Site Reliability Engineer - Kafka

Apple

Apple

Software Engineering

Seattle, WA, USA

Posted on Apr 12, 2026
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The Apple Service Engineering – Data Streaming SRE team is looking for Site Reliability Engineers with experience developing processes, tools, and automation for managing distributed systems in production environments. Our SRE team combines software engineering, systems engineering, and Devops practices to build and run large-scale, massively distributed, fault-tolerant systems. Our software ensures that Apple's services are reliable, scalable, and secure, and we leverage both open-source and homegrown technologies to provide managed data infrastructure services. You will help build next-generation Kafka infrastructure and platform services, collaborating cross-functionally with various ASE teams—from store and commerce to search and recommendations. You'll create platforms that can rapidly scale to serve data with very low latencies. You should be someone who isn't afraid to question assumptions, thrives as a collaborative partner under tight deadlines, and tackles complex problems with elegant technical solutions.
The Data Service SRE team develops applications and tooling that are safe, reliable, scalable, and fast. This work requires an innovative spirit and an extraordinary degree of care and difficulty in engineering. Team members contribute to all major components of Kafka deployment infrastructure, including maintenance automation, control plane enhancements, monitoring and alerting tooling/dashboards, advanced deployment architecture, focused on safety, stability, performance, and scaling. Come join us at Apple Services Engineering and help us deliver services and applications that are fluid and responsive. You will collaborate with engineers from across Apple to define the metrics, set targets, uncover optimization opportunities, and ship a service that will delight our customers. This role is for engineers who enjoy deep technical engineering that spans large cross-organizational projects. Your openness to learning and implementing new technologies will contribute to the continuous evolution of our organization. Good ideas are valued and rewarded.
  • Understanding of core SRE concepts - Monitoring, Alerting, Incident management
  • Deep and wide performance engineering (design concepts, profile-guided optimization)
  • Service lifecycle mangement across bare metal, and virtualized (EC2), kubernetes platforms
  • Prepare alert handling procedures, run-books, and collaborate with other SRE team members.
  • Excellent communication and a high degree of customer focus when engaging with internal platform customers
  • As a distributed team, ability to work optimally with colleagues based in other locations is essential
  • Prior experience with development or maintenance of Kafka infrastructure or similar data service is highly recommended
  • Support of internet-facing production services and distributed systems via deployments, On Call and Incident Management.
  • Experience running large scale infrastructure with a heavy reliance on automation tooling
  • Excellent troubleshooting and performance deep dive analysis
  • Real operational experience managing services at scale on Kubernetes
  • Proficient in one or more of the following programming languages: Java, Go (golang), Python
  • Operational experience deploying in and running on Datacenter and Cloud architectures (networking topologies, host placement strategies, and failure modes); design of multi-datacenter systems; failure domains; and wide-area networking.
  • Self motivated, inquisitive with an aptitude to learn new technologies quickly and effectively.
  • Demonstrated expertise developing and troubleshooting distributed systems and database storage engines.
  • Experience developing critical internet services and/or platform infrastructure.
  • Experience with AWS, GCP and IaC such as Terraform
  • Experience managing messaging services such as Kafka or other Data services
  • Proficient in Java, Go (golang) & Python
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 $139,500 and $258,100, 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. 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.

Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.

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