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Playback Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Kake Group

Senior iOS Video Player Engineer

Austin, TX · Remote

$143K/yr

Tune playback performance at scale to ensure reliable, high-quality viewing experiences. Use video analytics and QoE metrics to diagnose issues and improve real-world playback performance. Core ...

STAND 8

Sr Video Streaming Engineer (iOS)

Almont, CO · Remote

$70 - $80/hr

You'll work on highly visible initiatives involving advanced playback experiences, SDK development, performance optimization, and next-generation mobile video delivery while collaborating with a high ...

W3Global

OTT Test Engineer

Englewood, NJ

Hiring OTT QA Engineer with experience testing VOD and Live TV apps on Smart TVs, Roku, Apple TV, and mobile devices, skilled in video playback, UI, performance testing, and basic Java automation.

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$5

$19

$25

How much do playback jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 5, 2026, the average hourly pay for playback in the United States is $19.31, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.59 and $21.88 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

To thrive as a Playback Engineer, you need a solid understanding of audio engineering, digital audio workstations (DAWs), and live sound principles, often supported by relevant audio production education or experience. Familiarity with playback systems like Ableton Live, Pro Tools, and hardware such as audio interfaces and MIDI controllers is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and excellent communication skills help ensure smooth coordination with artists and crew during live performances. These skills are crucial for delivering reliable and high-quality audio playback, minimizing technical issues, and supporting seamless shows.

What are some common challenges faced by Playback Operators during live productions, and how can these be managed?

Playback Operators in live production environments often face challenges such as last-minute content changes, technical glitches with media servers, and the pressure of synchronizing playback cues with other departments. Successful operators stay organized by preparing backup files, conducting thorough technical checks before events, and maintaining clear communication with directors and technical teams. Being adaptable and having a strong understanding of the playback system are essential for managing these challenges smoothly.

What does a Playback operator do?

A Playback operator is responsible for managing and controlling the video, audio, and graphics content that is played back during live events, broadcasts, or film productions. They ensure that pre-recorded media is cued and displayed at the right moments, working closely with directors and production teams to maintain smooth transitions. This role requires technical knowledge of playback systems and quick problem-solving skills to handle any issues that may arise during live performances.

What is the difference between Playback vs Sound Engineer?

AspectPlaybackSound Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires technical training or certification in audio/visual technologyRequires audio engineering certifications or degrees in sound design or related fields
Work EnvironmentLive events, theaters, concerts, and broadcast settingsRecording studios, live events, film sets, and broadcast stations
Industry UsageUsed in live performances to manage audio playbackInvolved in recording, mixing, and sound design for various media

While both Playback and Sound Engineer roles involve audio technology, Playback primarily focuses on managing pre-recorded audio during live events, whereas Sound Engineers handle recording, mixing, and sound design across different media. Understanding these differences helps clarify career paths and job expectations in the audio industry.

More about Playback jobs
What cities are hiring for Playback jobs? Cities with the most Playback job openings:
What states have the most Playback jobs? States with the most job openings for Playback jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Playback jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Playback jobs are:
Playback jobs near you
Infographic showing various Playback job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 80% Full Time, 15% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $40,158 per year, or $19.3 per hour.
Applied Scientist, Prime Video - Playback Intelligence

Applied Scientist, Prime Video - Playback Intelligence

Amazon

Seattle, WA

Full-time

Posted 18 hours ago

Amazon rating

7.4

Company rating: 7.4 out of 10

Based on 6,811 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

7th of 39 rated national retailers

Job description

Prime Video is a first-stop entertainment destination offering customers a vast collection of premium programming in one app available across thousands of devices. Prime members can customize their viewing experience and find their favorite movies, series, documentaries, and live sports - including Amazon MGM Studios-produced series and movies; licensed fan favorites; and programming from Prime Video add-on subscriptions such as Apple TV+, Max, Crunchyroll and MGM+. All customers, regardless of whether they have a Prime membership or not, can rent or buy titles via the Prime Video Store, and can enjoy even more content for free with ads.
Are you interested in shaping the future of entertainment

Prime Video's technology teams are creating best-in-class digital video experience.
As a Prime Video technologist, you'll have end-to-end ownership of the product, user experience, design, and technology required to deliver state-of-the-art experiences for our customers. You'll get to work on projects that are fast-paced, challenging, and varied. You'll also be able to experiment with new possibilities, take risks, and collaborate with remarkable people.
We'll look for you to bring your diverse perspectives, ideas, and skill-sets to make Prime Video even better for our customers

With global opportunities for talented technologists, you can decide where a career Prime Video Tech takes you!
As an Applied Scientist in the Prime Video Playback Intelligence Organization, you will have deep subject matter expertise in applied machine learning and data science, with specializations in video streaming optimization, information retrieval, anomaly detection and root-causing systems, large language models and generative AI across various modalities.
Key job responsibilities
- Work with multiple teams of scientists, engineers, and product managers to translate business and functional requirements into concrete deliverables leading strategic efforts to enhance customer quality of experiences.
- Work on problems spaces such as: improving the customer playback quality of experience across Video on Demand, Live Events and Linear Content.


- Reduce the time/cost/effort to optimize the customer experience as well as detect, root-cause, and mitigate defects in the customer experience. You'll seek to understand the depth and nuance of streaming video at scale and identify opportunities to grow our business and improve customer quality of experience via principled ML/AI solutions.
- Lead integration of new algorithms and processes into existing modeling stacks, simplify and streamline the existing modeling stacks, and develop testing and evaluation strategies.

Ultimately, you'll work backwards from the desired outcomes and lead the way on determining the ideal solution (statistical techniques, traditional ML, GenAI, etc).
A day in the life
We love solving challenging and hard problems in our quest to innovate on behalf of our customers and provide the best video streaming experience. We push the boundaries to leverage and invent technologies which help create unrivaled experiences for our customers to help us move fast in a growing and changing environment.

We use data to guide our decisions, work closely with our engineering and product counterparts, and partner with other Science teams as well as academic institutions to learn and guide in an environment of innovation.

What Amazon employees say

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About Amazon

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Amazon.com, Inc., commonly known as Amazon, is an American multinational technology company. It was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994 and initially started as an online marketplace for books. Since then, Amazon has expanded its operations and become one of the largest e-commerce companies in the world. Amazon's primary business is its online retail platform, where customers can purchase a vast array of products, including electronics, clothing, books, home goods, and much more. The company offers a convenient and user-friendly shopping experience, with features such as fast shipping, customer reviews, and personalized recommendations. In addition to its e-commerce platform, Amazon has diversified its business into various other areas. One of its notable ventures is Amazon Web Services (AWS), a comprehensive cloud computing platform that provides services such as storage, compute power, and database management to individuals and businesses. AWS has become a leader in the cloud computing industry, powering many websites and applications worldwide. Amazon has also developed its own consumer electronics, including the popular Amazon Kindle e-reader, Fire tablets, Fire TV streaming devices, and the Alexa-powered Echo smart speakers. The Alexa voice assistant, integrated into these devices, allows users to interact with their devices using voice commands, perform tasks, and access information. Furthermore, Amazon has expanded into media and entertainment. It operates Prime Video, a streaming service that offers a wide range of movies, TV shows, and original content. Amazon Music provides a platform for streaming and purchasing digital music, while Audible offers audiobooks and other audio content. The company's commitment to customer satisfaction and convenience is demonstrated by its membership program, Amazon Prime. Prime members receive various benefits, including free two-day shipping, access to streaming services, exclusive deals, and more.

Industry

It services, book publishers, retail, real estate and computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Seattle, WA, US

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