Aesthetics Science Manager, Look Development

iPhone is the most popular camera in the world, and Aesthetics Science is focused on understanding human perception and artistic intent with enough precision for scientists, engineers, designers and artists to work on it together. This means investigating why people take pictures and what they like about them, in order to infuse that knowledge directly and iteratively into the software development process. We are feature developers who bring rigorous research and photographic principles to how Apple builds the camera and visual experiences that people rely on every day.

We are seeking an Aesthetics Science Manager to help oversee our look development process within Software Engineering. You will lead a team of world-class look developers and own the start-to-finish process of how they create software features that require aesthetics look and feel. The successful candidate is a collaborative leader who thrives at the intersection of technical and creative processes upheld to the highest level of standards. You will hire and direct a rotating roster of creative contractors (colorists, retouchers, photographic artists) who will work with proprietary internal software tools within fast-paced and complex iterative feedback loops across multiple stakeholder teams on engineering timelines.

• You bring a deep, hands-on understanding of creative look development: how artists work, what they need from a tool, and how to recognize when a process is producing strong work or getting in its way.
• You also bring the organizational skill to keep a complex, multidisciplinary effort moving forward.
• You create the conditions for all decision-makers to make great calls, and make sure those calls carry through into the results.

Own the Process: from scoping and initial briefings to creative discussions, prioritization decisions, feedback loops and reviews in alignment with stakeholders and engineering milestones. Build the review structure that brings creative decision-makers, design leads and engineering partners together. Prepare the material, facilitate the discussion, surface trade-offs, and make sure decisions get made, recorded and acted on. Manage creative experts: Source, onboard and direct a rotating roster of top creative talent work with proprietary internal software tools. Foster long-standing strong relationships and centralized documentation to build a robust and sustainable team knowledge base over time. Integrate with software engineering teams: Create a healthy working environment where artists, designers, algorithm engineers and scientists are all represented in an efficient development process.

Deep Understanding of Creative Look Development: A strong working knowledge of how high-end images are created, and of what artists at the top of their field need to do their best work. Directing Top Creative Talent: Proven experience hiring, scoping and directing elite creative contractors on both a short and long term basis. Managing Complex Creative Processes: A track record of running multidisciplinary creative efforts from start to finish, including schedules, dependencies, iteration cycles and deliverables. Bridging the Creative and Technical: You understand both creative development and software development needs and can translate one into the other. Review Facilitation and Stakeholder Management: Experience designing and running reviews with senior creative and technical stakeholders. You can bring divergent views together and drive clear decisions. Clear Visual Communication: Ability to describe images precisely, so you can clearly relay what artists and reviewers are seeing and asking for.

Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience in Photography, Film, Visual Arts, Color Science, Computer Science, Imaging Technology, or a related field. 8+ years of experience leading creative processes or look development work in technical or engineering environments. Experience in computational photography, camera or imaging software, VFX/finishing, or creative software development. Strong portfolio of supporting visual or art direction in editorial or commercial contexts. Experience in leading and building creative teams. Experience directing artists on proprietary or in-development creative tools. Familiarity with color science fundamentals (tone curves, color spaces, gamut mapping, LUTs). Familiarity with machine-learning-based imaging pipelines.