
Security Software Engineering Manager, SEAR
Cupertino, CAFull-timeSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today
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Job overview
Apple’s SPEAR team is hiring a collaborative system software engineering manager to lead security improvements across Apple operating systems. The manager will guide low-level software hardening projects, grow and develop the team, and partner with security leaders on roadmaps and emerging threats. The team also aims to integrate AI into software development to improve testing, tooling, and results.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Full job description
Weekly Hours: 40
Role Number: 200692562-0836
Summary
The SPEAR team in Apple’s Security Engineering & Architecture organization is hiring a collaborative system software engineering manager with a drive to improve the security of end-user devices.
SPEAR is a dedicated team of software engineers who make highly impactful security improvements across all of Apple’s operating systems. We design and implement security hardening measures that eliminate whole classes of vulnerabilities. This includes accelerating the transition to memory-safe languages and undertaking deep refactors to reorient key system components to build security into their core. Our work results in significant improvements to the security of Apple’s products without compromising the stability and performance that over a billion users rely on every day.
As an engineering manager in SPEAR, you will lead projects in collaboration with other teams across the lower levels of Apple’s software stack to harden the security of our operating systems. Your team will deliver well-designed, robust, and maintainable system software features that meaningfully improve end-user security. The team will be on the leading edge of responsible AI adoption, unlocking new possibilities to achieve ambitious security goals with higher quality than was previously attainable. As a leader in a growing organization, you will hire and develop talented engineers who will help set the standard for cross-functional collaboration and engineering excellence.
As a result of the collective effort of dedicated engineers like yourself, Apple’s products are the most secure consumer devices on the market. Our mission is to continue to advance the state of the art in software security. Our goal isn’t simply to be the most secure: we’re working to ensure the safety of every user’s digital life, even against the most malicious and well-resourced adversaries.
Description
As a Software Engineering Manager in SPEAR, you will:
Lead and manage a team of collaborative software engineers improving the security of critical low-level operating system software. Grow the team by hiring and developing top engineering talent at all experience levels. Manage ambitious software security projects through their entire lifecycle, including concept, design, implementation, testing, and handoff phases. Foster a collaborative team culture, leading by example to approach every challenge as an opportunity to deepen mutual understanding and respect through creative problem solving. Drive continuous improvement within the team, analyzing every project for improvement opportunities and following through to ensure they are implemented. Guide the team in integrating AI into the software development process, raising the bar on testing and tooling to both accelerate progress and improve the quality of our results. Partner with other security engineering leaders to develop your team’s roadmap and respond to emerging threats.
Minimum Qualifications
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Experience leading a low-level system software team developing kernel, device driver, firmware, or hypervisor software with stringent security requirements
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Deep understanding of operating system fundamentals
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Understanding of software security principles
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Knowledge of hardware and CPU architecture
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Experience building a strong and diverse team, promoting healthy team culture, driving process improvements, and supporting career growth of team members
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Proven track record of owning and leading successful delivery of software projects
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Enthusiastic, empathetic, and collaborative approach to multi-functional projects
Preferred Qualifications
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Experience with modern systems programming languages such as Rust or Swift
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Enthusiasm to apply AI to problems requiring engineering rigor and high-quality outcomes
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.
How this job compares
Set against the 1,178 open Software Engineering Manager jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 4, 2026.
- Pay
- This postingNot listed
- California median$207–300K/yr193 salary ranges
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 224 open Software Engineering Manager jobs in California and 1,178 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Experience
- Software Engineering Manager postings that state a minimum ask for 8 years of experience at the median; the middle half ask for 5 to 10 years (1,027 postings).
- Education
- 421 of the 1,178 open Software Engineering Manager jobs (36%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 4, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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