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Audio Design Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

OSI Engineering

Lead Audio Engineer

Palo Alto, CA

$300K - $400K/yr

... design, latency and CPU budgets, training data, metric tuning. • Validate the spatial mic array ... Responsibilities: • 10+ years of audio engineering, with at least one shipped consumer product ...

Pinnacle

Audio Video Engineer / Estimator

Glendale, CA

$85K - $112K/yr

Technology Position Summary We are seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Audio Video ... This role requires a deep understanding of commercial AV system design, engineering, and cost ...

PINNACLE GROUP

Audio Video Engineer / Estimator

Glendale, CA · On-site

$85K - $112K/yr

Technology Position Summary We are seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Audio Video ... This role requires a deep understanding of commercial AV system design, engineering, and cost ...

Apex Informatics

Design Engineer III

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

Design Engineer III Job Id: 56823-1 Location: Sunnyvale, CA Qualifications • BS in EE or ... Audio, Sensors and power charging components. • Manage and coach CM and PCB vendors on placement ...

Apple

Audio PD Engineer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

Apple has assembled an elite Audio Product Design team that helps enable our customers to ... We are looking for Product Design Engineers to help take Airpods to the next level. Could this be ...

Google

Staff Audio Systems Engineer

Mountain View, CA · On-site

Bachelor's degree in Acoustics, Audio Engineering, Electrical Engineering, a similar field, or ... Experience in audio system design, tuning and validation (acoustics, microphones, digital signal ...

Sesame

Audio Systems Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$175K - $280K/yr

Design, analyze, and refine real-time audio capture and render systems. * Research and implement ... Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Acoustics, or similar. Preferred ...

Rivian

Staff Audio System Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$167K - $209K/yr

Familiar with microphone array design. * System Architecture & Signal Flow: Partner with the Audio Hardware Engineer (Electronics) to define the end-to-end signal chain. You will focus on the ...

Rivian

Staff Audio System Engineer

Palo Alto, CA

$167K - $209K/yr

Familiar with microphone array design. * System Architecture & Signal Flow: Partner with the Audio Hardware Engineer (Electronics) to define the end-to-end signal chain. You will focus on the ...

Rivian

Staff Audio System Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$167K - $209K/yr

Familiar with microphone array design. * System Architecture & Signal Flow: Partner with the Audio Hardware Engineer (Electronics) to define the end-to-end signal chain. You will focus on the ...

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All JobsAudio Design Engineer JobsAudio Design Engineer Jobs in California

Audio Design Engineer information

See California salary details

$40K

$87K

$156.4K

How much do audio design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for audio design engineer in California is $86,995.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $67,100.00 and $97,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an Audio Design Engineer do?

An Audio Design Engineer is responsible for creating, developing, and optimizing audio systems and components used in various products such as consumer electronics, automotive systems, and professional audio equipment. They work on tasks such as designing loudspeakers, microphones, amplifiers, and digital audio processing algorithms. These engineers often collaborate with other engineering teams to ensure that sound quality meets the desired standards and specifications. Their role may also involve testing prototypes, troubleshooting audio issues, and implementing improvements based on feedback.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior engineers in specialized fields such as software engineering, petroleum engineering, and aerospace engineering can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills, and leadership roles. High compensation often involves bonuses, stock options, or profit sharing, and typically requires advanced degrees and certifications.

How much do sound design engineers make?

Sound design engineers typically earn a median annual salary of around $70,000 to $100,000, depending on experience, location, and industry. Entry-level positions may start lower, while experienced engineers working in film, gaming, or advertising can earn higher salaries, especially with specialized skills and advanced equipment knowledge.

What is the difference between Audio Design Engineer vs Audio Software Engineer?

AspectAudio Design EngineerAudio Software Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's in Audio Engineering, Sound Design, or related fieldsBachelor's in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related fields
Work EnvironmentRecording studios, sound labs, hardware developmentSoftware development firms, tech companies, audio app development
Industry UsageMusic, film, gaming, broadcastMusic apps, digital audio workstations, audio processing software

Audio Design Engineers focus on creating and optimizing audio hardware and sound systems, while Audio Software Engineers develop software solutions for audio processing and applications. Both roles require technical skills but differ mainly in their focus on hardware versus software development within the audio industry.

What are some common challenges faced by Audio Design Engineers when working on cross-functional teams?

Audio Design Engineers often collaborate closely with hardware, software, and product design teams to integrate sound solutions effectively. A common challenge is aligning audio requirements with the constraints and timelines of other departments, which can require flexibility and strong communication skills. Ensuring that audio quality is maintained without compromising on size, power, or cost can also be demanding. Successful Audio Design Engineers proactively share feedback, adapt to evolving project needs, and work collaboratively to create the best user experience.

Who was Michael Jackson's sound engineer?

Michael Jackson's sound engineer was Bruce Swedien, who was renowned for his work on Jackson's albums such as 'Thriller' and 'Bad.' Swedien was known for his expertise in recording and mixing, often using innovative techniques and high-quality equipment to achieve his signature sound.

Is there a high demand for Audio Engineers?

The demand for audio engineers, including those specializing in audio design, is expected to grow as the entertainment, gaming, and media industries expand. Skills in digital audio workstations, sound editing, and mixing are increasingly sought after, especially with the rise of multimedia content creation and streaming platforms.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Audio Design Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Audio Design Engineer, you need a strong background in acoustics, audio signal processing, and electronic engineering, usually supported by a relevant degree. Proficiency with digital audio workstations (DAWs), signal analysis software, and industry-standard audio hardware is typically required, along with certifications like AVIXA CTS or Dante. Creativity, problem-solving skills, and effective communication help foster innovation and collaboration on complex audio projects. These skills and qualities are crucial to delivering high-quality audio solutions that meet technical and client requirements in diverse environments.
What are popular job titles related to Audio Design Engineer jobs in California? For Audio Design Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Audio Design Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Audio Design Engineer jobs in California are:
Audio Design Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Audio Design Engineer job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $86,995 per year, or $41.8 per hour.
Lead Audio Engineer

Lead Audio Engineer

OSI Engineering

Palo Alto, CA

$300K - $400K/yr

Other

Posted 4 days ago

Job description

You will own the wearable audio system end-to-end, from distributed microphone arrays and DSP to wake-word, beamforming, spatial audio, and open-ear speaker output. The first device includes multi-mic capture, on-device processing (AEC, noise suppression, DOA, wake-word), and Class-D–driven speakers. Audio is central to the product experience.


What You’ll Do


• Own the audio system end-to-end — microphone selection and placement, audio acquisition architecture, DSP pipeline, wake-word, beamforming, AEC, noise suppression, spatial speaker output.

• Drive part selection and benchmarking across the audio chain — microphones, audio DSPs and AFEs, Class-D amplifiers, speakers — with second-source planning.

• Specify the electrical and acoustic interfaces audio needs from the rest of the system, and partner with the EE lead on layout and the FW lead on runtime hosting.

• Drive the on-device DSP that runs in real time alongside the rest of the platform — algorithm design, latency and CPU budgets, training data, metric tuning.

• Validate the spatial mic array for direction-of-arrival accuracy, speech enhancement in noise, and wind robustness across realistic wear scenarios.

• Define the wake-word strategy — keyword choice, training data, on-device engine, false-accept and missed-trigger budgets — and own the experience users hit when they say it.

• Partners with the product design lead on acoustic detailing — microphone ports, mesh, wind shielding, speaker housings, leakage.

• Partner with the reliability lead on component-level reliability for the audio chain — transducer durability, sweat and humidity resistance, AFE and amplifier qualification.

• Ship the product by the end of year and help build the audio team and our cloud-side voice processing capability.


Responsibilities:

• 10+ years of audio engineering, with at least one shipped consumer product

• where you owned a multi-microphone voice system end-to-end.

• Deep expertise in voice DSP — beamforming, AEC, noise suppression, direction-of-arrival on multi-microphone arrays.

• Proven track record shipping wake-word or always-on voice activation at consumer scale, including data collection and metric tuning.

• Experience designing real-time DSP pipelines on constrained MCUs — not just plugin-based desktop work.

• Strong acoustic engineering instincts — microphone selection, port design, housing acoustics, wind, occlusion, body coupling.

• Direct experience driving audio component selection and benchmarking with second-source planning.


Preferred Skills:

• Deploying audio DSP, wake-word, or speech models on dedicated low-power AI accelerators.

• Experience with leading on-device wake-word engines.

• Multi-channel audio DSPs and Class-D amplifier design.

• Spatial audio rendering — HRTF, panning, head-tracked binaural.

• Cloud STT pipelines and end-to-end voice UX latency budgets.


Submit resume to jobs@OSIengineering.com


Mario Ruiz

408.550.2800 x105


Type: Fulltime

Location: Palo Alto, CA (Hybrid Schedule)

Salary Range: $300k - $400k/y (DOE)

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