Audio Engineer

Paradigm Nat'l; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Paradigm Nat'l in San Francisco invites an Audio & Acoustic Systems Integration Engineer to drive development, integration, and validation of audio technologies for immersive AR/VR hardware.

The role spans prototyping, measurement, hardware bring-up, and manufacturing support, with frequent collaboration across hardware, software, and external partners.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree required; MS in Acoustics preferred.
• Electrical/Mechanical engineering degrees also considered for the role.

Responsibilities

• Assist with design, development, and prototyping of audio subsystems for AR/VR products.
• Support development and optimization of noise and vibration systems, including cooling and fan-related acoustics.
• Conduct acoustic and audio-system evaluations using lab measurements and designed experiments (DOEs).
• Analyze test results and communicate findings to engineering and cross-functional teams.
• Provide engineering support during manufacturing and work with suppliers and contract manufacturers to resolve issues.
• Collaborate with hardware and software teams to bring up development platforms for audio testing.

Skills

DSP

Psychoacoustics

Acoustic measurement

Data analysis

Technical communication

Education

Master's degree in Acoustics

MS in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SoundCheck

Audio Precision

DAWs

Job description

Audio & Acoustic Systems Integration Engineer

Position Overview

We are seeking an Audio & Acoustic Systems Integration Engineer to support the development and integration of audio and acoustic technologies for immersive AR/VR products. This position will work closely with senior engineering leadership on system design studies, hardware development, acoustic characterization, audio-quality evaluation, and resolution of hardware-related issues.

The engineer will contribute across the development lifecycle, from early prototyping and measurement through hardware bring-up, testing, manufacturing support, and cross-functional integration.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with the design, development, and prototyping of audio subsystems for AR/VR products.
• Support development and optimization of noise and vibration systems, including cooling and fan-related acoustic systems.
• Conduct acoustic and audio-system evaluations using laboratory measurements, designed experiments (DOEs), and quantitative data analysis.
• Analyze test results and communicate technical findings and recommendations to engineering and cross-functional teams.
• Provide engineering support during product manufacturing and work with suppliers, contract manufacturers, and internal engineering organizations to resolve issues.
• Partner with hardware and software teams to bring up development platforms for audio and acoustic testing.
• Work with development-stage hardware and software to establish appropriate test configurations and evaluate system performance.
• Own designated audio-development activities and serve as a technical point of contact for assigned workstreams.
• Organize and lead technical meetings when needed to drive project activities, decisions, and issue resolution.
• Proactively communicate project status, technical risks, requirements, and schedule impacts to relevant stakeholders.
• Manage multiple technical workstreams independently while prioritizing activities based on project needs and criticality.
• Travel internationally to Asia approximately 15% of the time.

Required Qualifications

• Graduate degree required; M.S. in Acoustics preferred. Graduate-level degree in Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering also considered.
• Strong mathematical foundation with a solid understanding of physics.
• Strong understanding of complete acoustic/audio signal paths and associated software and hardware signal paths.
• Strong fundamentals in digital signal processing (DSP) and psychoacoustics.
• Hands-on acoustic testing and measurement experience.
• Experience analyzing experimental data and preparing technical reports and presentations.
• Programming experience using MATLAB and/or Python.
• Experience using SoundCheck, Audio Precision, and DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations).
• Strong critical-listening ability for evaluating audio quality and identifying performance differences.
• Excellent technical communication skills, including the ability to communicate results to both technical and cross-functional audiences.
• Self-directed and adaptable, with the ability to transition between technical areas and learn new technologies, methods, and tools.
• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking capabilities.

Professional & Collaboration Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, customer- or client-facing development environments.
• Excellent verbal, written, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Ability to adapt effectively to changing project requirements and priorities.
• Collaborative team-oriented approach.
• Proactive approach to communication, execution, and issue resolution.
• Comfortable switching between different technical disciplines and workstreams.
• Willingness and ability to learn new tools, methodologies, and processes.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize competing activities, multitask, and take ownership of deliverables.
• Strong interpersonal skills and sound technical judgment.