Senior Software Engineer - Android Systems & Security

StartX; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 272,000 - 283,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company-funded health insurance

Paid vacation days, unlimited sick leave

$2,000 USD annual Co-working travel perk

$2,000 USD annual Professional Development perk

Catered lunches

Job summary

StartX is seeking a specialized systems engineer focusing on AOSP and the TEE. Responsibilities include developing custom modifications within the Android Framework and OEM integration with global manufacturers. This role requires extensive experience with AOSP and system-level languages like Java and C/C++.

Benefits include company-funded health insurance, paid vacation days, and annual travel and professional development perks. The salary range is competitive, at $272,000 - $283,000 a year for candidates in the USA.

Qualifications

• Extensive hands-on experience with AOSP development and modifying system services.
• Expert-level proficiency in Java and C/C++ (JNI).
• Proven experience with OEM or chipset vendor on firmware customization.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain custom modifications within the Android Framework (AOSP).
• Partner with smartphone manufacturers to integrate technology into firmware.
• Work with a China-based engineering team on technical specifications.

Skills

AOSP development

Java

C/C++

OEM/Firmware experience

Automation

Job description

This role

This is not a conventional Android app development role (building applications for the Play Store). We are seeking a specialized systems engineer focused on the heart of the operating system: AOSP and the TEE (Trusted Execution Environment).

Responsibilities

• Framework Engineering: Develop and maintain custom modifications within the Android Framework (AOSP) and Hardware Abstraction Layers (HAL).

• OEM Integration: Partner with global smartphone manufacturers and chipset vendors to integrate PayJoy’s proprietary technology into factory firmware.

• Cross-Border Collaboration: Work daily with our China-based engineering team to align on technical specifications and manufacturing requirements.

• Feature Development: Implement new locking features that interact with system-level services for example Telephony, Power Management, and Device Policy Manager, etc…

• R&D & Debugging: Use deep chip-level knowledge to troubleshoot integration issues across different silicon providers (Qualcomm, MediaTek, etc.).

• Process Automation: Contribute to OTA (Over-the-Air) updates and global device testing.

Requirements

• Android Internals Expertise: Extensive, hands-on experience with AOSP development, including modifying system services and utilizing the Android build system (Soong/Make).

• Low-Level Language Mastery: Expert-level proficiency in Java and C/C++ (JNI). (Ability to read/write Kotlin is expected, but core work remains at the system level).

• OEM/Firmware Background: Proven experience working with or for an OEM or chipset vendor on firmware customization, device bring-up, or security hardening.

• Strong Core Skills: Demonstrable knowledge of AOSP and TEE / ARM TrustZone.

• Note: If your background is primarily focused on building consumer-facing commercial apps (e.g., banking, gaming, or general retail apps), this role will not be a match for your skillset.

Desirable Skills (Pluses)

• Experience with Secure Boot, verified boot (AVB), and common Android exploit vectors.

• Automation of firmware build pipelines and signing processes using Python or Bash.

• Comfort collaborating effectively with international teams across different time zones.

Benefits

• Local benefits depending on the country of hire
• Company-funded health insurance for employee and immediate family
• Company-funded employee life and disability insurance
• Paid vacation days, unlimited sick leave
• $2,000 USD annual Co-working travel perk
• $2,000 USD annual Professional Development perk
• Phone finance, headphone benefit, home office equipment allowance and wellness perks
• Catered lunches

Salary

$272,000 - $283,000 a year. Salary applies to the USA candidates.

Equal Employment Opportunity

PayJoy is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and we welcome and encourage people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.