Staff Software Development Engineer (Backend) -

Job Summary: Join our Video Engineering team as a Staff Engineer, where you will play a key role in building and scaling next-generation media infrastructure. In this role, you’ll work on complex challenges such as video codec optimization, AI-driven quality assessment, and high-performance streaming systems designed to support millions of concurrent users globally.

You will also contribute to defining the technical direction and architecture of video processing platforms, collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver reliable, scalable, and high-quality streaming experiences.

About the team: You are a systems-oriented engineer with deep expertise in video codec technologies, streaming protocols, and large-scale media infrastructure. You thrive in solving complex technical challenges at scale and have a passion for building robust, efficient video processing systems. You constantly strive to improve media quality, reduce latency, and optimize resource utilization. You are eager to apply your expertise in designing cutting-edge video and media processing pipelines that impact millions of users globally.

The pace of our growth is incredible – if you want to tackle hard and interesting problems in media infrastructure at scale, join us!

Key responsibilities:

Lead the design and development of video processing & ad insertion software integrated with the Hotstar media pipelines

Architect solutions for quality, robustness, and scale – handling massive volumes of video content efficiently

Innovate and prototype emerging media technologies (AI-driven quality assessment, dynamic bitrate optimization, etc.)

Design and implement algorithms for encoding efficiency augmentation with video intelligence capabilities

Build automated video quality control systems for incoming source content and encoded Hotstar streams

Drive technical implementation of media features in live streaming workflows with observability and resiliency

Champion support for state-of-the-art media features on the platform, ensuring delightful user experience

Collaborate with research and product teams to evaluate and integrate next-generation video technologies

Skills and attributes for success:

7+ years of experience in multimedia software development with excellent problem-solving and debugging skills

BE/B.Tech in Computer Science/Electrical Engineering or equivalent. MS or PhD a plus

Expert proficiency in C++ or Java with strong object-oriented programming fundamentals

Deep understanding of audio and video compression and processing, including:

Video codec standards: H.264/AVC, HEVC, AV1

HDR standards: Dolby Vision, HDR10+

Audio codecs: AAC, HE-AAC, EAC-3, Dolby Atmos (AC-4)

Immersive formats: 360VR, 3D video

Strong background in image and signal processing including algorithm design and implementation

Experience with live streaming workflows, systems, streaming protocols, and network topologies

Hands-on experience with open-source multimedia projects (ffmpeg, GStreamer, NVIDIA DeepStream, x265, SVT-AV1)

Experience in large-scale distributed systems and cloud-computing platforms

Knowledge of media packaging formats: HLS, DASH, CMAF with encryption standards

Understanding of CDN architectures and delivery mechanisms

Experience with Machine Learning and GenAI systems applied to media processing

Preferred education and experience:

Bachelors/master's in computer science or a related field with 7-9 years of professional experience