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Audio Mixing Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Qualcomm

Sr. Staff Audio Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

Knowledge of audio signal processing (sample rates, formats, mixing, post-processing effects) and DSP architecture (Hexagon/Qualcomm DSP experience is a plus). * Interfaces: Experience with standard ...

Jamul Casino

Senior AV Technician

Jamul, CA · On-site

Responsible for audio and visual programming, implementation, and troubleshooting for the property ... High school diploma or equivalent. * 2+ years of experience as an A1 or lead mixing engineer in ...

XMEMS LABS INC

Senior Application Engineer Audio

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$140K - $200K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Acoustics, Physics, or related field * 7+ years of experience in the electronics industry, preferably with mixed-signal audio amplifier, power, or related ...

Jamul Casino

Senior AV Technician

Jamul, CA

Responsible for audio and visual programming, implementation, and troubleshooting for the property ... High school diploma or equivalent. * 2+ years of experience as an A1 or lead mixing engineer in ...

Mercor

Thai Music Audio Expert

San Francisco, CA · Remote

$17/hr

Qualifications Must-Have * 3+ years of experience as a music producer, audio engineer, or sound mixer. * College degree in music, covering performance, theory, and lyrics. * Native or near-native ...

Centr

Senior Video Editor

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$100K - $110K/yr

... engineers, designers, marketers, and brand builders. At Centr, our core values include respect ... Handle all aspects of sound design and audio mixing, ensuring every deliverable sounds as polished ...

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All JobsAudio Mixing Engineer JobsAudio Mixing Engineer Jobs in California

Audio Mixing Engineer information

See California salary details

$29.1K

$83.3K

$169.3K

How much do audio mixing engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 17, 2026, the average yearly pay for audio mixing engineer in California is $83,350.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $49,300.00 and $111,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an audio mixing engineer do?

An Audio Mixing Engineer is responsible for blending and balancing the individual tracks of a recording to create a polished final version. This involves adjusting levels, panning, equalization, compression, effects, and other audio processing tools to ensure each element of a song or audio project sounds cohesive and professional. They work closely with producers and artists to achieve the desired sound, and their expertise is crucial for both music production and post-production in film, television, and other media.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an audio mixing engineer?

To thrive as an Audio Mixing Engineer, you need a deep understanding of audio theory, signal flow, and acoustics, often supported by a degree or certification in audio engineering or music production. Proficiency with digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Pro Tools or Logic Pro, as well as familiarity with plugins, hardware consoles, and monitoring systems, is typically required. Strong attention to detail, creativity, and effective communication skills set top professionals apart in this field. These skills are vital to produce high-quality mixes that meet artistic and technical standards, ensuring client satisfaction and successful project outcomes.

What are some common challenges audio mixing engineers face when working with diverse music genres?

Audio Mixing Engineers often encounter the challenge of adapting their techniques to suit different music genres, as each genre has unique expectations for sound balance, effects, and dynamics. For instance, mixing pop may emphasize vocals and clarity, while rock requires attention to powerful drums and guitars, and electronic music leans on precise low-end and synthesized elements. Successfully navigating these differences involves not only technical skill but also strong communication with artists and producers to understand their creative vision. Flexibility and a continuous learning mindset are key to excelling in this role.

What is the difference between Audio Mixing Engineer vs Sound Designer?

AspectAudio Mixing EngineerSound Designer
Primary RoleBalancing and blending audio tracks for final productionCreating and designing sound effects and audio elements
Skills & CertificationsProficiency in mixing software, audio engineering certificationsSound design skills, creativity, audio editing expertise
Work EnvironmentRecording studios, post-production facilitiesFilm, video game, theater, and multimedia projects
Industry UsageMusic, film, TV, broadcastingFilm, video games, multimedia, advertising

While both roles involve audio work, an Audio Mixing Engineer focuses on balancing and blending audio tracks to achieve a polished sound, often in post-production. A Sound Designer creates unique sound effects and audio elements to enhance storytelling or user experience. Both roles require technical skills and industry knowledge but serve different creative and technical purposes.

Are audio mixing engineers in demand?

Audio mixing engineers are in steady demand across the music, film, television, and gaming industries, especially as content creation continues to grow. Skills in digital audio workstations and familiarity with industry-standard tools increase employability, with opportunities available in studios, post-production houses, and freelance work.

How much money do audio mixing engineers make?

Audio mixing engineers' salaries vary based on experience, location, and industry, but the median annual income in the United States is around $50,000 to $70,000. Experienced engineers working in major markets or with high-profile clients can earn significantly more, often exceeding $100,000 annually. Many also supplement income through freelance work, royalties, or additional audio services.

Is there a demand for audio mixing engineers?

The demand for audio mixing engineers remains steady due to the growth of music production, film, television, and streaming media industries. Skilled engineers with proficiency in digital audio workstations and mixing techniques are sought after, especially in professional studio environments and live sound settings.

What are popular job titles related to Audio Mixing Engineer jobs in California?

For Audio Mixing Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Audio Mixing Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Audio Mixing Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Audio Mixing Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Audio Mixing Engineer job openings:

Audio Mixing Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Audio Mixing Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 69% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 3% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 99% In-person, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $83,350 per year, or $40.1 per hour.

Sr. Staff Audio Engineer

Qualcomm

San Diego, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 21 days ago

Qualcomm rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 11 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

49th of 244 rated software companies

Job description

Company:
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software Engineering
General Summary:
The Senior Staff Audio Engineer is a technical authority responsible for the architecture, design, and optimization of complex audio subsystems. This role defines the direction for audio technologies (voice, playback, record, streaming) and ensures seamless integration across hardware and software stacks. The engineer works independently, influences key technical decisions, and leads cross-functional efforts to deliver high-quality audio experiences for mobile, automotive, or IoT platforms.
Responsibilities
1. Technical Architecture & Strategy
  • System Architecture: Lead the definition and design of end-to-end audio architectures, including Audio Frameworks (Android/QNX), HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer), and kernel-level drivers.
  • Feature Development: Drive the design of advanced audio features such as spatial audio, active noise cancellation (ANC), voice activation/UI, and low-latency audio pipelines.
  • Performance Optimization: Analyze system performance to identify bottlenecks; optimize power consumption, latency, and memory usage for audio use cases.
  • Innovation: Propose and prototype new audio algorithms or system modifications to improve acoustic performance and machine perception capabilities.
2. Leadership & Execution
  • Technical Leadership: Serve as the primary technical interface for audio subsystems; lead design reviews and provide critical feedback to ensure design integrity.
  • Cross-Functional Alignment: Collaborate with Hardware, System, and Test teams to align on requirements and resolve complex integration challenges (e.g., synchronizing audio with display/video).
  • Issue Resolution: Lead complex root cause analysis (RCA) for critical audio defects (e.g., distortion, drops, synchronization issues) and drive solutions across multiple layers of the stack.
  • Mentorship: Mentor senior and staff engineers on best practices, code reviews, and architectural patterns.
3. Process & Standards
  • Standards Compliance: Ensure compliance with industry standards (e.g., USB Audio, Bluetooth A2DP/LE Audio, Dolby/DTS certifications).
  • Documentation: Create detailed technical specifications, architecture documents, and API definitions; present technical strategies to senior leadership.

Minimum Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 6+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 5+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 4+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
• 3+ years of work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Languages: Expert proficiency in C/C++; familiarity with Java/Kotlin (for Android) or Python (for tooling/analysis).
  • OS/Kernel: Deep understanding of Linux/Android kernel audio drivers (ASoC), device tree configuration, and memory management (DMA, ION).
  • Audio Frameworks: Hands-on experience with Android Audio Framework (AudioFlinger, AudioPolicyManager), Audio HAL (HIDL/AIDL), PulseAudio, PipeWire, or ALSA/TinyALSA.
  • DSP & Algorithms: Knowledge of audio signal processing (sample rates, formats, mixing, post-processing effects) and DSP architecture (Hexagon/Qualcomm DSP experience is a plus).
  • Interfaces: Experience with standard audio interfaces (I2S, TDM, SLIMbus, SoundWire, USB, HDMI).
  • Debugging: Proficiency with debugging tools (JTAG, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes) and audio measurement tools (Audio Precision, HEAD acoustics).

  • Decision Making: Makes critical architectural decisions with significant impact on product roadmap and timelines.
  • Communication: Conveys complex technical information to non-technical stakeholders and influences decision-making at Director/VP levels.
  • Autonomy: Operates independently with minimal supervision; defines scope and drives tasks to completion in ambiguous environments.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
  • Works independently with minimal supervision.
  • Provides supervision and guidance to other team members.
  • Makes decisions that significantly affect work beyond the immediate team.
  • Utilizes verbal and written communication skills; may require negotiation, influence, and tact.
  • Has moderate influence over key organizational decisions (e.g., consulted by senior leadership).
  • Performs tasks requiring multiple steps that may be completed in various orders; requires extensive planning, problem-solving, and prioritization.

Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation during the application/hiring process, rest assured that Qualcomm is committed to providing an accessible process. You may e-mail disability-accomodations@qualcomm.com or call Qualcomm's toll-free number found here. Upon request, Qualcomm will provide reasonable accommodations to support individuals with disabilities to be able participate in the hiring process. Qualcomm is also committed to making our workplace accessible for individuals with disabilities. (Keep in mind that this email address is used to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. We will not respond here to requests for updates on applications or resume inquiries).
To all Staffing and Recruiting Agencies: Our Careers Site is only for individuals seeking a job at Qualcomm. Staffing and recruiting agencies and individuals being represented by an agency are not authorized to use this site or to submit profiles, applications or resumes, and any such submissions will be considered unsolicited. Qualcomm does not accept unsolicited resumes or applications from agencies. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Qualcomm employees or any other company location. Qualcomm is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/applications.
EEO Employer: Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or any other protected classification.
Qualcomm expects its employees to abide by all applicable policies and procedures, including but not limited to security and other requirements regarding protection of Company confidential information and other confidential and/or proprietary information, to the extent those requirements are permissible under applicable law.
Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits:
$162,600.00 - $244,000.00
The above pay scale reflects the broad, minimum to maximum, pay scale for this job code for the location for which it has been posted. Even more importantly, please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Qualcomm. We also offer a competitive annual discretionary bonus program and opportunity for annual RSU grants (employees on sales-incentive plans are not eligible for our annual bonus). In addition, our highly competitive benefits package is designed to support your success at work, at home, and at play. Your recruiter will be happy to discuss all that Qualcomm has to offer - and you can review more details about our US benefits at this link.
If you would like more information about this role, please contact Qualcomm Careers.

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About Qualcomm

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Qualcomm is enabling a world where everyone and everything can be intelligently connected. You interact with products and technologies made possible by Qualcomm every day, including 5G-enabled smartphones that double as pro-level cameras and gaming devices, smarter vehicles and cities, and the technology behind the smart, connected factories that manufactured your latest purchase. Our powerful connectivity solutions keep you connected—even in remote areas. Qualcomm 5G and AI innovations are the power behind the connected intelligent edge. You’ll find our technologies behind and inside the innovations that deliver significant value across multiple industries and to billions of people every day.

Industry

Technology, communication and media

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

San Diego, CA, US

Year founded

1985

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