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Emoji & Stickers Software Engineer

Apple

Software Engineering

Cupertino, CA, USA

USD 147,400-272,100 / year + Equity

Posted on Mar 27, 2026

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At Apple, we believe a well-placed emoji can speak louder than words (and save you from typing an entire paragraph). As an Emoji UI Software Engineer, you’ll build the seamless, delightful experiences that bring emojis to life across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and beyond. But personal expression doesn’t stop at emoji! Our team is pioneering the next generation of personal expression with features like Live Stickers and Genmoji. You’ll collaborate with a cross-functional team to push the boundaries of digital expression—making communication more fun, inclusive, and meaningful.

The Emoji UI team is responsible for user features related to emoji, Live Stickers, and Genmoji across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Our work encompasses a wide range of tasks, including user interface design, search & prediction, syncing & persistence, and the integration of ML and AI features. As an engineer on the team, your responsibilities will range from prototyping new user interface paradigms and implementing new features to defining API, fixing bugs, and improving performance. You should have an excellent understanding of software design, good debugging skills, and an eagerness to work hard and learn a lot. You should have an eye for detail and a feel for making user interactions feel fluid and fun. As our team works cross-functionally with many other groups across Software Engineering, AIML, and Design, you should have a solid understanding of systems and excellent communication and collaboration skills!

Write clean, maintainable, and efficient code for new features and bug fixes across the stack.
Maintain existing software by identifying, documenting, and resolving technical debt and bugs.
Develop unit and integration tests to ensure code quality and prevent regressions in the production environment.
Implement responsive UI components based on provided design mockups and wireframes.
Participate in code reviews to ensure adherence to team standards and best practices.
Contribute to team meetings and cross-functional meetings to communicate progress and surface potential blockers.
Document technical workflows, API endpoints, and system architectures to assist with team onboarding and knowledge sharing.
Collaborate with senior engineers and product managers to clarify requirements and estimate the effort for specific tasks.

BS degree in computer science or related field
2-5 years of software development experience and proficiency with the following:
Swift and experience with an Apple UI framework: SwiftUI, AppKit, UIKit
Apple’s development ecosystem (Xcode, git, LLDB, Instruments)
Architecting and implementing reusable public or private APIs
Testing software at different levels like unit tests, UI tests, or automation tests

Familiarity with Objective-C
Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills
Experience with Claude
The ability and desire to re-architect and modernize code for maintainability and cleanliness
The ability to collaborate effectively with teammates from diverse disciplines and backgrounds, fostering learning and mentorship
Excellent communication skills, including the ability to simplify and summarize complex ideas
Experience integrating ML and AI features
The skill to accurately estimate work based on past experience
The ability to prioritize tasks

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 $147,400 and $272,100, 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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