Principal Technical Sound Designer

Accountabilities • Architect and build modular, scalable, and portable game-audio systems from the ground up using C++, Blueprints, Wwise, and Unreal Engine.

• Support multiple AA/AAA game projects concurrently, developing reusable solutions that can scale across projects and teams.

• Build deep integrations using the Wwise Unreal Engine API.

• Design and maintain advanced dynamic mixing and spatial audio systems in Wwise for gameplay, dialogue, environments, cinematics, and changing player contexts.

• Develop advanced audio functionality using Unreal Engine MetaSounds.

• Profile and optimize audio systems for CPU usage, memory consumption, runtime performance, and platform constraints.

• Architect and refine scalable dialogue systems that balance in-world immersion with gameplay needs and dialogue clarity.

• Develop Unreal Editor modules, utilities, and tools that improve implementation workflows and reduce repetitive tasks.

• Create clear technical documentation and practical guides that enable sound designers and junior technical sound designers to use and maintain audio systems independently.

• Contribute directly to sound design when needed, ensuring technical solutions support creative goals.

• Deliver polished, production-ready work within demanding deadlines and high-pressure development environments.

• Make effective technical and creative decisions while balancing production timelines, performance requirements, and project constraints.

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience shipping multiple AA or AAA game titles, including professional experience mixing released game projects.

• Experience supporting multiple AA/AAA projects simultaneously.

• Deep expertise in Wwise, including its Unreal Engine integration and API, dynamic mixing, and Wwise Spatial Audio.

• Extensive professional experience with Unreal Engine, C++, Blueprints, and MetaSounds.

• Proven ability to architect and build core game-audio systems from scratch.

• Strong expertise in optimizing game audio for CPU and memory performance.

• Experience developing audio systems for networked multiplayer games, including replicated audio states and events, latency and synchronization challenges, and multiplayer voice chat.

• Multiple demonstrated examples of building and refining dialogue systems from the ground up.

• Deep experience developing Unreal Editor modules, utilities, and workflow tools.

• Strong technical documentation, communication, and knowledge-transfer skills.

• Professional sound design experience and a clear understanding of how technical systems enable creative audio outcomes.

• A strong interest in horror games or relevant experience with horror-focused interactive audio. Candidates should understand how audio systems contribute to tension, atmosphere, player uncertainty, pacing, and dynamic scares.

• The ability to make sound technical and creative decisions under significant time, performance, and production constraints.

• Principal-level experience demonstrated through specific shipped examples of systems personally architected, developed, optimized, documented, and supported in production.

Benefits

• Base salary by U.S. location:

• San Francisco, CA; New York City, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Seattle, WA; Boston, MA; and Washington, DC metropolitan areas: $164,000–$215,000 USD annually.

• Austin, TX; Denver, CO; Nashville, TN; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Miami, FL; Portland, OR; Raleigh–Durham, NC; Philadelphia, PA; Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN; Phoenix, AZ; and Salt Lake City, UT metropolitan areas: $143,000–$187,000 USD annually.

• All other U.S. locations: $121,000–$159,000 USD annually.

• Final base salary within the applicable range depends on experience, qualifications, and work location.

• Profit-sharing program.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• 401(k) matching.

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options.

• Paid time off, sick time, and holidays.

• Parental leave.

• Remote work arrangement.

• Occasional travel to Los Angeles may be required for an in-person interview before an offer and/or periodic in-person meetings.

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