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Game Audio Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Absurd Ventures

Principal Sound Designer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$140K - $160K/yr

This role is crucial in support of defining an iconic soundscape for our unique and innovative open world game. As a Principal, your mission is to use your creative and technical audio skills to ...

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Game Audio information

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How much do game audio jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 7, 2026, the average hourly pay for game audio in California is $20.67, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $13.99 and $23.51 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a game audio professional typically collaborate with other departments during game development?

Game Audio professionals work closely with game designers, programmers, and artists to ensure that music, sound effects, and dialogue are integrated seamlessly into the game. Collaboration often involves attending development meetings, iterating on feedback, syncing audio assets with gameplay mechanics, and troubleshooting technical issues with the development team. Clear communication and adaptability are key, as priorities can shift quickly based on playtesting results or design changes. This teamwork ensures that the audio enhances the overall player experience and supports the game's vision.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a game audio professional, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Game Audio professional, you need strong musical and sound design skills, a solid understanding of audio engineering, and often a relevant degree or portfolio showcasing your work. Familiarity with digital audio workstations (DAWs), middleware like FMOD or Wwise, and game engines such as Unity or Unreal Engine is typically required. Creative problem-solving, collaboration, and effective communication are vital soft skills for integrating audio seamlessly with other game elements. These skills ensure immersive, high-quality audio experiences that enhance gameplay and player engagement.

What are game audio jobs?

Game audio jobs include work designing video game sound effects, composing original scores or incidental music for games, and producing audio for games. As a sound effects artist, your duties are to assess the visual composition of the game and design and produce sounds based on the action. Composer’s responsibilities also include watching the visual output of the game, but their goal is to compose a soundtrack that fits the mood of the game. Composers may work closely with lead designers or creative directors. Producers typically work with the composer or music director and the sound engineer to ensure that they record the audio properly and program it into the game.

What is game audio?

Game Audio refers to all the sound elements used in video games, including music, sound effects, voice acting, and ambient sounds. Professionals in game audio design, create, and implement these sounds to enhance gameplay, create atmosphere, and support storytelling. Game audio specialists work closely with game developers and designers to ensure the sound fits seamlessly with the game's visuals and mechanics. Their work is essential for creating an immersive and engaging player experience.

What is the difference between Game Audio vs Sound Designer?

AspectGame AudioSound Designer
CredentialsAudio production, music, sound design certificationsAudio, music, sound design certifications
Work EnvironmentVideo game studios, interactive mediaFilm, TV, advertising, interactive media
Industry UsagePrimarily in gaming industryBroadly across entertainment and media
Search & ComparisonFocus on interactive sound for gamesFocus on sound for various media

Game Audio specialists focus on creating sound effects, music, and audio assets specifically for video games, often working within interactive environments. Sound Designers have a broader role, working on sound effects and audio for films, TV, and other media, but may also work in gaming. While both roles require similar skills and certifications, Game Audio professionals specialize in interactive sound design tailored for gameplay experiences.

More about Game Audio jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Game Audio jobs in California? The most popular types of Game Audio jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Game Audio jobs in California? For Game Audio jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Game Audio jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Game Audio jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Game Audio jobs? Cities in California with the most Game Audio job openings:
Game Audio jobs near you
Infographic showing various Game Audio job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 67% Full Time, and 33% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $42,990 per year, or $20.7 per hour.

Principal Sound Designer

Absurd Ventures

Santa Monica, CA • On-site

$140K - $160K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 6 days ago

Job description

Summary
We are looking for a versatile and experienced Principal Sound Designer to join our audio team to craft and implement exceptional sound design. This role is crucial in support of defining an iconic soundscape for our unique and innovative open world game. As a Principal, your mission is to use your creative and technical audio skills to inspire and evangelize the team in creating outstanding and compelling sound design. You will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with some of the greatest developers in the industry on an exciting, immersive, narrative AAA game.
Core Responsibilities
  • Create exceptional and immersive sound design using both commercial and proprietary tools, software, and source material.
  • Work closely with the Audio Director to help define and execute the project's overall audio vision.
  • Collaborate with engineers and fellow sound designers to build, implement, and scale audio pipelines.
  • Proactively anticipate project needs and independently develop and implement solutions.
  • Optimize audio assets and recommend workflow improvements to enhance efficiency and scalability.
  • Diagnose and resolve complex audio issues across multiple disciplines.
  • Effectively communicate technical and creative ideas through clear written and verbal communication.
  • Manage time independently and drive complex, multi-phase initiatives through to completion.

Core Qualifications
  • 8+ years of professional experience in the games industry as a sound designer, with some senior experience on shipped AAA titles.
  • Proven track record of owning and delivering complex audio systems on shipped titles.
  • Demonstrated experience collaborating with engineering and cross-disciplinary teams on large-scale projects.
  • Strong background in recording high-quality source material and pushing it through to final asset implementation.
  • Expertise with AAA game engines and deep knowledge of audio implementation workflows.
  • Advanced proficiency in Wwise and real-time audio systems.
  • Background in mentoring team members and sharing both technical and creative expertise.

Key Attributes
  • A collaborative, team-oriented mindset with a strong emphasis on cross-discipline partnership.
  • Ability to inspire and elevate others through leadership, mentorship, and craftsmanship.
  • Self-motivated, proactive, and capable of solving problems with minimal direction.
  • Adaptable and responsive to feedback and evolving project requirements.

Plus if
  • Experience contributing during early development and R&D phases.
  • Experience designing and improving custom audio tools and workflows for large scale open-world games.
  • Scripting experience in Python, MEL, or similar languages.
  • Passion for video games, storytelling, cinema, and a strong understanding of game audio.

Description
  • Full-time job with benefits.
  • Role is on-site in Santa Monica, CA.
  • Office is located near downtown Santa Monica - near metro and freeways.
  • The base pay range for this position is $140,000 to $160,000 per year. Actual compensation is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. We also offer a competitive package of benefits including paid time off, sick time, company holidays, parental leave, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.

About Absurd Ventures
Absurd Ventures is a media company creating new IP across all platforms and for all formats. Absurd Ventures is building narrative worlds, creating characters, and writing stories for a variety of genres, without regard to medium, to be produced for live-action and animation; video games and other interactive content; books, graphic novels, and scripted podcasts.

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