Software Engineering Manager, Tools Team

Software Engineering Manager, Tools Team Cupertino, California, United States Hardware Summary Posted:

Apr 24, 2026

Weekly Hours:

40

Role Number:

200659835-0836 The System Firmware & Diagnostics organization is seeking a Software Engineering Manager to lead a team of full stack developers building advanced tooling and automation used by engineering teams across Apple. Our tools drive engineering productivity and have broad, meaningful impact across the company. This role is a rare opportunity to lead a high-impact team at the early stages of Apple's adoption of AI in internal tooling — with an open charter to find gaps and build what's missing. Description As the Software Engineering Manager for the Tools team, you will lead and develop a team of full stack engineers distributed across multiple sites in the US. This is a hands-on leadership role: you'll contribute code, guide architectural decisions, set the technical roadmap, and stay close to the craft. You'll be trusted to make sound engineering decisions alongside your team, balancing an ambitious feature roadmap with the work of modernizing existing areas of the codebase for scale and stability. You'll also partner with engineering teams across Apple to build tools that drive optimization, efficiency, and scalability — including applying modern AI techniques like LLM integration, RAG, and agentic workflows to make tools that are smarter and more capable. Responsibilities Lead and develop a high-performing team of full stack engineers distributed across multiple sites, fostering a collaborative culture where engineers can do their best work. Set and maintain the team's technical roadmap, balancing an ambitious features with modernizing existing areas of the codebase for scale and stability.

Stay hands-on:

contribute code, participate in architecture and design discussions, and guide the technical direction of the work your team ships. Partner with engineering teams across Apple to identify opportunities and deliver tools that drive optimization, efficiency, and scalability. Champion the responsible adoption of AI — including LLM integration, RAG, and agentic workflows — to make tools that are smarter and more capable. Partner with your senior manager and peer managers on cross-team initiatives and broader organizational strategy. Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or equivalent practical experience. 2+ years of experience managing software engineering teams, or strong experience as a technical lead or technical product manager ready to step into formal management. 5+ years of software development experience designing and building complex, highly available, large scale web applications. Experience with front end technologies like HTML5, CSS3, TypeScript, and modern JavaScript frameworks such as React, Next.js, or equivalent. Experience with server side development in Node.js Experience developing and maintaining Python libraries. Experience with API design and development using REST and/or GraphQL. Able to travel domestically Preferred Qualifications Master's degree in computer science, engineering, or equivalent practical experience. Experience integrating LLMs into production systems (AWS Bedrock, OpenAI, or similar), including RAG pipelines — experience building agentic systems is a plus. Experience managing or leading distributed teams across multiple sites and time zones. Experience building and supporting business-critical internal tools or developer platforms. Familiarity with containerization and orchestration technologies (Docker, Kubernetes). Experience with event-driven architectures and messaging platforms like Kafka. Experience with blob storage technologies like S3 Experience with OAuth2, JWT, and other authentication and authorization mechanisms. Proficient in software development best practices, including version control with Git, CI/CD pipelines, and automated testing frameworks. Strong written and verbal communication, with demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with teams located in different locations. A genuine passion for mentoring engineers. 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 $155,200 and $298,100, 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.

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. At Apple, we believe accessibility is a fundamental human right. You'll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong. Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.