AirPlay Engineering Investigations Lead

Tools & Test Automation Engineer - Graphics, Games & ML

San Diego, California, United States Software and Services

The Air Play software engineering organization is responsible for the technology that enables seamless wireless audio and video streaming across Apple's ecosystem within our Graphics, Games & ML org — including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Home Pod, and Car Play. Air Play powers some of Apple's most beloved experiences, from multi-room audio playback to screen mirroring, and continues to scale to meet the demands of an ever-growing range of devices and configurations.

This position is within the Air Play Engineering Investigations function, an embedded team of engineers who serve as force multipliers for the broader Air Play org. The team focuses on rapid prototyping, exploratory testing, and building the tools and test infrastructure that allow engineers to validate new features and performance improvements quickly and reliably. Representative work includes designing test environments to evaluate Air Play scalability across large Home Pod group playback scenarios — pushing the boundaries of what's possible while ensuring a rock-solid experience for users.

We're looking for a technically versatile and hands-on engineer who thrives in ambiguous, fast-moving environments. You'll work directly alongside Air Play feature engineers to prototype new ideas, design and build test rigs, and develop the frameworks that make rigorous investigation possible 'll need a sharp instinct for isolating variables, a love of measurement, and the ability to translate complex empirical findings into actionable engineering direction.

You'll be a key partner across software, hardware, and QA disciplines — operating at the intersection of experimental engineering and production-quality systems. Whether you're standing up an RF chamber test environment, characterizing latency under load, or building automation to reproduce a tricky multi-device scenario, you'll bring both curiosity and rigor to every investigation.

• Lead the design and execution of engineering investigations across Air Play's feature areas, from multi-room audio synchronization to large-scale group playback
• Architect and build test rigs and lab environments — including RF chamber setups, network simulation environments, and multi-device configurations — to support controlled, reproducible testing
• Partner closely with Air Play feature engineers and cross-functional teams (hardware, QA, product) to define investigation plans and surface findings quickly
• Develop tooling, automation, and frameworks that accelerate the team's ability to prototype, measure, and iterate
• Synthesize empirical data from investigations into clear, actionable recommendations for engineering and leadership

• 5+ years of software engineering experience, with hands-on experience in systems or embedded programming (Swift, Objective-C, C/C++, or Python)
• Experience designing and operating hardware-in-the-loop test environments, RF test chambers, or comparable physical test infrastructure
• Strong background in performance testing, profiling, and measurement methodology
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and communicate complex technical findings to diverse audiences

• Experience with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth protocols and RF fundamentals relevant to Air Play environments
• Familiarity with audio or video streaming systems, synchronization protocols, or media playback pipelines
• Track record of building internal tooling or test automation that meaningfully improved engineering velocity

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 $142,300 and $263,300, 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…