Founding Audio Systems and DSP Engineer

Frontier Audio; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation support

Comprehensive benefits

Above-market equity

Job summary

Frontier Audio is seeking a Founding Audio Systems and DSP Engineer in Chicago to drive the development of AI voice wearables. This role involves both digital and physical aspects of audio systems, requiring expertise in designing acoustic systems for wearables. Candidates should have 5+ years of experience with acoustic testing and DSP. The position offers a competitive salary range of $80K to $160K, relocation support, and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience designing acoustic systems for wearables.
• 5+ years of experience with acoustic test and measurement systems.
• 3+ years of experience with audio algorithms and DSP.

Responsibilities

• Drive audio system design and algorithms to create acoustic experiences.
• Innovate in speech pick-up and active noise cancellation.
• Build out acoustic testing capabilities.

Skills

Acoustic system design

Digital signal processing

Audio testing and measurement

Critical listening

Education

Degree in Acoustics or similar field

Tools

Audio Precision

Clio

Klippel

SoundCheck/Listen

Job description

Frontier is on a mission to make hundreds of millions of critical frontline workers superhuman through a hardware and software AI voice wearable. The company, which is headquartered in Chicago and in stealth mode, has multimillion dollar contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense and just raised $4.7M in funding from tier 1 investors, including the first investor in Oculus. The company has more than 10 of the most critical U.S. companies as paid pilot customers, including the largest U.S. steel company and two of the top five U.S. airlines. It has an extremely talented and ambitious team committed to building one of the most foundational companies of the 21st century.

Job Description

Frontier is looking for a Founding Audio Systems and DSP Engineer who wants to do the most important work of their life. The selected individual will own the digital and physical sides of the audio systems enabling Frontier's wearables (think headphones, earbuds, glasses) and their work will have extreme impact on the productivity, safety, and comfort of the critical frontline workers and warfighters powering and protecting the world. Being scrappy, resourceful, and flexible is critical to this role and it is 100% in-person in Chicago. Expected compensation is $80K-160K base, way-above-market equity, relocation support, and good benefits. This role is ideal for someone who wants to (1) be a cornerstone member of a rapidly growing team and (2) do critically important work for an underserved end-user group, and (3) iterate rapidly on the cutting edge of audio and AI.

Responsibilities

• Drive audio system design, architecture, and algorithms/DSP to create incredible wearable/hearable acoustic experiences
• Innovate in challenging areas including speech pick-up, accurate transparency pass-through, and active noise cancellation in extreme noise environments
• Full design cycle from simulating acoustic systems to rapidly prototyping in the physical and digital domains to testing and listening
• Solve challenging acoustic system problems around form factor & comfort, battery life, high noise environments, processing speed, sound quality, the end-user experience, etc.
• Build out state of the art acoustic testing capabilities and accompanying systems
• Creating audio system prototypes/demos for internal and external use cases
• Empirically and subjectively tune, measure, and analyze, and conduct critical listening
• Select, evaluate, test, and develop speaker drivers, microphones, vents, and other components, working closely with Frontier's contract manufacturering partner as projects reach mass production
• Collaborating with mechanical, DSP, and electrical/hardware engineers

Qualifications

Required

• Dedication to creating products stretching the boundaries of possible
• 2+ years of experience designing acoustic systems for wearables (headphones/earbuds)
• 5+ years of experience with acoustic test and measurement and systems such as like Audio Precision, Clio, Klippel, or SoundCheck/Listen.
• 3+ years of experience working closely with audio algorithms and digital signal processing
• Proficient knowledge around audio ASICs, transducers, microphones, amplifiers, and DSP
• Proficient understanding of acoustics and psychoacoustics and strong critical listening
• Strong understanding of capabilities/experiences/systems on market and the cutting edge of wearable audio research
• Self-driven engineer who can independently prioritize and “get things done”
• Must have ability to be qualified to work in the U.S. in less than 3 months and have no restrictions for international travel
• Ability to commute to Frontier Audio Labs’ Chicago office on a daily basis

Preferred

• 5+ years of experience in acoustic wearables/hearables (headphones, earbuds, hearing aids, etc.)
• Experience implementing adaptive active noise cancellation, transparency, or other cutting edge modes
• 5+ years of experience developing algorithms / DSP
• Experience working with Qualcomm, GreenWaves, ADI, or Airoha chipsets
• 3+ years of psychoacoustics experience

Members of our engineering team have degrees in Acoustics or a similar field (mechanical or electrical engineering, physics, etc.), but if you have taken a different route to gain the required experience, that is acceptable

Equal Opportunity

Frontier Audio Labs evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.