Mid Level Lead Machine Learning Engineer Jobs
Mid level lead machine learning engineer jobs go to engineers ready to own projects end to end, guide junior teammates, and make architectural decisions without close supervision. Openings run across Technology & Software, Artificial Intelligence, and Electronics & Hardware, with 31% remote or hybrid availability, and employers like Scale AI, TikTok USDS Joint Venture, and Meta hiring at this level now.
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SUMMARY
At Apple, we're on the cutting edge of delivering transformative experiences through Artificial Intelligence. If you're passionate about pushing the boundaries of AI and hardware optimization, we want you to join our team! As a Machine Learning System Software Engineer on the Apple Neural Engine (ANE) team, you'll work to bring high-performance, low-power AI solutions to life on iconic Apple products like the Vision Pro, iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more.
DESCRIPTION
This is a dynamic opportunity to work in a creative, collaborative environment while developing groundbreaking technologies that will shape the future of computing! We are looking for an engineer with deep expertise in system software technology who is eager to tackle new challenges and responsibilities as the role evolves. As the position progresses, there will be opportunities to demonstrate technical leadership, influence key design decisions, collaborate with and support other engineers, and help guide the direction of Apple's AI-driven capabilities across the ecosystem. Are you ready to help us deliver the next groundbreaking Apple products?
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- BS and a minimum of 3 years relevant industry experience
- Experience defining interfaces that are used by other teams or external developers, with attention to lifecycle, error handling, and forward compatibility
- Deep proficiency in C and C++ in large, production system software
- Understanding of runtime systems: process/thread models, memory management, IPC/RPC, and resource lifecycle
- Understanding of software-hardware interfaces: registers, DMA, command queues, or similar accelerator interaction patterns
- Experience shipping production system software
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience building or extending ML runtimes, inference engines, or accelerator driver stacks (e.g., TensorRT, ONNX Runtime, XLA, Metal, Vulkan compute, or similar)
- Familiarity with Swift/Rust or another memory-safe systems language
- Familiarity with ML model compilation pipelines and how runtime APIs interact with compiler outputs (graph IR, compiled binaries)
- Experience with multi-client runtime scenarios: arbitrating hardware access, managing priority/QoS, and handling client lifecycle (ex: connect, disconnect, crash recovery)
- Knowledge of neural network inference: operator execution, tensor memory layout, pipelining, and batching strategies
- Strong communication skills and experience working across team boundaries (framework teams, compiler teams, hardware teams)
COMPENSATION
- Base pay range for this role is between $150,400 and $277,600, 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.
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.
Apple believes 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.
Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.
SUMMARY
At Apple, we're on the cutting edge of delivering transformative experiences through Artificial Intelligence. If you're passionate about pushing the boundaries of AI and hardware optimization, we want you to join our team! As a Machine Learning System Software Engineer on the Apple Neural Engine (ANE) team, you'll work to bring high-performance, low-power AI solutions to life on iconic Apple products like the Vision Pro, iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more.
DESCRIPTION
This is a dynamic opportunity to work in a creative, collaborative environment while developing groundbreaking technologies that will shape the future of computing! We are looking for an engineer with deep expertise in system software technology who is eager to tackle new challenges and responsibilities as the role evolves. As the position progresses, there will be opportunities to demonstrate technical leadership, influence key design decisions, collaborate with and support other engineers, and help guide the direction of Apple's AI-driven capabilities across the ecosystem. Are you ready to help us deliver the next groundbreaking Apple products?
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- BS and a minimum of 3 years relevant industry experience
- Experience defining interfaces that are used by other teams or external developers, with attention to lifecycle, error handling, and forward compatibility
- Deep proficiency in C and C++ in large, production system software
- Understanding of runtime systems: process/thread models, memory management, IPC/RPC, and resource lifecycle
- Understanding of software-hardware interfaces: registers, DMA, command queues, or similar accelerator interaction patterns
- Experience shipping production system software
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience building or extending ML runtimes, inference engines, or accelerator driver stacks (e.g., TensorRT, ONNX Runtime, XLA, Metal, Vulkan compute, or similar)
- Familiarity with Swift/Rust or another memory-safe systems language
- Familiarity with ML model compilation pipelines and how runtime APIs interact with compiler outputs (graph IR, compiled binaries)
- Experience with multi-client runtime scenarios: arbitrating hardware access, managing priority/QoS, and handling client lifecycle (ex: connect, disconnect, crash recovery)
- Knowledge of neural network inference: operator execution, tensor memory layout, pipelining, and batching strategies
- Strong communication skills and experience working across team boundaries (framework teams, compiler teams, hardware teams)
COMPENSATION
- Base pay range for this role is between $150,400 and $277,600, 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.
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.
Apple believes 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.
Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.
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Find JobsMid Level Lead Machine Learning Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Scale AI14
- TikTok USDS Joint Venture7
- Meta4
- TikTok4
- Skild AI4
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software73
- Artificial Intelligence16
- Electronics & Hardware11
- Banking & Financial Services8
- Science & Research7
Mid Level Lead Machine Learning Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a mid level lead machine learning engineer job?
Position yourself around ownership, not just contribution. Highlight projects where you drove decisions, designed pipelines, or took a feature from prototype to production. Concrete outcomes matter more than responsibilities listed, so lead with measurable impact in your resume and interviews. Demonstrating that you can operate with limited oversight is the clearest signal hiring teams look for at this level.
Which companies hire mid level lead machine learning engineers?
Companies hiring mid level lead machine learning engineers right now include Scale AI, TikTok USDS Joint Venture, and Meta, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. At this level, hiring comes from a mix of large technology firms scaling ML infrastructure and growth-stage companies building out their first dedicated machine learning teams.
Are there remote mid level lead machine learning engineer jobs?
Yes, remote and hybrid options are common at this level. About 31% of mid level lead machine learning engineer openings are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the broader industry shift toward distributed engineering teams. On-site roles do exist, particularly at companies prioritizing close collaboration on research-heavy or regulated projects.
How do I move up to a mid level lead machine learning engineer role?
The path runs through deepening both technical skill and project ownership. Early-career engineers grow into this level by moving from task execution to end-to-end ownership, building expertise in a specific domain such as NLP, computer vision, or recommendation systems, and demonstrating that their work ships reliably at scale. Mentoring peers and contributing to design decisions accelerates that progression meaningfully.
Which industries hire the most mid level lead machine learning engineers?
Mid Level lead machine learning engineer roles concentrate in Technology & Software, Artificial Intelligence, and Electronics & Hardware, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. These sectors invest heavily in predictive modeling, personalization, and automation, creating sustained demand for engineers who can own ML systems rather than just contribute to them.