Senior Research Engineer for TR&D

Jira ticket

Our Technological R&D Center is where innovation takes shape. It’s the heartbeat of our technical evolution, where we don’t just follow trends — we define how they work within the Apple ecosystem.

As a Senior Research Engineer, you will work in a cross-functional squad with engineers and researchers, where you can blend deep engineering research with high-impact commercial delivery, without the friction of bureaucracy. Your research won't just sit on a shelf; it will power the next generation of MacPaw products.

In this role, you will:

• Research and implement technical solutions for on-device AI model execution on macOS
• Build functional prototypes and adapt them to the evolving requirements. You will bridge the gap between R&D hypotheses and stable, high-performance technology
• Develop internal tools and frameworks for the TR&D team to accelerate the testing of new AI approaches and facilitate the early adoption of innovative technologies across MacPaw
• Partner with AI researchers, designers, and product teams to clarify technical details, define edge cases, and propose architectural solutions in high-uncertainty environments
• Conduct deep-dive sessions for the engineering team on research findings, document successful implementation cases, and act as a technical expert in joint projects with academic institutions

Skills you’ll need to bring:

• Strong knowledge of the Apple ecosystem, with a deep focus on macOS internals (app sandboxing, XPC services, system daemons, etc.)
• Profound background with Swift/Objective-C and experience with architectural design for complex, high-performance systems
• Ability to find solutions for undocumented technical challenges (e.g. reverse engineering techniques or exploring low-level system behaviors)
• Experience in hypothesis validation, performance benchmarking (RAM/CPU/Battery), and documenting research findings into clear technical reports
• Practical experience in building functional application prototypes from scratch and bridging the gap between an idea and a stable POC
• Upper-intermediate English & fluent Ukrainian

As a plus:

• Basic understanding of ML concepts (embeddings, tokens, LLM architecture)
• Practical experience with Python
• Experience working with MLX or CoreML
• Background in product-focused companies