Engine & SDK Tech Lead San Jose Regular

Pangle; San Jose, Northern (CA, KY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

ByteDance's PICO Developer Technology team is seeking a visionary leader to drive the next generation XR engine, graphics, and SDK features. You will guide architecture, push advanced rendering techniques, and shape developer tools for external creators building immersive XR experiences.

You will mentor engineers, prototype emerging tech like ray tracing and neural rendering, and collaborate across OS, Engine, Product, and Hardware teams to deliver low-latency, high‑quality visuals on mobile XR

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in game engine development or rendering systems.
• Deep knowledge of rendering pipelines and shader programming.
• Proficiency in C/C++ with strong performance focus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical vision and architecture for next-gen game engine, graphics, and SDK features in XR
• Drive cutting-edge graphics research and innovation — rendering techniques, performance optimizations, XR pipelines
• Architect and evolve developer SDKs for external creators to build XR experiences
• Collaborate with OS, Engine, Product, and Hardware teams for end-to-end XR experiences with low latency and high visual quality
• Explore and prototype emerging technologies — ray tracing, foveated rendering, neural graphics, eye/face tracking
• Mentor and grow a team of graphics and engine engineers, setting technical direction

Skills

Game engine

3D graphics

C/C++

Engine architecture

Mobile graphics

Tools

Vulkan

Direct3D

Metal

OpenGL ES

Job description

Join us as we work together to inspire creativity and enrich life around the globe.

Team Description

The PICO Developer Technology team is at the forefront of XR innovation, building next-generation developer-facing technologies that push the boundaries of what is possible in spatial computing. We work on all aspects of the software stack — from low-level runtime systems and game engine integrations to developer SDKs that empower creators to build the most immersive XR & Spatial applications. If you are passionate about shaping the future of interactive 3D graphics and want to work on cutting-edge technology that reaches millions, this is your playground. We are seeking a visionary technical leader with deep expertise in game engines, real-time 3D graphics, and SDK architecture to drive innovation in XR. This is not a maintenance role — you will explore, research, and build the next generation of graphics and developer technologies that define the future of spatial computing. You will work at the intersection of game engine architecture, advanced rendering, and XR runtime systems, pushing the limits of what is possible on mobile XR hardware.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical vision and architecture for next-generation game engine, graphics, and SDK features in XR
• Drive cutting-edge graphics research and innovation — advanced rendering techniques, performance optimizations, and novel XR-specific rendering pipelines
• Architect and evolve developer SDKs that enable external creators to build best-in-class XR experiences
• Collaborate with OS, Engine, Product, and Hardware teams to deliver seamless end-to-end XR experiences, with obsessive focus on performance, latency, and visual quality
• Explore and prototype emerging technologies — ray tracing, foveated rendering, neural graphics, eye/face tracking integration, and beyond
• Mentor and grow a team of strong graphics and engine engineers, setting technical direction and raising the bar

Minimum Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in game engine development, 3D graphics, or rendering systems, with a proven track record of shipping high-performance graphics features
• Deep expertise in modern rendering pipelines, shader programming (HLSL/GLSL/SPIR-V), and graphics APIs (Vulkan, Direct3D, Metal, or OpenGL ES)
• Advanced proficiency in C/C++ and low-level systems programming, with a strong sense of performance and memory
• Strong foundational knowledge of game engine architecture — rendering, physics, input, animation, and asset pipelines
• Solid understanding of modern mobile or console graphics pipelines and hardware constraints

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing and building developer-facing SDKs, APIs, or frameworks
• Prior experience in AR/VR/MR development, XR runtime infrastructure, or spatial computing
• Expertise in advanced rendering techniques: 3DGS, neural rendering, real-time ray tracing
• Background in game engine development (Unreal, Unity, or custom engines), especially in graphics or low-latency input pipelines
• Experience with compute shaders, GPU-driven rendering, or heterogeneous computing
• Familiarity with native Android development, including Android Services, IPC, and NDK
• Open-source contributions or published work in graphics, engines, or related fields

Job Information

About Us

Founded in 2012, ByteDance's mission is to inspire creativity and enrich life. With a suite of more than a dozen products, including TikTok, Lemon8, CapCut and Pico as well as platforms specific to the China market, including Toutiao, Douyin, and Xigua, ByteDance has made it easier and more fun for people to connect with, consume, and create content.

Why Join ByteDance

Inspiring creativity is at the core of ByteDance's mission. Our innovative products are built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and enrich life - a mission we work towards every day.

As ByteDancers, we strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our Company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.

Diversity & Inclusion

ByteDance is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At ByteDance, our mission is to inspire creativity and enrich life. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.

Reasonable Accommodation

ByteDance is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at https://tinyurl.com/RA-request