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Freelance Audio Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

ElevenLabs

Audio Engineering (Freelance)

Poland, NY · On-site

As an Audio Engineer, you will: * Create, refine, and iterate on custom voices for ElevenLabs customer using different techniques * Clean, edit, and prepare customer audio to ensure optimal cloning ...

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How much do freelance audio engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for freelance audio engineer in the United States is $84,456.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $50,000.00 and $113,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a freelance audio engineer do?

A freelance audio engineer is a self-employed professional who specializes in recording, editing, mixing, and mastering audio for music, film, television, podcasts, or live events. Unlike in-house engineers, freelancers work on a project-by-project basis for various clients, often providing their own equipment and working from different studios or remotely. Their responsibilities can include setting up microphones, operating audio software, ensuring sound quality, and collaborating with artists or producers to achieve the desired audio outcome. Freelance audio engineers need strong technical skills, creativity, and good communication abilities to succeed in a highly competitive field.

What are some common challenges freelance audio engineers face when working with multiple clients simultaneously?

Freelance audio engineers often juggle several projects at once, which can make time management and communication challenging. Balancing deadlines, understanding each client's unique vision, and ensuring consistent quality across different genres or formats require strong organizational skills. Additionally, freelancers must be proactive in setting clear expectations, managing revisions, and maintaining a reliable workflow to keep clients satisfied and projects on track.

What Does a Freelance Audio Engineer Do?

A freelance audio engineer works with musicians or record producers to ensure that their song recording has the desired sound. As a freelance audio engineer, you work as an independent contractor rather than as a direct employee of a recording studio or music label. You use sound engineering technology to piece together different parts of a song, incorporate synthetic sounds, or auto-tune the finished product. You can specialize as a studio engineer, a recording engineer, a mix engineer, or a live sound engineer.

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

To thrive as a Freelance Audio Engineer, you need a solid understanding of audio recording, mixing, and mastering, often gained through formal education or extensive hands-on experience. Familiarity with digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Pro Tools or Ableton Live, as well as knowledge of audio plugins and industry-standard equipment, is typically required. Strong communication, time management, and problem-solving skills set outstanding freelancers apart, enabling effective collaboration with clients and adaptability to various project demands. These skills are essential for delivering high-quality audio work, maintaining client satisfaction, and sustaining a successful freelance career.

What is the difference between Freelance Audio Engineer vs Audio Technician?

AspectFreelance Audio EngineerAudio Technician
CredentialsOften requires audio engineering certifications or experienceTypically needs technical training or certifications in audio equipment
Work EnvironmentVaries; events, studios, live shows, remote projectsStudio, live event setups, broadcast facilities
EmployerSelf-employed or contracted clientsEmployers like studios, broadcasters, production companies
Work ScopeMixing, editing, sound design, consultingEquipment setup, maintenance, troubleshooting

In summary, Freelance Audio Engineers focus on mixing, editing, and sound design for various projects, often working independently. Audio Technicians primarily handle technical setup, maintenance, and operation of audio equipment within organizations or production environments. While both roles require technical skills, their daily tasks and work settings differ significantly.

More about Freelance Audio Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Freelance Audio Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Freelance Audio Engineer job openings:
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What states have the most Freelance Audio Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Freelance Audio Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Freelance Audio Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Freelance Audio Engineer jobs are:
Freelance Audio Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Freelance Audio Engineer job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Full Time, and 50% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $84,456 per year, or $40.6 per hour.

Freelance Audio Engineer

Absurd Ventures

Santa Monica, CA

Other

Posted 6 days ago

Job description

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced Freelance Audio Engineer to support AAA video game and linear content production on an as-needed basis. This is an in-person production role embedded within our Santa Monica facility.

The engineer will record, edit, mix, and deliver high-quality audio across multiple active projects, including AAA video games, animated series, advertising campaigns, and marketing content. This role requires technical excellence, calm professionalism with talent and clients in the room, and the ability to manage large volumes of assets across concurrent productions.

This position operates within a fast-paced, high-expectation creative environment where precision, organization, and delivery discipline are critical.

Key Responsibilities

Dialogue Recording & Editorial

  • Record voice talent to broadcast and AAA game standards
  • Engineer client-attended sessions with producers, directors, and executives present
  • Perform detailed dialogue editing, cleanup, conforming, and file prep to technical specifications
  • Ensure tonal consistency across large narrative projects

Mixing & Finishing

  • Mix linear television, advertising, and marketing content
  • Prepare stems and final deliverables to spec for broadcast, streaming, and digital distribution
  • Maintain technical QC standards and meet technical delivery standards

Game Production Support

  • Edit and prepare dialogue assets for interactive implementation
  • Manage large asset counts with strict naming conventions and version control
  • Collaborate with sound design, implementation, and production teams
  • Deliver clean, organized, implementation-ready files

Motion Capture/Sound Stage Recording

  • Record dialogue and production audio on motion capture stages
  • Manage multi-channel wireless microphone workflows
  • Manage RF signal chains in challenging environments
  • Manage gain stages to the highest standards
  • Provide live mixes to relevant stakeholders as needed
  • Coordinate with stage technicians, capture supervisors, and production teams
  • Ensure sync integrity at all times

Operational Discipline

  • Manage multiple projects simultaneously with shifting priorities
  • Maintain impeccable session organization and documentation
  • Hit delivery deadlines without compromising technical quality
  • Troubleshoot technical issues independently and efficiently

Required Experience & Qualifications

  • Minimum 5 years of professional experience as an audio engineer
  • Extensive experience recording with clients and talent in the room
  • Proven expertise editing dialogue at a high narrative and technical level
  • Strong mixing experience for linear television and advertising
  • Deep familiarity with broadcast and streaming delivery specifications
  • Experience recording on motion capture stages
  • Proficiency with industry-standard wireless microphone systems
  • Advanced Pro Tools proficiency and session management discipline
  • Demonstrated ability to manage large asset libraries and complex session workflows
  • Strong communication skills and calm, client-facing professionalism

Technical Competencies

  • Dialogue cleanup, restoration, and precision editing
  • Loudness standards compliance (broadcast and streaming)
  • Stem printing and versioning workflows
  • Multi-mic wireless coordination and RF management
  • Sync workflows for performance capture environments
  • Asset naming, metadata tagging, and delivery packaging

Personal Attributes

  • Meticulous and detail-oriented
  • Composed under pressure
  • Efficient without sacrificing craft
  • Organized across multiple concurrent productions
  • Collaborative and production-minded

Work Environment

  • On-site only in Santa Monica, CA
  • Embedded within a AAA production pipeline
  • Client-attended sessions are frequent
  • High confidentiality environment

Apply