{"id":2469332,"url":"https://alion.io/job/apple-software-development-engineer-in-test-kernel-quality-engineering-core-os","title":"Software Development Engineer in Test - Kernel Quality Engineering, Core OS","company":{"id":12,"name":"Apple","domain":"apple.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/apple","size_band":"5000+","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Apple Jobs","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":77,"open_postings":1008,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.938,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":40,"computed_at":"2026-10-14T06:34:16Z"}},"role":"QA","role_family":"QA","seniority":null,"employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Cupertino, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":136000,"max_usd":310000,"period":"year","method":"role_country_seniority_unknown","sample_n":1287},"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Python","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-13T16:52:48Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-13","last_verified_at":"2026-10-14T08:41:18Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":0,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":0},"description":"The Darwin Kernel organization plays a vital role in Apple's success. We are responsible for the XNU kernel running at the heart of the operating systems deployed across all iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch, Apple TV, and Vision devices. As a member of Darwin Kernel, you'll have the opportunity to qualify innovative kernel technologies that run on billions of devices worldwide. You'll be given the ownership and agency to influence the future direction of our products. As a member of the Darwin Kernel Quality Engineering team, you will have the unique opportunity to help validate kernel features that support our silicon and product roadmap. This includes kernel areas such as memory management, concurrency, scheduling, power transitions, kernel/user boundaries, CPU tracing, and more. You will also have the opportunity to develop the validation infrastructure that supports qualification. Join the Darwin Kernel Quality Engineering team and help shape the future of our iconic devices!\nDescription\nWe are seeking a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) to help drive quality across core kernel and hardware technologies within the Darwin Kernel organization. In this role, you will partner closely with cross-functional teams across Apple to proactively define test strategy, develop robust automation, execute validation plans, and deliver clear, trustworthy quality signals for complex, low-level systems. The Darwin Kernel QE team owns the quality of features and projects delivered by the broader Darwin Kernel engineering organization. As an SDET, you will be responsible for investigating and triaging test failures, diagnosing kernel and infrastructure-level issues, improving test frameworks, and building automation that enables fast, reliable feedback throughout the development lifecycle. This role requires strong technical depth, excellent communication skills, and a systems-level mindset. You will work independently on ambiguous problems, influence quality decisions across teams, and help raise the overall bar for kernel validation. The ideal candidate is technically curious, detail-oriented, and motivated to make a measurable impact on the stability and reliability of Apple’s system software.\nMinimum Qualifications\nProven ability to independently manage QA efforts across cross-functional teams.\nSkilled at communicating quality status to stakeholders with strong project and time management skills.\nSkilled in testing methodologies, test planning, and defining validation strategies.\nExcellent analytical, problem-solving, and debugging skills, and experience with programming languages like Python and C.\nBachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.\nPreferred Qualifications\nSkilled at communicating quality status to stakeholders with strong project and time management skills.","description_format":"text","description_chars":2883,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Operating Systems","Laptops","Smartwatches & Fitness Trackers","Tablets"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-13T19:26:50Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 6,350 · green card filings: 37","filings_12m":6350,"filings_prev_12m":6527,"green_card_filings_12m":37,"median_offered_wage_usd":177355,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-03T21:08:04+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":217}],"liveness":{"score":60,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.602,"p_room":1,"age_days":0,"expected_fill_days":40,"reasons":["conf:3","stale_co","win:early","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-14T06:34:16Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/apple-software-development-engineer-in-test-kernel-quality-engineering-core-os","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/apple-software-development-engineer-in-test-kernel-quality-engineering-core-os.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-14T11:46:06Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":14117,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-15T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":12},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=12"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fapple-software-development-engineer-in-test-kernel-quality-engineering-core-os"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fapple-software-development-engineer-in-test-kernel-quality-engineering-core-os"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fapple-software-development-engineer-in-test-kernel-quality-engineering-core-os"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/apple-software-development-engineer-in-test-kernel-quality-engineering-core-os\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fapple-software-development-engineer-in-test-kernel-quality-engineering-core-os"}]}