Senior Software Engineer

Job Title

Senior Software Engineer

Role Summary

Lead design, development, optimization, and verification of standards-based real-time video codecs and related software for AI-enabled camera silicon. Collaborate with architecture, hardware, and software teams to improve video quality, reduce latency, and maximize hardware efficiency for embedded camera products.

Experience Level

Senior-level. 5 to 10+ years of relevant experience in video codec, embedded software, or related engineering fields.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities focus on codec algorithm development, hardware/software co-design, and embedded firmware for real-time video processing.

• Lead development and optimization of video codec algorithms targeting video quality, latency reduction, and hardware efficiency.
• Design and implement reference codec models and performance enhancements.
• Drive hardware/software co-design and silicon architecture modeling.
• Develop diagnostics and verification tools for silicon validation.
• Architect and optimize real-time embedded firmware solutions.
• Lead rate-control design and optimization for constrained systems.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership on codec projects.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define future codec capabilities and requirements.

Requirements

Core technical skills and experience required to perform the role.

Must-have:

• Expert-level programming in C and C++.
• Strong embedded software development experience.
• Familiarity with video compression standards such as H.264, H.265/HEVC, AV1, or similar.
• Experience with codec optimization, performance analysis, and system-level debugging.
• Proven ability to lead technical projects and mentor team members.
• Experience using AI-powered software development tools (e.g., Cursor, Claude, or similar) to improve productivity and code quality.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience with hardware/software co-design and silicon architecture modeling.
• Background in developing diagnostics and verification tools for silicon validation.
• Experience architecting real-time embedded firmware for video processors.

Education Requirements

Not specified.

About the Company

Company: Ambarella

Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, USA

Ambarella is a leader in computer vision and video processing technology, providing advanced solutions that enhance the performance of video applications. Focused on quality and innovation, Ambarella develops products for diverse uses, including autonomous vehicles, surveillance systems, and smart cameras, aiming to deliver pristine imagery and efficient compression while minimizing power consumption.