The Senior MLE Tech Lead will join a centralized evaluation organization at Apple to enhance the quality of autograders for generative AI features. This high-impact role involves defining the technical vision for model evaluation and leading a team of MLEs to develop a robust training and optimization system. The position requires collaboration with model developers, data teams, and product partners to ensure the autograders are efficient and accurate. The focus is on pioneering new methods and continuously improving AI experiences for millions of users.

• Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field.
• 5+ years of industry experience in machine learning, with a strong focus on LLM or VLM systems.
• Deep expertise in prompt-tuning and fine-tuning techniques such as SFT, RLHF, DPO, or equivalent.
• Proficiency in Python and ML frameworks, preferably PyTorch.
• Strong understanding of data quality, reproducibility, latency, and scale.

• Define and drive the technical roadmap for autograder quality by researching and introducing novel methods.
• Architect and lead the build-out of a scalable autograder training pipeline.
• Design and own the hillclimbing system to iteratively improve autograder performance.
• Establish quality benchmarks, confidence metrics, and failure analysis frameworks.
• Mentor and technically guide a team of MLEs through design reviews and problem-solving.
• Partner with data annotation teams to define labeling guidelines for autograder training.
• Collaborate with feature engineers to align autograder signals with training and product objectives.
• Translate complex technical trade-offs into clear narratives for various audiences.

• Employees at Apple are often offered comprehensive benefits that support physical and mental well-being—flexible medical plans, confidential counseling, onsite wellness centers at major campuses, and resources for fitness and daily life. Families typically receive fertility support, paid parental leave with gradual return, caregiving leave, and dependent-care guidance, while financial perks commonly include stock grants (with purchase discounts), 401(k) matching, and income-protection coverage. Employees also see robust time off, Apple University learning and tuition reimbursement, donation matching and paid volunteer hours, and deep product and partner discounts.