Cellular PHY Systems Engineer
Oct 8, 2026 San Francisco Bay Area, CA
About us
Working at Apple means doing more than you ever thought possible and having more impact than you ever imagined.
- Size: 10,000+ employees
- Industry: Technology: Manufacturing
Why you should apply for a job to Apple:
Ranked as one of the Best Technology Companies in 2020
3.7/5 in overall job satisfaction
3.1/5 in supportive management
66% say women are treated fairly and equally to men
65% would recommend this company to other women
66% say the CEO supports gender diversity
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Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job, and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Dynamic, sensible people and inspiring, innovative technologies are the norm here. Join us to help deliver the next groundbreaking Apple product. Do you love working on challenges that no one has solved yet? Are you ready to join a team redefining hardware technology? We are searching for a dedicated engineer with 10+/- years' experience to join our exciting team of innovators. In this role, you will be a key member of the system engineering team working on modem systems features and requirements.
Description
As a Cellular System Engineer, you will be responsible for the pre- and post-silicon bring up, and validation of end-to-end cellular systems. You will understand and map systems algorithms and requirements to HW/FW architecture, simulation and emulation-based validation of the control flows and PHY/L1 algorithms.","responsibilities":"This position requires strong collaboration with SoC, PHY, PHY HW, PHY FW, and L1 SW teams to ensure the end-to-end system requirements are met.
You will also have a critical hands-on role in pre- and post-silicon verification, validation, and bring-up of silicon, to support productization.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in low power algorithm design for power critical applications is helpful.
Experience in E2E timeline analysis for time-critical algorithms is helpful.
Experience in chip bring-up including the use of lab equipment such as protocol test equipment, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters, etc..
In-depth knowledge of wireless communication systems with hands-on experience in lab testing & characterization.
Strong analytical skills (linear algebra, random processes, detection and estimation, etc.)
Minimum Qualifications
BS and 10+ years of relevant experience is required.
Knowledge of cellular communication standards: 6G, 5G NR, 4G LTE, PHY Uplink channels and signals.
Deep-knowledge of communication system theory and signal processing will be important for this role to design algorithms such as LDPC, Polar, Turbo encoder design, signal estimation and detection, automatic gain control, RF impairments estimation and correction, channel estimation, OFDM, MIMO detection, signal waveform generation and upsampling, etc.
Experience with Matlab, C/C++ and/or Python for algorithm development, modeling (floating-point and fixed-point) and link-level simulation.
Pay & Benefits
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 $175,000 and $308,500, 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.
Description
As a Cellular System Engineer, you will be responsible for the pre- and post-silicon bring up, and validation of end-to-end cellular systems. You will understand and map systems algorithms and requirements to HW/FW architecture, simulation and emulation-based validation of the control flows and PHY/L1 algorithms.","responsibilities":"This position requires strong collaboration with SoC, PHY, PHY HW, PHY FW, and L1 SW teams to ensure the end-to-end system requirements are met.
You will also have a critical hands-on role in pre- and post-silicon verification, validation, and bring-up of silicon, to support productization.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in low power algorithm design for power critical applications is helpful.
Experience in E2E timeline analysis for time-critical algorithms is helpful.
Experience in chip bring-up including the use of lab equipment such as protocol test equipment, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters, etc..
In-depth knowledge of wireless communication systems with hands-on experience in lab testing & characterization.
Strong analytical skills (linear algebra, random processes, detection and estimation, etc.)
Minimum Qualifications
BS and 10+ years of relevant experience is required.
Knowledge of cellular communication standards: 6G, 5G NR, 4G LTE, PHY Uplink channels and signals.
Deep-knowledge of communication system theory and signal processing will be important for this role to design algorithms such as LDPC, Polar, Turbo encoder design, signal estimation and detection, automatic gain control, RF impairments estimation and correction, channel estimation, OFDM, MIMO detection, signal waveform generation and upsampling, etc.
Experience with Matlab, C/C++ and/or Python for algorithm development, modeling (floating-point and fixed-point) and link-level simulation.
Pay & Benefits
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 $175,000 and $308,500, 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.
Additional Information
- Salary: $175,000 – $308,500
- Posted: Oct 8, 2026