Senior Software Engineer, Google XR, Gaming

Google; Town of Montana (WI); On-site; USD 174,000 - 252,000; Full time

Job summary

Google's XR team is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to advance Android XR experiences, blending AI and immersive technologies. You will design, implement, and polish 3D interactions and support cross‑functional collaboration across design, product, and other engineering teams.

The role emphasizes scalable graphics, performance on mobile XR hardware, and a path from concept to shipping features, with opportunities to switch projects as Google grows.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 5 years of experience with software development in one or more programming languages.
• 3 years of experience testing, maintaining, or launching software products, and 1 year of experience with software design and architecture.
• Experience with 3D graphics, C++, game engines.

Responsibilities

• Design, prototype, develop, and polish the foundational 3D interactions and user interface components for Android XR, from initial concept to final, shippable product.
• Develop and implement scalable and stable systems to choreograph animations, motion, and audiovisual behaviors across the entire Android XR system, ensuring a cohesive and delightful user experience.
• Collaborate closely with UX designers, product managers, and other engineering teams to define and refine the boundary between Android (Kotlin/Java) and our high-performance C++ graphics engine (Impress).
• Optimize complex rendering and interaction runtimes to deliver beautiful, snappy, and responsive UI on mobile XR hardware, maintaining a high bar for performance and quality.
• Advocate and build new tools, workflows, and best practices that accelerate the team's end‑to‑end iteration cycle, enabling rapid experimentation and a higher quality final product.

Skills

5+ years coding

3D graphics

C++

Game engines

Mentoring juniors

Kotlin/Java (Android)

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Master's degree or PhD (preferred)

Tools

Impress graphics engine

Android Kotlin/Java

Job description

Senior Software Engineer, Google XR, Gaming

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Location

San Francisco, CA, USA

Experience Level

Mid

Mid Experience driving progress, solving problems, and mentoring more junior team members; deeper expertise and applied knowledge within relevant area.

Information

In most instances, this position requires in-person interviews as part of the hiring process.

Applicants in San Francisco: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 5 years of experience with software development in one or more programming languages.
• 3 years of experience testing, maintaining, or launching software products, and 1 year of experience with software design and architecture.
• Experience with 3D graphics, C++, game engines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science or related technical field.
• 5 years of experience with data structures and algorithms.
• Experience developing in augmented reality or immersive environments.
• A solid understanding of user-centered and interaction design principles and best practices.

About the Job

Google's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large-scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google's needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast-paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full-stack as we continue to push technology forward.

In this role, you will demonstrate a deep passion for crafting polished products that spark delight, in a similar fashion to feature films or video games. For decades, the computing revolution has reshaped our world driven by breakthroughs in compute, connectivity, mobile, and now, AI. Google's XR team is at the forefront of the next major leap - the convergence of AI and XR. This is more than just new devices - it's about reimagining how we interact with the world around us. We're building a future where lightweight XR devices like smart glasses and headsets pair with helpful AI to augment human intelligence, offering personalized, conversational, and contextually aware experiences. Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US Compensation

$174,000 - $252,000 (USD) + 15% bonus target + equity + benefits

Learn more about benefits at Google.

Responsibilities

• Design, prototype, develop, and polish the foundational 3D interactions and user interface components for Android XR, from initial concept to final, shippable product.
• Develop and implement scalable and stable systems to choreograph animations, motion, and audiovisual behaviors across the entire Android XR system, ensuring a cohesive and delightful user experience.
• Collaborate closely with UX designers, product managers, and other engineering teams to define and refine the boundary between Android (Kotlin/Java) and our high-performance C++ graphics engine (Impress).
• Optimize complex rendering and interaction runtimes to deliver beautiful, snappy, and responsive UI on mobile XR hardware, maintaining a high bar for performance and quality.
• Advocate and build new tools, workflows, and best practices that accelerate the team's end‑to‑end iteration cycle, enabling rapid experimentation and a higher quality final product.

Additional Information

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Google is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We are committed to building a workforce that is representative of the users we serve, creating a culture of belonging, and providing an equal employment opportunity regardless of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), expecting or parents‑to‑be, criminal histories consistent with legal requirements, or any other basis protected by law. The see also Google's EEO Policy, Know your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal, Belonging at Google, and How we hire.

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Google is a global company and, in order to facilitate efficient collaboration and communication globally, English proficiency is a requirement for all roles unless stated otherwise in the job posting.

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