Director, Automation & Tools - Camera & Photos

In this role, you will define and execute the vision for automation and tooling across Camera & Photos engineering. Your team will be responsible for building systems that enable engineers and QA to move faster, catch issues earlier, and ship with confidence.

This is a highly cross-functional role where you will influence how world-class imaging features are built—from early development through release.

You will:

Lead the strategy and execution of automation for Camera & Photos, focusing on unique problem sets
Build tooling that augments engineers—reducing manual effort while increasing coverage and reliability
Drive adoption of agentic AI systems to assist in test creation, debugging, validation, and workflow orchestration
Partner closely with Camera, Photos, QA, and infrastructure teams to identify bottlenecks and unlock productivity gains
Scale CI/CD systems to support increasingly complex imaging pipelines and hardware/software integration
Establish metrics and feedback loops to continuously improve quality and efficiency
Hire, mentor, and grow a team of engineers focused on automation, infrastructure, and AI-powered tooling

10+ years of experience in software engineering, automation, or developer productivity tooling
8+ years of engineering leadership experience, including 3+ years managing managers and senior managers as a Director
Strong background in test automation, CI/CD systems, or large-scale developer infrastructure
Track record of improving engineering velocity and product quality at scale
Deep understanding of software development lifecycles in complex, cross-functional environments
Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence senior technical and product leaders
Excitement around learning and integration new AI agentic tooling and workflows
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience. Advanced degree is a plus.

Experience with imaging systems, camera pipelines, or media processing workflows
Experience building or integrating AI/ML systems into engineering workflows (LLMs, agents, or similar)
Familiarity with simulation, synthetic data generation, or hardware-in-the-loop testing
Experience building internal developer platforms or large-scale automation frameworks
Hands-on experience with modern AI systems, including LLM-based agents and workflow orchestration
Passion for redefining how software engineering is done using AI and automation

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.

The Camera & Photos SWE team is responsible for delivering the world-class imaging experiences that power iPhone, iPad, and Mac. We are seeking a Senior Manager to lead our Automation & Tools organization, driving the next generation of engineering productivity, quality, and scale. This role will focus on evolving our automation ecosystem through a combination of robust engineering systems and emerging agentic AI capabilities.

You will lead a team at the intersection of software engineering, quality, automation, and AI—building tools and workflows that fundamentally change how imaging software is developed, tested, and delivered.

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 $305,000 and $487,200, 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. Learn more about Apple Benefits

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. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant

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.

Learn about accessibility in Apple’s workplace

Learn about reasonable accommodations for job applicants

Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.