Own complex features or subsystems end-to-end, from design and implementation through bring-up, validation, and production support. - Translate product and business goals into concrete designs, tasks, and implementation plans. - Design, implement, and maintain core platform software for Roku device programs and platforms, with a strong focus on code quality, robustness, and long-term maintainability. - Contribute to and influence hardware–software partitioning, platform APIs, and integration patterns to enable feature teams to build reliably on the device platform. - Drive and model best practices for coding standards, code reviews, testing strategies, and CI/CD for platform software. Multimedia & system-level engineering
Implement and optimize video/audio pipelines, codecs, and rendering paths to deliver high-quality playback, low latency, and smooth UI/UX for streaming applications. - Contribute to end-to-end multimedia system design for TVs and streaming devices, ensuring solutions scale across SKUs and generations. - Define and help maintain benchmarks and test scenarios for media, graphics, and system behavior that map directly to Roku use cases. - Implement and maintain secure boot, DRM integrations, and standards-compliant content protection features in collaboration with security experts. Systems-aware implementation integrating hardware-software
Lead the product evaluation and enablement of candidate SoCs and companion chipsets, partnering with SoC vendors on performance, power, cost, and ecosystem maturity. - Implement and maintain drivers, HALs, and low-level services that expose the right hardware capabilities (media, graphics, connectivity, security) to Roku OS. - Drive early bring-up and debug of new SoCs and boards from a software perspective (boot chain, device drivers, board support packages, diagnostics). - Anticipate system-level failure modes (thermal, power, component tolerances, resource exhaustion) and implement software mitigations (throttling, graceful degradation, watchdogs, telemetry hooks). Performance engineering in constrained environments
Define and enforce memory, CPU/GPU/NPU, and storage budgets across SKUs, working closely with feature teams. - Use profiling tools, tracing, and telemetry to diagnose and fix performance bottlenecks across the stack (kernel, drivers, middleware, apps). - Implement optimizations to improve boot time, UI performance, streaming quality, and app responsiveness while staying within platform constraints. Quality, diagnostics, and observability
Partner with NPI, test, and manufacturing engineering to design and implement system-level validation strategies, test automation, and regression suites for your components. - Implement and refine diagnostics, logging, and telemetry that make field issues diagnosable and fixable at scale, including the platform hooks needed for AI-assisted troubleshooting. - Ensure the robustness and reliability of low-level software in production configurations, including robust error handling, recovery strategies, and safe update mechanisms. Cross-functional collaboration & technical leadership
Collaborate with OS, media, graphics, connectivity, security, and cloud/service teams to integrate platform features that meet product requirements. - Provide technical mentorship to other software engineers, especially around debugging complex system issues, performance tuning, and best practices for systems-level code. - Work closely with engineering leads to review designs, surface trade-offs, and de-risk implementations before they reach production. - Partner with SoC vendors and OEM/ODM partners from design through mass production, ensuring software deliverables, validation, and readiness meet Roku’s standards
AI and system-level intelligence
Implement components in system-level AI/ML flows where AI is in the loop (e.g., quality monitoring, recommendations, anomaly detection, test selection). - Specify and implement platform APIs and telemetry that enable AI tools to be effective across the device stack (logs, traces, metrics, events). ### We’re excited if you have
Education & experience
BS/MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field. - 15+ years of industry experience in embedded systems-level software development, with a strong emphasis on hands-on software development for multimedia products. - Proven track record building and shipping AV products (TVs, set-top boxes, streaming devices, consoles, or similar) at scale. Software development & systems expertise
Strong experience with embedded Linux or Android-based systems
Proficiency in one or more systems programming languages such as C/C++ (Rust or similar is a plus), with deep experience in debugging, performance tuning, and maintainable code design. - Strong familiarity with modern SDLC practices: CI/CD, automated testing, static/dynamic analysis, continuous performance regression monitoring, and observability tooling. Multimedia & system knowledge
Deep understanding of ARM-based SoCs, multimedia pipelines, and system constraints (memory bandwidth/latency, storage performance, UI/frame-rate stability, thermal behavior). - Demonstrated ability to analyze and optimize system-level performance using profiling, tracing, and hardware counters. - Experience with DRM, content protection, secure boot, and related industry standards for streaming and TV products. - Experience collaborating with SoC vendors and ODM/OEM partners from design through mass production, especially around platform software deliverables and validation. AI, accelerators, and low-level platforms
Experience with NPU/DSP/AI accelerator blocks on embedded SoCs, including maximizing throughput and minimizing latency within real-world device constraints. - Ability to build or integrate end-to-end flows where AI is in the loop, particularly for diagnostics, performance optimization, or UX improvements. - Proficient in using AI tools for debugging, code review, test selection, and log analysis, and in implementing the platform hooks (APIs/telemetry) that those tools need. Hardware & board-level understanding (bonus)
Solid understanding of board-level design concepts (schematics/layout review, power and thermal design, signal integrity considerations, and interfaces such as I²C, USB, PCIe, and HDMI). - Comfortable partnering with board design teams to translate software and system needs into board-level requirements and constraints, even though your primary focus is software
How you work
Strong communication skills with the ability to explain complex software and system trade-offs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. - A bias toward data-driven decisions, clear documentation, and repeatable processes. - Demonstrated ability to lead technically through code and design, influence cross-functional teams, and drive complex platform changes from concept to production. ###### #LI-RN1
Our Hybrid Work Approach
Roku fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment where teams work in the office Monday through Thursday. Fridays are flexible for remote work except for employees whose roles are required to be in the office five days a week or employees who are in offices with a five day in office policy. ### Benefits
Roku is committed to offering a diverse range of benefits as part of our compensation package to support our employees and their families. Our comprehensive benefits include global access to mental health and financial wellness support and resources. Local benefits include statutory and voluntary benefits which may include healthcare (medical, dental, and vision), life, accident, disability, commuter, and retirement options (401(k)/pension). Employees are supported in taking time off, in accordance with local leave policies and other personal needs to support their evolving work and life needs. It's important to note that not every benefit is available in all locations or for every role. For details specific to your location, please consult with your recruiter. ### The Roku Culture
Roku is a great place for people who want to work in a fast-paced environment where everyone is focused on the company's success rather than their own. We try to surround ourselves with people who are great at their jobs, who are easy to work with, and who keep their egos in check. We appreciate a sense of humor. We believe a fewer number of very talented folks can do more for less cost than a larger number of less talented teams. We're independent thinkers with big ideas who act boldly, move fast and accomplish extraordinary things through collaboration and trust. In short, at Roku you'll be part of a company that's changing how the world watches TV. We have a unique culture that we are proud of. We think of ourselves primarily as problem-solvers, which itself is a two-part idea. We come up with the solution, but the solution isn't real until it is built and delivered to the customer. That penchant for action gives us a pragmatic approach to innovation, one that has served us well since 2002. To learn more about Roku, our global footprint, and how we've grown, visit https://www.weareroku.com/factsheet. By providing your information, you acknowledge that you want Roku to contact you about job roles, that you have read Roku's Applicant Privacy Notice, and understand that Roku will use your information as described in that notice. If you do not wish to receive any communications from Roku regarding this role or similar roles in the future, you may unsubscribe at any time by emailing WorkforcePrivacy@Roku.com.
