Senior Robotics Simulation Software Engineer - Special Projects

Senior Robotics Simulation Software Engineer - Special Projects

Apple is where individual imaginations gather together, committing to the values that lead to great work. Every new product we build, service we create, or Apple Store experience we deliver is the result of us making each other's ideas stronger. That happens because every one of us shares a belief that we can make something wonderful and share it with the world, changing lives for the better. It's the diversity of our people and their thinking that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do. When we bring everybody in, we can do the best work of our lives. Here, you'll do more than join something — you'll add something. As an engineer in the Special Projects group, you will have an opportunity to be part of an innovation-focused organization within Apple that is exploring overlapping space between simulation and AI/ML. You will be able to work on highly ambitious, high-reward, and impactful projects in the early stages of development. This team has a strong focus on shipping simulation technology in service of AI/ML projects. We use both traditional and generative AI techniques in simulation. Our ideal team member is fearless when it comes to trying new things and is willing to iterate on ideas. We value team members who can quickly prototype, iterating all the way to high-quality implementations. Moreover, we value team members who can collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams across the organization.

As a member of this team, you will use your background to:

• Develop the core simulation engine with emphasis on robotics and physics simulation
• Integrate simulation software with robotics algorithms
• Design, implement and integrate sensor simulation and dynamics modeling for realistic robot simulation
• Develop sim-to-real transfer techniques to bridge the gap between simulated and real-world robot behavior
• Profile and optimize simulation engine for high-throughput RL training workloads
• Design and implement reinforcement learning environments and training pipelines for robotic systems

Minimum qualifications include:

• Strong C++ development experience and Python experience
• Strong software engineering skills and practices in terms of performance and code quality
• Solid background in robotics fundamentals: perception, planning, kinematics, dynamics, control systems
• Familiarity with reinforcement learning, including policy optimization, model-based RL, and sim-to-real techniques
• Experience with physics simulation engines (e.g., MuJoCo, Isaac Sim, PyBullet, or similar)
• Excellent collaboration skills: strong verbal and written communication skills.
• BS/MS/PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, or a related field, or 3+ years of equivalent experience.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Experience with GPU-accelerated simulation and parallel RL training
• Experience with robot learning frameworks (e.g., Stable Baselines, RLlib, or custom implementations)
• Experience with GPU based computing
• Experience with sensor simulation
• Experience with traditional and ML-based simulation and rendering systems
• Experience with 3D rendering engine internals: geometry pipelines, shaders, materials, etc.

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 $147,400 and $272,100, 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.