Apple Systems Design Engineer IV reviews

It gives you the chance work on products that impact users all over the world and millions of people use every day.

It's great to work on products with outstanding recognition. Everybody believes in the product to a good extent and engineers ability to provide input on many aspects of a product even if it's not their area of expertise (such as user interface, process, and general quality). There is little bureaucracy and politics for a company of its size. I've worked for companies many times smaller with far more politics which creates inefficiencies through needless intracompany competitiveness and lack of communication. This is less so at Apple due to 3 reasons: 1) Almost everybody is in Cupertino so it's a lot less likely you'll talk behind someone's back if you actually see them face to face in meetings. 2) There is a culture of communication where it's okay to provide input on process without people getting very offended (Apple's own bug tracking system is part of this. 3) Steve Jobs is on top of things; if he see's bureaucracy he will cut it out, and even if he doesn't there is a fear that if he does see you as a bureaucrat he will cut you out. I like the people a lot here: They are very smart and pretty humble. There is not much individual arrogance which makes it a comfortable place to be (although there is a fair amount of arrogance on the products). Good focus on products.