DSP and Hearing Engineer

Fortell; New York (NY); On-site; USD 160,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Fortell in New York City seeks a DSP Engineer to improve sound quality for next-gen hearing aids. You will evaluate devices with audio measurements, perform critical listening, and contribute to DSP algorithms in Python, with embedded capabilities a bonus.

You will collaborate across DSP, ML, and audiology teams to translate data into better configurations for users and push the boundaries of signal processing in hearing tech.

Qualifications

• Experience translating audiograms and user preferences into customized configurations.
• Experience authoring and tuning classical hearing aid signal processing algorithms.
• Knowledge of acoustics/psychoacoustics and practical acoustic measurements with head-worn devices.
• Proficiency in Python; Matlab acceptable, but transition to Python expected for daily work.
• Strong ability to communicate with non-engineers, especially audiology teams.

Responsibilities

• Sound Quality Ownership: correlate product configuration with perceived sound quality and improve it without harming intelligibility.
• Acoustic Measurement and Analysis: evaluate performance using standard equipment; define protocols and analyze data.
• Competitive Benchmarking: study industry state of the art to drive product improvements.
• Algorithm Development: contribute to DSP algorithms in Python; embedded development experience is a plus.

Job description

Fortell is a deep tech consumer hardware company. We build breakthrough hearing aids (powered by AI on custom silicon) that transform how people experience sound and connect with the world. We came out of stealth last December and the consumer response has been overwhelming. Every day, we hear profound anecdotes from our customers and their loved ones: a dad who’s grateful to hear his daughter’s wedding vows; a college student who can finally join conversations in the dining hall; a couple that’s reconnecting after years of drifting apart. Our engineering team is hard at work building the next generation of life changing technology, and we’re hiring exceptional operators to scale our distribution.

We're seeking a DSP Engineer with experience in the audio or hearing aid industries to join our team based in New York City. This role will strongly emphasize evaluation of our hearing aids and competitor devices via critical listening and acoustic measurement, but also encourage direct contribution to signal processing algorithms that drive sound quality on our devices.

Core Responsibilities

• Sound Quality Ownership: Work across DSP, machine learning, and audiology teams to understand how our product configuration translates into sound quality perceived by our users, and understand how we can improve it without impacting speech intelligibility.
• Acoustic Measurement and Analysis: Evaluate hearing aid performance using industry-standard equipment (Kemar, Ear and cheek simulators). Define test protocols and analyze acoustic data with common techniques (spectral analysis, speech intelligibility metrics). Where appropriate, apply judgement using critical listening.
• Competitive Benchmarking: Learn about the industry state of the art using acoustic measurement and critical listening, and use this understanding to improve our product.
• Algorithm Development: Contribute directly to authoring and tuning DSP algorithms in Python. Embedded development experience is nice to have, but not required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hearing Aid Fitting Algorithms: Have experience translating audiograms, user preferences, and physical hearing aid configuration into customized user configurations.
• Hearing Aid Signal Processing: Have experience authoring and tuning classical hearing aid signal processing algorithms (e.g. noise reduction, feedback cancellation, wide dynamic range compression, beamforming, limiting).
• Acoustics: Have a working knowledge of physical acoustics and psychoacoustics, as well as practical experience making acoustic measurements with head-worn audio devices.
• Python: Be able to read, write, and modify Python code that supports modeling, testing, and interaction with embedded algorithms. Proficiency in Matlab is sufficient, but you will be asked to transition to Python as your daily driver for this role.
• Technical Communication: Have experience communicating with non-engineers and translating their feedback into what could be happening at the signal processing layer. This role will likely interact frequently with our audiology team.

Compensation Range: $160K - $220K