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Audio Sound Design Jobs (NOW HIRING)

NPR

Audio Engineer

Washington, DC

$44.04 - $49.67/hr

Audio for video, post-production, and sound design competence * Teaching or training experience ADDITIONAL: The onboarding process for new hires includes substantial training and opportunities to ...

Museum of Science

Audio Supervisor

Boston, MA

$68K - $85K/yr

Deliver high quality audio for both in-person and online audiences ... Serve as a thought-leader in sound design and engineering, and collaborate with internal Museum ...

Museum of Science

Audio Supervisor

Boston, MA · On-site

$68K - $85K/yr

Deliver high quality audio for both in-person and online audiences ... Serve as a thought-leader in sound design and engineering, and collaborate with internal Museum ...

Hexany Audio

Be Seen First

Producer

Bell Gardens, CA · On-site

$90K - $120K/yr

Company Description At Hexany Audio, we believe great game audio is built on great collaboration. Founded in 2012, we craft custom sound design and music for some of the world's top games and ...

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Audio Sound Design information

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$41K

$92.1K

$122.5K

How much do audio sound design jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 3, 2026, the average yearly pay for audio sound design in the United States is $92,099.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $81,000.00 and $106,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

To thrive as an Audio Sound Designer, you need a solid grasp of audio engineering principles, sound theory, and proficiency in music or audio production, often supported by a relevant degree or portfolio. Familiarity with digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Pro Tools, Logic Pro, or Ableton Live, as well as audio editing plugins and sound libraries, is typically expected. Creativity, attention to detail, and strong collaboration skills help sound designers craft immersive experiences and communicate effectively with directors and developers. These abilities ensure high-quality, engaging audio that enhances the overall impact of multimedia projects.

How does an audio sound designer typically collaborate with game developers and other creative team members?

Audio sound designers work closely with game developers, composers, and artists to create immersive soundscapes that enhance the player experience. This collaboration often involves attending regular team meetings, reviewing game builds, and integrating feedback to ensure audio elements align seamlessly with gameplay and visuals. Sound designers may also use middleware tools to implement audio assets directly into the game engine, requiring clear communication with programmers and designers. Effective teamwork is essential for balancing creative vision with technical requirements and meeting production deadlines.

What is audio sound design?

Audio sound design is the process of creating, recording, manipulating, and assembling audio elements for various forms of media, such as films, video games, theater, and music. Sound designers craft everything from ambient backgrounds to specific sound effects that enhance the audience's experience and support the storytelling. This work involves using software and hardware tools to record, edit, and mix sounds, ensuring they fit seamlessly within a project. Sound designers often collaborate with directors, composers, and other creative professionals to achieve the desired audio atmosphere.

What is the difference between Audio Sound Design vs Audio Post-Production?

AspectAudio Sound DesignAudio Post-Production
Primary FocusCreating original sound elements and effects for mediaEditing, mixing, and mastering audio for final output
Skills & ToolsSound creation, Foley, synthesis, sound editing softwareAudio editing, noise reduction, equalization, mixing consoles
Work EnvironmentFilm sets, game studios, sound studiosPost-production houses, film and TV studios
CredentialsAudio engineering, sound design certificationsAudio engineering, post-production certifications

While both roles involve working with audio, Audio Sound Design focuses on creating and designing original sounds, whereas Audio Post-Production involves editing and refining audio recordings for the final media product. Understanding these differences helps professionals choose the right career path or specialization within the audio industry.

More about Audio Sound Design jobs
What cities are hiring for Audio Sound Design jobs? Cities with the most Audio Sound Design job openings:
What states have the most Audio Sound Design jobs? States with the most job openings for Audio Sound Design jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Audio Sound Design jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Audio Sound Design jobs are:
Audio Sound Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Audio Sound Design job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 86% Full Time, 3% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 9% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $92,099 per year, or $44.3 per hour.
Principal Sound Designer, Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA

Principal Sound Designer, Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Irvine, CA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 8 days ago

Job description

Team Name:
Unannounced Project
Job Title:
Principal Sound Designer, Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA
Requisition ID:
R026781
Job Description:
Your Mission
At Blizzard, we craft genre-defining games and legendary worlds for all to share. Through unparalleled creativity and technical excellence, we create immersive universes and unforgettable player experiences - only made possible by building a work environment that cultivates the artistry of game development and unleashes the aspirations of our people.
We are looking for a Principal Sound Designer to help craft a new, unannounced game for Blizzard. As a principal-level individual contributor, you will be responsible for defining and executing high-quality sound design while shaping scalable audio pipelines and workflows across the project. You will work in close partnership with audio leadership, engineering, and cross-disciplinary teams to ensure audio systems are robust, performant, and creatively aligned with the vision of the game.
This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work from home. The potential home studio for this role is Irvine, CA.
Responsibilities
Priorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:
  • Deliver world class sound design using commercial and proprietary software, tools, and source material.
  • Partner closely with the Audio Director to define and execute the audio aesthetic of the project.
  • Collaborate with audio programmers and sound designers to design, implement, and scale audio pipelines.
  • Anticipate project needs and independently design and implement solutions without supervision.
  • Optimize audio assets and advise on workflow improvements to increase efficiency and scalability across the project.
  • Troubleshoot complex audio-related problems across multiple disciplines.
  • Clearly communicate technical and creative concepts through strong written and verbal communication.
  • Self-manage time and drive complex, multi-stage initiatives to completion.

Experience
  • 13+ years of combined professional experience in the game industry as a sound designer.
  • Demonstrated experience owning and delivering complex audio systems on shipped titles.
  • Proven experience collaborating with engineering and cross-disciplinary partners on large-scale projects.

Knowledge and Skills
  • Expertise with AAA game engines and a strong understanding of audio implementation and integration workflows.
  • Deep understanding of Wwise and real-time audio systems.
  • Experience developing and improving custom audio workflows and tools.
  • Extensive knowledge of field-recording techniques and source capture.
  • Experience mentoring others and actively sharing technical and creative knowledge across teams.

Key Attributes
  • A team-oriented approach to your work, understanding the importance of collaboration and partnership across disciplines.
  • The ability to inspire and elevate others through technical leadership, mentorship, and craft excellence.
  • A self-motivated, proactive problem-solver who operates effectively with minimal direction.
  • Strong adaptability to feedback and evolving project needs.

Extra Points
  • Experience working through early-development and R&D phases of a project.
  • Experience with Unreal Engine, including Blueprints and Wwise integration.
  • Scripting skills in Python, MEL, or similar languages.
  • Passion for video games and a deep understanding of game audio.

Required Application Materials
  • Demo reel and/or online portfolio showcasing sound design and technical audio work.

Your Platform
At Blizzard Entertainment, we pour our hearts and souls into everything we create. Best known for iconic video-game universes including Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and StarCraft, we've been creating genre-defining games for millions of players around the world for more than 30 years. We're on a quest: bring our dreams to life and craft the most epic entertainment experiences...ever.
Our World
Best known for iconic video-game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences.
Our ability to build immersive and innovative worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment.
Rewards
We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:
  • Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
  • 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
  • Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
  • Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
  • If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/.
In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $116,800.00 - $216,000.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role's range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.
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About Blizzard Entertainment

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Blizzard Entertainment is a globally recognized leader in the Digital Gaming industry, renowned for creating some of the world's most popular video games such as "World of Warcraft," "Overwatch," and "Diablo." The company was founded in 1991 and is currently based in Irvine, California, USA. Aside from creating engaging video games, Blizzard Entertainment also develops and supports a wide range of software products within the realm of entertainment. The company prides itself on its commitment to quality, an element that can be recognized in its vast array of legendary games. Notably, its creation, World of Warcraft, remains one of the highest-grossing video games of all time.

Industry

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Irvine, CA, US

Year founded

1991

Social media

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