Staff Android Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

The Trade Desk is a global technology company and the world's leading independent platform for digital advertising, with nearly 4,000 employees across more than 30 offices. Our technology helps advertisers reach the right audiences across the open internet - from streaming TV and podcasts to mobile apps, news, and more.
Advertising powers the content people love. By making it more transparent, effective, and responsible, we help support trusted journalism, quality entertainment, and creators worldwide. The world's brands and agencies rely on us to reach their customers and grow their businesses responsibly.
The scale of our platform brings unique technical challenges - from processing massive datasets in real time to building systems that operate reliably on a global scale. When you work here, your impact is worldwide. We welcome diverse perspectives, encourage curiosity, and build teams that learn from one another. If you're driven to solve meaningful challenges, we'd love to meet you.
WHO WE ARE:
We're a small, high-impact team building the next-generation TV operating system. Our flexible structure gives engineers direct influence over product direction-an opportunity rarely found in larger companies.
Our innovative approach to the CTV industry optimizes the advertising supply chain, creating better outcomes for advertisers, publishers, and TV viewers alike. As part of our Ventura OS project, we're developing sophisticated backend infrastructure to power our platform, with a strong emphasis on quality at scale.
We believe culture matters. We foster an environment where engineers thrive through collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning. Our teams build cutting-edge streaming technology that enables advertisers to leverage data for more relevant and effective ad experiences-while improving efficiency across the entire supply chain ecosystem.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:
We're actively seeking an experienced Android Platform Software Engineer to contribute to developing platform software for Android devices, focusing on advancing technology and incorporating new design elements. Your role will involve close collaboration with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in hardware or System-on-Chip (SoC) integration to ensure top-notch performance.
WHAT YOU'LL DO:

• Lead board bring-up activities for new Android devices, including bootloader customization, kernel porting, and device driver integration
• Design and develop Android Framework components (System Services, Hardware Abstraction Layer, Native Daemons)
• Create and maintain Board Support Packages (BSP) for various SoC platforms (Qualcomm, MediaTek, NVIDIA, etc.)
• Work directly with OEM partners to integrate platform software, debug hardware-software integration issues, and optimize device performance
• Conduct comprehensive system-level debugging using tools like Trace32, logcat, and systrace
• Develop and maintain device tree configurations, kernel modules, and hardware-specific drivers
• Optimize boot time, power consumption, and system performance metrics
• Support multiple Android release versions and manage AOSP customization

WHAT YOU BRING:

• 10+ years of hands-on experience with at last 5+ years in Android platform development
• Strong expertise in Board Bring-up: bootloader (U-Boot/ABL), Linux kernel customization, device tree
• Deep knowledge of Android BSP development: HAL implementation, kernel drivers, and system integration
• Proficiency in C/C++ for system-level programming or Java/Kotlin for Framework development
• Experience working with major SoC vendors (Qualcomm, MediaTek, Broadcom, Amlogic, Realtek, etc) and their reference platforms
• Proven track record of successful OEM collaboration: requirement gathering, technical support, and issue resolution
• Strong understanding of Android architecture: from bootloader → kernel → HAL → Framework → Apps
• Experience with:
• Android build system (AOSP, BoardConfig.mk, device tree)
• Debugging tools (ADB, fastboot, QPST, QXDM, GDB, etc.)
• Version control (Git, Gerrit) and code review processes
• System performance analysis and optimization

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Android security (SELinux, Verified Boot, dm-verity),
• Experience of multimedia subsystems (Audio, Display pipelines),
• Understanding of hardware schematics and ability to work with hardware teams

Non-Technical Skills

• Eagerness to tackle new and challenging projects.
• Self-motivated with a capacity for independent learning and adaptation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficient debugging skills.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication capabilities.

The Trade Desk does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm recruiters. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of The Trade Desk. The Trade Desk is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.
[SF JOBS ONLY] Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
In accordance with various US state laws, the range provided is the Trade Desk's reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount may differ based on non-discriminatory factors such as experience, knowledge, skills, and location. All employees may be eligible to become The Trade Desk shareholders through eligibility for stock-based compensation grants, which are awarded to employees based on company and individual performance. The Trade Desk also offers other compensation depending on the role such as variable compensation-based incentives and commissions. Plus, expected benefits for this role include comprehensive healthcare (medical, dental, and vision) with premiums paid in full for employees and dependents, retirement benefits such as a 401k plan and company match, short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, well-being benefits, reimbursement for certain tuition expenses, parental leave, sick time of 1 hour per 30 hours worked, vacation time for full-time employees up to 120 hours thru the first year and 160 hours thereafter, and around 13 paid holidays per year. Employees can also purchase The Trade Desk stock at a discount through The Trade Desk's Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
The Trade Desk also offers a competitive benefits package. Click here to learn more.
Note: Interns are not eligible for variable incentive awards such as stock-based compensation, retirement plan, vacation, tuition reimbursement or parental leave
At the Trade Desk, Base Salary is one part of our competitive total compensation and benefits package and is determined using a salary range. The base salary range for this role is
$137,300-$251,800 USD
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, The Trade Desk is committed to creating an inclusive hiring experience where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Please reach out to us at accommodations@thetradedesk.com to request an accommodation or discuss any accessibility needs you may require to access our Company Website or navigate any part of the hiring process.
When you contact us, please include your preferred contact details and specify the nature of your accommodation request or questions. Any information you share will be handled confidentially and will not impact our hiring decisions.