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Sound Designer Jobs in Santa Rosa, CA (NOW HIRING)

Crate and Barrel Designers are passionate about helping customers envision possibilities with the latest home design trends. They build meaningful, long-term relationships by using their knowledge to ...

Prototyping is an exploratory design team. We design software to explore what new hardware might bring to our current and future products. It is our job to invent and propose new features and ...

Teller Part Time Petaluma Main

Petaluma, CA · On-site

$18.50 - $23/hr

It means having robust benefits, competitive compensation, and programs designed to help you find ... Complete transactional and operational activities accurately, exercising sound judgment and ...

New

Teller Petaluma Washington Square

Petaluma, CA · On-site

$18.50 - $23/hr

It means having robust benefits, competitive compensation, and programs designed to help you find ... Complete transactional and operational activities accurately, exercising sound judgment and ...

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Showing results 1-20

Sound Designer information

See Santa Rosa, CA salary details

$71.1K

$91.7K

$111K

How much do sound designer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for sound designer in Santa Rosa, CA is $91,657.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $81,500.00 and $101,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

To thrive as a Sound Designer, you need a strong background in audio engineering, acoustics, and music theory, often supported by a relevant degree or professional training. Proficiency with digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and industry-standard sound libraries is essential. Creativity, attention to detail, and effective communication enable standout collaboration with directors and production teams. These skills and qualities are crucial for producing immersive and high-quality soundscapes that enhance the overall impact of media projects.

What are some common challenges sound designers face when collaborating with other departments on a project?

Sound Designers often collaborate closely with directors, game developers, or video editors, which can present challenges such as aligning creative vision and managing feedback from multiple stakeholders. Balancing technical constraints, like file formats or hardware limitations, with artistic goals is a frequent hurdle. Effective communication and flexibility are essential, as last-minute script changes or edits may require rapid sound adjustments. Building strong relationships with other departments helps ensure the final audio fits seamlessly into the overall project.

What is the difference between Sound Designer vs Sound Editor?

AspectSound DesignerSound Editor
CredentialsTypically holds a degree in audio production, sound design, or related fieldOften has similar educational background, sometimes with additional editing certifications
Work EnvironmentWorks in film, video games, advertising, and multimedia projects, creating original soundscapesPrimarily works in post-production, editing and assembling sound recordings
Industry UsageUsed across entertainment, media, and advertising industriesCommonly employed in film, TV, and video game post-production

While both roles involve working with audio, a Sound Designer creates original sound elements and atmospheres, whereas a Sound Editor focuses on editing and assembling existing audio recordings. Understanding these differences helps clarify career paths and job expectations in the audio industry.

What is a sound designer?

A sound designer works to create and assemble sound effects for a video or audio production. Depending on the medium, you may produce a variety of different audio clips. You typically work closely with the director and other sound technicians to ensure all the audio comes together in a cohesive way and supports the creative goals of the production. As a sound designer, you may source special effects from third parties or find ways to create and record them yourself.

What are popular job titles related to Sound Designer jobs in Santa Rosa, CA? For Sound Designer jobs in Santa Rosa, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Sound Designer jobs in Santa Rosa, CA look for? The top searched job categories for Sound Designer jobs in Santa Rosa, CA are:
What cities near Santa Rosa, CA are hiring for Sound Designer jobs? Cities near Santa Rosa, CA with the most Sound Designer job openings:
Infographic showing various Sound Designer job openings in Santa Rosa, CA as of August 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 $91,657 per year, or $44.1 per hour.

Sr Software Engineer (Skywalker Sound)

The Walt Disney Company

Nicasio, CA

$155K - $208K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 27 days ago


Walt Disney Company rating

7.7

Company rating: 7.7 out of 10

Based on 128 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

5th of 51 rated entertainment


Job description

Job Posting Title:

Sr Software Engineer (Skywalker Sound)

Req ID:

10150266

Job Description:

The Skywalker Sound Development Group is looking for a Senior Software Engineer to join our team.

The Skysound Development Group is developing the set of next-generation tools for audio soundtracks and media distribution. We aim, through the synthesis of institutional wisdom of creative, high quality audio with cutting-edge software engineering, to bridge the divide between content creation and audience experience.

As a Senior Software Engineer within the Group, you will play a key role in conceiving and developing tools to help usher in the new era of post production audio content creation, working in areas such as application development, cloud computing, databases, and state-of-the-art security implementation. The Development Group works closely with master audio content creators to produce novel technology for immediate utilization.

This position requires someone to be located in the San Francisco Bay Area. This position is considered Hybrid, which means the employee will work onsite at Skywalker Ranch and occasionally from home.

What you'll do:

  • Lead the software development lifecycle (design, implementation, testing, maintenance) for media pipeline components and modules

  • Mentor and coach junior and mid-level engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence

  • Drive the technical roadmap and architectural decisions for major components of the media pipeline

  • Implement and maintain secure code practices, utilizing security and scanning toolsets

  • Diagnose and resolve complex performance and scalability issues in a cloud-native environment

  • Manage multiple projects in parallel while maintaining high-quality code and attention to detail

  • Research and incorporate state-of-the-art approaches to recognized challenges

  • Proactively identify and address areas for improved efficiency and product quality

  • Collaborate with product managers and designers to translate business requirements into technical specifications

  • Work closely with team members in shared libraries, techniques and code responsibilities

What We're Looking For:

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience. Master's degree is preferred.

  • 5+ years of prior experience with designing and implementing audio and video post-production workflows

  • Proficiency with Go, JavaScript/TypeScript, C/C++, and Python

  • Solid experience with build systems such as Docker, Makefile, CMake, and Taskfile

  • Mastery of full stack development and secure programming

  • Strong knowledge of CI and test automation tools (Go Test, Google Test, PyTest)

  • Exceptional understanding of Kubernetes

  • Expert knowledge in object-oriented programming and design patterns

  • Vast experience in database design and implementation including relational and in-memory databases

  • Strong familiarity with open-source and cloud-based workflows, including message brokers and serverless technologies

  • API architecture expertise with REST and gRPC

  • Must be detail oriented and organized, possess strong communication skills, and be able to handle a variety of tasks in an efficient manner

The hiring range for this position in San Francisco is :$155,400.00-$208,400.00 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

Job Posting Segment:

TWDSTECH

Job Posting Primary Business:

Information Technology

Primary Job Posting Category:

Software Engineer

Employment Type:

Full time

Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code:

Nicasio, CA, USA

Alternate City, State, Region, Postal Code:

Date Posted:

2026-05-12

What Walt Disney Company employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


Walt Disney logo

About Walt Disney

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Disney, we're storytellers. We make the impossible, possible. We do this through utilizing and developing cutting-edge technology and pushing the envelope to bring stories to life through our movies, products, interactive games, parks and resorts, and media networks. Now is your chance to join our talented team that delivers unparalleled creative content to audiences around the world. "We create happiness." That's our motto at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. And it permeates everything we do. At Disney, you'll help inspire that magic by enabling our teams to push the limits of entertainment and create the never-before-seen!

Industry

Amusement, gambling, and recreation

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Burbank, CA, US

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