Audio Engineer III

JOB TITLE

Audio Engineer III

LOCATION

Redmond, WA or Sunnyvale, CA (Onsite)

DURATION

Through 4/30/2027

PAY RANGE

$55 - $65/hr.

MUST HAVE SKILLS

• Acoustics and audio signal processing — demonstrated industry experience, including working knowledge of audio DSP fundamentals (filtering, spectral analysis, transfer functions, array processing).
• Hands-on mic / mic-array prototyping and measurement — building and testing physical prototypes, plus practical experience with electroacoustic measurement systems and lab practice (Audio Precision, Brüel & Kjær, anechoic chambers, HATS).
• Basics of Python or MATLAB — enough scripting fluency to acquire, analyze, and visualize measurement data. Deep software engineering is not required.

NICE TO HAVE SKILLS

• Working understanding of acoustic simulation (explicitly a stretch, not a requirement).
• Background at a big tech company, headphone maker (e.g., Bose), or hearing-aid company.
• Exposure to comms, AI assistant, hearing features, or spatial audio capture use cases.

COMPANY

Our client is a Fortune 500 multinational technology company headquartered in Menlo Park, CA.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Audio Experience Team is looking for an Audio Systems Engineer to prototype and evaluate microphone arrays for next-generation wearable devices. In this role, you will build proof-of-concept arrays, validate them through electroacoustic measurements in the lab, and work across hardware and algorithm teams to make sure capture performance holds up across the full range of product use cases.

The Audio Experience Team is organized into three functions: audio render, audio capture, and perceptual audio evaluation. This role sits in audio capture, which designs the microphone arrays for devices and works across hardware and the algorithm pipeline to keep capture performance strong across every product use case — from communications and AI assistant to hearing features, to spatial audio capture during video recording.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and integrate proof-of-concept mic-array prototypes for target device form factors, including mic placement, mechanical fixtures, and multichannel recording setups.
• Plan and execute electroacoustic measurements — frequency response, sensitivity, directivity, and acoustic transfer functions — in anechoic and HATS-based setups.
• Run acoustic simulations of device-on-head scenarios to guide design choices and predict array performance.
• Compare simulated and measured results, identify and explain discrepancies, and evaluate prototype arrays against target performance metrics.
• Develop Python/MATLAB tooling for data acquisition, analysis, and visualization.

Document results and present findings to acoustics, hardware, algorithm, and product partners.

• Typical Day-to-Day in the role:
• Own 1–3 ongoing programs across audio capture and audio capture architecture.
• Mic-array design and validation for devices, working between the hardware and the algorithm pipeline.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 4–5+ years of industry experience in acoustics and audio signal processing.
• Hands-on experience building and testing microphone or mic-array prototypes.
• Experience with electroacoustic measurement systems and lab practice (e.g., Audio Precision, Brüel & Kjær, anechoic chambers, HATS).
• Working knowledge of audio DSP fundamentals: filtering, spectral analysis, transfer functions, and array processing.
• Basic working proficiency in Python and/or MATLAB.
• Bachelor's degree in acoustics, electrical engineering, audio, or a related field.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's degree in a related field.
• Working understanding of acoustic simulation.
• Prior experience with wearables or consumer audio hardware.

EXPERIENCE

• 4–5+ Years of overall experience

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree in acoustics, electrical engineering, audio, or a related field;

Pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act, Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, qualified applicants will be considered for assignment with arrest and conviction records. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness, meet client expectations, standards, and accompanying requirements, and safeguard business operations and company reputation.

BENEFITS SUMMARY

Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate or annual salary only, unless otherwise stated. In addition to base compensation, full-time roles are eligible for Medical, Dental, Vision, Commuter and 401K benefits with company matching.

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