulation and post-silicon hardware, using AI-assisted workflows to accelerate bring-up milestones across chip programs. Debugs and root-causes firmware boot failures, data aborts, crashes, and system hangs using JTAG debuggers, LLDB, coredump analysis, and register-level inspection, while building retrieval and classification systems that automate pattern recognition across failure signatures. Designs and develops AI-powered engineering tools and LLM APIs, building MCP servers, AI agents, and automated workflows for crash analysis and silicon validation. Develops and maintains Python-based engineering tools such as register dump utilities, LLDB scripting extensions, and build/test automation that improve debug efficiency and team velocity. Validates calibration sequences and cold/warm boot firmware flows to ensure correct hardware configuration across all boot paths. Collaborates cross-functionally with hardware design, PHY/protocol, driver, power management, and AP/iOS platform teams to resolve integration issues spanning organizational boundaries. Documents bring-up procedures, workarounds, and consolidated recipes that enable the broader team to execute efficiently on parallel chip programs.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent field, and 2 years of relevant industry experience; or MS a plus. Strong C/C++ programming skills in embedded, bare-metal, or RTOS environments. Proficiency in Python for tool development, scripting, and automation. Experience debugging firmware at the register, memory, and bus level using JTAG, trace tools, LLDB, or equivalent debug interfaces. Ability to read and interpret hardware specifications, memory maps, and register definitions. Experience triaging and root-causing boot failures, crashes, and system hangs in embedded platforms.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience building with LLM APIs or AI SDKs — tool use, prompt engineering, or agentic architectures. Familiarity with MCP server development or AI-agent integration with engineering tools and data sources. Coursework or project experience in ML/AI — classification, embeddings, or information retrieval. Experience with silicon bring-up, board bring-up, or pre-silicon FPGA emulation workflows. Exposure to cellular or wireless modem firmware (LTE, 5G NR) or ARM architectures. Experience with LLDB scripting or Python APIs for automated crash analysis. Clear communication and ability to drive results across teams.
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 $120,300 and $210,100, 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
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Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.