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Ott Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Principal Engineer - C++

Reston, VA · On-site

$155K - $255K/yr

Senior Engineer (L4), Lead Engineer (L5), Principal Engineer (L6), Senior Principal/Architect (L7 ... OTT and Connected TV (CTV) platforms * Forecasting, optimization, recommendation, and decisioning ...

Ott Engineer information

What is an OTT engineer?

OTT (Over-The-Top) Engineers are professionals who design, develop, and maintain streaming media platforms that deliver video, audio, and other content directly over the internet, bypassing traditional cable or satellite systems. They work with technologies such as content delivery networks (CDNs), video encoding, adaptive bitrate streaming, and digital rights management (DRM) to ensure smooth and secure content delivery to end users. OTT Engineers collaborate with software developers, network engineers, and content providers to build and optimize the infrastructure that supports popular streaming services. Their work is crucial for platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.

How does an OTT engineer typically collaborate with content and product teams to ensure seamless streaming experiences?

OTT Engineers frequently work alongside content and product teams to align technical solutions with user experience goals. This collaboration involves regular meetings to discuss new features, address streaming quality issues, and integrate feedback from end-users. OTT Engineers may also assist with troubleshooting playback problems and ensuring that deployments meet both technical and content delivery requirements. Effective communication and cross-functional teamwork are key to delivering a reliable and engaging streaming platform.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an OTT engineer, and why are they important?

To excel as an OTT Engineer, you need expertise in video streaming technologies, content delivery networks (CDNs), and software development, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with tools such as FFmpeg, Wowza, AWS Media Services, and streaming protocols like HLS or DASH, as well as relevant certifications, is highly valuable. Strong problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills set top performers apart in this field. These abilities ensure reliable, scalable video delivery and a seamless user experience across multiple platforms.

What is the difference between Ott Engineer vs HVAC Engineer?

AspectOtt EngineerHVAC Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires a degree in electrical, electronics, or telecommunications engineering; certifications like Cisco CCNA or CompTIA Network+ are common.Requires a degree in mechanical or electrical engineering; certifications like EPA 608, HVAC Excellence, or NATE are common.
Work EnvironmentWorks in data centers, broadcast facilities, or telecommunication environments, focusing on OTT platform infrastructure.Works in commercial, residential, or industrial settings, focusing on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
Industry UsagePrimarily used in digital media, streaming services, and telecommunications industries.Primarily used in construction, facility management, and building services industries.

Ott Engineers and HVAC Engineers have distinct roles, but both require technical certifications and work in specialized environments. Ott Engineers focus on digital media infrastructure, while HVAC Engineers specialize in climate control systems. Understanding these differences helps in choosing the right career path or job search focus.

What cities in Virginia are hiring for Ott Engineer jobs?

Cities in Virginia with the most Ott Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Ott Engineer job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution.

Principal Engineer - C++

Judge Group, Inc.

Reston, VA • On-site

$155K - $255K/yr

Other

Re-posted 9 days ago


Job description

Location: Reston, VA Salary: $155,000.00 USD Annually - $255,000.00 USD Annually Description:
Senior Software Engineer / Lead Engineer / Principal Engineer (C++)
Location: Hybrid - Reston, VA
Level: Senior Engineer (L4), Lead Engineer (L5), Principal Engineer (L6), Senior Principal/Architect (L7)
Employment Type: Full-Time
About the Opportunity
Seeking experienced C++ engineers to help build and evolve the distributed systems powering the future of video advertising.
This team develops highly scalable backend platforms responsible for real-time decisioning, ad serving, marketplace transactions, forecasting, optimization, streaming, and video advertising delivery. Engineers in this organization solve challenging problems involving latency, concurrency, scale, reliability, and performance while supporting critical systems that process large volumes of real-time transactions.
We are hiring across multiple levels, from Senior Engineer through Architect, and are looking for engineers who enjoy building production-grade systems that operate at scale.
What You'll Do
  • Design, develop, and support high-performance backend services in C++
  • Build and maintain distributed systems supporting video advertising and ad-serving platforms
  • Design scalable, reliable, and fault-tolerant architectures
  • Optimize system latency, throughput, availability, and performance
  • Participate throughout the full software development lifecycle, from design through production support
  • Troubleshoot production issues, perform root-cause analysis, and implement durable solutions
  • Collaborate with Product, QA, Operations, and Engineering teams to deliver business-critical capabilities
  • Develop technical designs, architecture documentation, test strategies, and implementation plans
  • Conduct code reviews and promote engineering best practices
  • Mentor and guide engineers across the organization
  • Influence technical direction, architecture, and platform strategy based on level and experience
Required Qualifications
  • Strong professional experience developing software with C++ and/or C
  • Experience building backend systems in production environments
  • Hands-on experience designing, implementing, and supporting distributed systems
  • Experience with large-scale, highly available, and performance-sensitive platforms
  • Strong understanding of network programming concepts
  • Experience with database-backed applications and data modeling
  • Strong knowledge of data structures and algorithms
  • Experience working within Linux or Unix environments
  • Experience with debugging, troubleshooting, testing, and performance optimization
  • Understanding of software engineering best practices, SDLC, and Agile methodologies
  • Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience with high-concurrency or low-latency systems
  • Cloud-native development experience
  • AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform experience
  • Kubernetes, Docker, or container orchestration technologies
  • Experience with distributed caching, databases, and messaging systems
  • Familiarity with technologies such as Nginx, Aerospike, Redis, Kafka, Snowflake, or similar platforms
  • Experience with Go/Golang
  • Experience reviewing code, mentoring engineers, and leading technical design discussions
Highly Desired Industry Experience
We are particularly interested in candidates with experience in:
  • Ad Tech platforms
  • DSPs, SSPs, ad servers, exchanges, and marketplace systems
  • OpenRTB and real-time bidding platforms
  • Video advertising and streaming technologies
  • OTT and Connected TV (CTV) platforms
  • Forecasting, optimization, recommendation, and decisioning systems

We also welcome candidates from other highly scalable and mission-critical environments, including:
  • FinTech
  • Electronic trading systems
  • Telecommunications
  • Networking infrastructure
  • Gaming platforms
  • Cloud platform engineering
  • Search and recommendation systems
What Makes Someone Successful in This Role
Successful engineers on this team have experience:
  • Building and operating distributed backend systems
  • Writing production-grade C++ code for high-scale environments
  • Solving performance, reliability, scalability, and availability challenges
  • Supporting systems in production and responding to operational issues
  • Balancing technical quality, business priorities, and delivery timelines
  • Communicating effectively across technical and non-technical stakeholders
Leveling
Level 4: Senior Engineer
  • 4+ years of experience
  • Owns complex services, features, or subsystems
  • Strong hands-on contributor with distributed systems experience
Level 5: Lead Engineer
  • 5+ years of experience
  • Leads major technical initiatives and mentors engineers
  • Drives engineering quality and execution across projects
Level 6: Principal Engineer
  • 7+ years of experience
  • Influences architecture across multiple systems and teams
  • Solves highly complex platform and scaling challenges
Level 7: Senior Principal / Architect
  • 10+ years of experience
  • Defines technical direction and long-term platform strategy
  • Serves as a trusted technical authority across the organization

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Contact:
This job and many more are available through The Judge Group. Please apply with us today!