Software Development Engineer in Test; SDET), Creative Apps

Position: Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET), Creative Apps
Role Number:
Team:
Software and Services

Location:

Cupertino;
San Diego Posted:
Summary What if your automation code was the last line of defense before a feature reached a billion devices? This role sits at the convergence of engineering rigor and product quality across Apple's iOS and macOS platforms — where the frameworks you build determine whether releases ship with confidence or not. The team operates end-to-end across the SDLC, and the bar for what 'good' looks like here resets what you thought quality engineering could be.

Description You'll architect and own test automation frameworks that run inside live CI/CD pipelines, catching regressions before they ever reach a human reviewer. Every sprint, you'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with software engineers and product managers who expect quality to be a design input, not an afterthought. The tools you write will compress release cycles, the gaps you find will shape roadmap decisions, and the standards you set will outlast any single product cycle.

Minimum Qualifications 3+ years of hands-on experience in SDET, QA automation, or software engineering with a testing focus

Advanced proficiency in Python and Swift, specifically for building automated test frameworks and test tooling — not just scripting

Practical command of the full SDLC with clear experience embedding quality gates at multiple phases, from design review through release

Proven track record designing and executing multi-layered test strategies spanning functional, integration, regression, and exploratory methodologies

Direct experience building UI automation with XCUITest or XUI frameworks against real Apple platform targets

Demonstrated ability to integrate automated test suites into CI/CD pipelines and maintain them as living infrastructure

Applied LLMs or GenAI tooling to test generation, failure analysis, or coverage gap identification in a real engineering workflow

Built prompt engineering techniques into QA or developer tooling that measurably improved output quality or throughput

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or we may consider an equivalent depth demonstrated through industry work

Preferred Qualifications Shipped quality automation across both iOS and macOS across multiple full release cycles — not just one platform or one cycle

Drove infrastructure improvements — framework refactors, pipeline optimizations, coverage initiatives — with documented impact on defect escape rates or release velocity

Extended automation scope beyond functional testing into performance, accessibility, or localization validation

Familiarity with photo and video editing applications or media-processing workflows, including experience testing or validating complex media-related features

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 $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 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…