Senior Android Prototyping Engineer – Rapid Pixel UX

Google; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 174,000 - 252,000; Full time

Job summary

Google's Pixel Rapid Prototyping team is seeking a software engineer to help create next-generation user experiences for Pixel devices. You will develop high-fidelity prototypes and push the boundaries of what is technically possible across Android frameworks, apps, and hardware.

You will collaborate with UX, Product, and Hardware teams to translate ambitious concepts into working software, emphasizing rapid iteration, speed, and exploration over production-ready code.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 5 years of experience with software development in the Java or Kotlin programming languages.
• 3 years of experience testing, maintaining, or launching software products, and 1 year of experience with large-scale application design and architecture.
• 3 years of experience with android application development.
• 3 years industry or academic experience with rapid prototyping techniques for new products.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and iterate on high-fidelity proof-of-concept android applications and system-level modifications to bring novel user experiences to life.
• Partner closely with Staff Engineering and cross-functional teams (e.g., UX, Product, Hardware) to translate abstract concepts, rough sketches, and technical strategies into tangible, working software.
• Experiment with bleeding-edge technologies—such as new on-device ML models, experimental sensor APIs, and unreleased hardware features to push the boundaries of what is technically possible on Pixel devices.
• Identify and creatively bypass technical roadblocks within the Android stack. Optimize for speed, ingenuity, and "art of the possible" demonstrations rather than long-term maintainability or production-grade architecture.
• Adapt quickly to changing requirements and pivot technical approaches based on daily learnings, UX research feedback, and continuous discovery.

Skills

Java/Kotlin

Android development

Software testing

Rapid prototyping

Large-scale system design

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

Master's degree or PhD in CS or related field

Job description

Google's Pixel Rapid Prototyping team is seeking a software engineer to help create next-generation user experiences for Pixel devices. You will develop high-fidelity prototypes and push the boundaries of what is technically possible across Android frameworks, apps, and hardware.

You will collaborate with UX, Product, and Hardware teams to translate ambitious concepts into working software, emphasizing rapid iteration, speed, and exploration over production-ready code.