Director Software Quality Engineering Jobs in California

Software Quality Engineering Manager, Instructional Products

Cupertino, California, United States Software and Services

Every year Apple releases thousands of new features across its operating systems, yet the average user may only ever discover a small fraction of them. The Instructional Products team exists to close that gap. We help users find the features that matter most to them, and make the most of them.We do this in a few ways. The Tips app and other contextual experiences surface the right guidance throughout the OS, exactly when a user needs it. Siri answers users' questions about how a feature works, how to accomplish a goal, or how to fix an issue. And our troubleshooting and learning flows help users solve problems and do more with their Apple products.In short, we help teams across Apple get their features discovered — and get those features delivering real value to users.We're looking for a Quality Engineering Manager to reinvent QA for the AI era. Your job is to give a complex engineering org the foundation to move faster than ever, without sacrificing quality. You're AI-driven and data-driven, and you've built quality processes and best practices that stick across multiple products and teams.Your focus will be the client apps — owning quality for the software features we ship in the OS. That work interfaces closely with the cloud-based system behind all of it: the platform that develops, manages, and delivers our contextual help and guides.

Description

You will own quality strategy for our client apps from concept through release. Rather than gatekeeping at the end of the pipeline, you'll build quality in from the start, defining the test strategy and release-readiness bar for the features we ship across macOS, iOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS.Day to day, you'll pair AI-driven QA and automated test infrastructure with the human oversight that catches what matters, and use data to keep partners and leadership clear on where quality stands. You'll lead through working systems and evidence rather than mandates, mentoring a team of engineers so that high standards become how the whole org ships, not an afterthought.

Responsibilities

• Own quality strategy throughout the product lifecycle (concept → release), producing a clear and concise picture of product quality for every project.
• Define and execute AI-driven QA plans and verification processes, combining automated validation with human oversight to catch what matters before it ships.
• Build and own the automated test infrastructure: CI/CD test gates, regression suites, and end-to-end coverage across unit, integration, and performance testing.
• Define and own the org's test strategy and the release-readiness criteria for high-risk launches.
• Drive failure analysis and root-cause investigations, ensuring timely resolution and risk mitigation.
• Use data-driven approaches to assess risk, make informed decisions, and communicate quality status to collaborators and leadership.
• Partner cross-functionally with engineering and other teams to resolve issues and improve product robustness.
• Identify gaps in requirements or testing processes and generate solutions for continuous improvement.
• Grow and mentor a team of engineers in quality thinking, and embed best practices so that high standards are how every team ships — not a gate they pass through at the end.

Minimum Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional work experience in software QA, including 4+ years managing or leading quality engineering teams — providing guidance, direction, and technical leadership.
• Hands-on engineering ability — you can build test tooling and review systems-level code.
• Thorough understanding of the SDLC — specifically CI/CD and automated QA processes in an agile development environment.
• Demonstrated ability to scope, schedule, and resource multiple complex projects in collaboration with partners.
• Working knowledge of client/server architectures, including those using RESTful APIs.
• Outstanding communication skills (oral, written, and interpersonal), including the ability to communicate technical concepts to a non-technical audience.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Computer Science or a related field.
• Experience creating and putting into practice quality processes and best practices across multiple products and teams — building the foundation of quality for an org.
• Experience with AI-powered development and testing tools to accelerate quality workflows and expand test coverage.
• Experience with automated test frameworks, Continuous Integration systems, XCTest, and XCUITest.
• Experience with Apple hardware and software.
• Excellent cross-functional influencer, comfortable in a fast-paced environment with frequent context switching.
• A persistent, inquisitive problem solver — self-motivated, proactive, and committed to driving quality forward.

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 $183,700 and $319,800, 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

At Apple, we believe 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. Learn about accessibility in Apple’s workplace. Learn about reasonable accommodations for job applicants

Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.