Photos Backend Systems Engineer, Camera & Photos

Apple Apple · Big Tech · Cupertino, CA +1 · Software and Services

Software engineer for Apple's Photos Backend team, focusing on on-device and cloud services for photo and video experiences. Responsibilities include developing APIs, performance profiling, optimizing database queries, and supporting innovative features. Requires a Bachelor's degree in CS and experience with C/C++, OS development, or similar. Preferred qualifications include embedded systems, API development, database design, performance tuning, and digital media processing.

What you'd actually do

  1. Develop APIs and frameworks (particularly PhotoKit) that enable third-party developers to integrate with Apple's photo ecosystem
  2. Conduct performance profiling and tuning for memory usage, scheduling, I/O operations, and networking protocols
  3. Optimize database queries and media processing algorithms to ensure smooth user experiences at scale
  4. Support the development of innovative features that leverage the tight hardware-software integration of Apple devices

Skills

Required

  • C/C++ programming
  • Assembly language
  • Operating systems development
  • Compiler work
  • Inter-process communication (IPC)
  • Media transformations
  • Computer science fundamentals

Nice to have

  • embedded systems development
  • resource constrained environments
  • APIs development
  • software frameworks development
  • Database design
  • query optimization
  • relational database experience
  • performance tuning
  • digital media processing
  • image/video manipulation
  • format conversion
  • media pipeline development

What the JD emphasized

  • Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or equivalent degree with at least 3 years of relevant experience
  • Strong foundation in computer science fundamentals
  • Demonstrable experience with at least one of: C/C++ programming, Assembly language, Operating systems development, Compiler work, Inter-process communication (IPC), or Media transformations