Principal Content Solutions Architect, Streaming Audio

DescriptionXperi invents, develops and delivers technologies that create extraordinary experiences at home and on the go for millions of people around the world. Powering billions of consumer electronics, connected cars and digital content titles, we make entertainment more immersive, driving more intelligent and every interaction seamlessly personalized through our renowned consumer brands: DTS, HD Radio and TiVo. Xperi (NYSE: XPER) is a publicly traded technology company headquartered in San Jose, CA with over 1,450 employees across North America, Europe and Asia. Come join a thriving team where you can play an integral role in shaping the future of entertainment technology. The Principal Content Solutions Architect, Streaming Audio is the senior technical authority and advisor to content service providers (CSPs) integrating DTS premium audio, primarily DTS:X, into their streaming services. CSPs own their integration; this role guides them from discovery through launch by recommending end-to-end audio architectures, integration planning and troubleshooting approaches supporting each stage of DTS audio delivery: encoding, packaging, signaling and device playback. Based in Calabasas, California and reporting to the Director, Engineering Operations, the role connects CSPs with Xperi product management, content business development and audio technology teams to help resolve issues, recommend validation criteria, and turn partner needs into architectural guidance and product requirements. Essential Duties & Responsibilities Partner technical advisor: Primary technical contact and trusted architectural advisor for CSPs adopting DTS and DTS:X, from discovery and proof of concept through launch and post-launch support, owning follow-through on commitments made to CSPs. Audio integration requirements: Define DTS:X streaming format and packaging requirements and advise CSPs on encoding parameters, metadata, codec signaling (codec strings, MIME types, sample entries), fMP4 packaging, and HLS, MPEG-DASH and CMAF manifest signaling. Troubleshooting support: Guide CSPs through root-cause analysis of audio issues; request streams, logs, device details and reproduction steps; compare behavior against reference players; help isolate the likely fault; recommend fixes, track to closure and communicate status, root cause and known limitations candidly. Playback path guidance: Advise CSPs on playback architecture, including device capability detection, decoder selection, decode vs. passthrough vs. transcode, audio track selection and fallback in multi-codec ladders. Codec switching and ad insertion: Advise on architecture and validation of audio behavior at codec transitions and SSAI/AVOD ad boundaries, including timestamp continuity, segment alignment and audio loss on switch; help diagnose issues found in CSP testing. Technical documentation: Author partner-facing integration guides, application notes, best practices, test procedures and architecture diagrams so CSPs can integrate independently. Requirements and roadmap input: Collect and prioritize CSP requirements and market feedback; present them to Product Management and Engineering. Cross-functional coordination: Liaison between content business development, CSPs and internal engineering, product, certification and commercial teams. Translate partner needs into clear requests for engineering-delivered validation assets, reference streams, test plans, tooling and certification support. Track dependencies; communicate risks, decisions and status transparently and set realistic expectations with CSPs on timelines and product capabilities. Education and/or Experience Required: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, electrical engineering, audio engineering or a related field, or equivalent experience 10+ years in streaming media, audio/codec technology or media platform engineering, including significant customer-facing time (solutions architecture, solutions engineering, field applications, technical account management or partner integration) Hands-on experience with multichannel and immersive audio codecs in streaming (DTS:X, Dolby Atmos/E-AC-3 JOC, MPEG-H and others) Strong practical knowledge of OTT delivery (HLS, MPEG-DASH, CMAF, fragmented MP4/ISO BMFF, MPEG-TS) for live and on-demand streaming: manifests, segmentation, timestamps and adaptive bitrate switching Android TV/Google TV playback (AndroidX Media3/ExoPlayer, MediaCodec, AudioTrack, tunnel mode, direct passthrough); smart TV or browser (MSE) playback Experience architecting and supporting commercial launches with streaming services, content providers and/or platform operators Proven experience designing end-to-end streaming audio delivery architectures, from encoding and packaging through device playback Preferred: Working knowledge of downstream audio playback, including A/V sync and HDMI/eARC behavior with soundbars and AV receivers DRM and secure playback (Widevine, PlayReady, FairPlay) SSAI/AVOD workflows and cloud encoding and packaging (e.g., AWS Elemental MediaTailor, MediaConvert, MediaLive) C/C++ sufficient to read, build and debug codec SDK and player integration code on Linux, ARM and embedded platforms Technical Proficiencies Stream and packaging analysis: FFmpeg/ffprobe, Bento4, GPAC/MP4Box, Shaka Packager, MediaInfo, DASH-IF conformance tools, Apple HLS stream validation tools or equivalent Players and device diagnostics: AndroidX Media3/ExoPlayer, Shaka Player, dash.js, hls.js, GStreamer or equivalent; Android debugging (adb, logcat, dumpsys); log collection on smart TV and set-top platforms; network capture and browser developer tools for MSE playback Scripting and automation: Python and shell for stream inspection and diagnostic analysis; Git for version control Documentation and diagramming: Confluence, Microsoft Office (including PowerPoint for architecture presentations); architecture and signal-flow diagramming tools Partner collaboration: Jira or equivalent for tracking partner issues to closure; video conferencing and remote-session tools for live issue reproduction with CSPs AI tools: Generative AI assistants for drafting and summarization (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT); AI coding assistants for scripting and log analysis (e.g., GitHub Copilot) Other Skills & Abilities Presents architectures, technical work and recommendations to partners, customers and all levels of the company; leads external technical discussions and brings in other functions as needed Writes complex architecture and technical documents for internal, partner and customer audiences at the right level of detail Turns ambiguous partner questions into testable hypotheses, acceptance criteria, integration options and actionable recommendations Weighs technical and business tradeoffs; sets priorities and judges risk and schedule across concurrent partner engagements Influences across organizational boundaries without direct authority; builds networks beyond own area of expertise Advises partners consultatively and works with product management, content business development to scope CSP opportunities and translate them into technical plans Customer-oriented and accountable: owns commitments to partners, follows through, and communicates candidly when plans or capabilities change Acts with integrity. Represents Xperi and its technology honestly and builds partner trust through consistency and reliability. Home office: Calabasas, California (hybrid, 3 days per week in office) Authorized to work in the United States Up to 25% global travel for customer visits and industry events Life @ Xperi: At Xperi, we value People, Customers, Performance and Innovation. We are dedicated to creating a workplace where all employees have a voice and sense of belonging, feel safe and valued, and are acknowledged for how their unique differences contribute to organizational culture and business outcomes. Our employees and their families are important to us, and our comprehensive pay, stock and benefits programs reflect that. Xperi supports personal well-being, builds financial security and enables employees to share in our collective success. Rewards include: Competitive compensation (salary, equity and bonuses) and comprehensive benefits designed to foster work-life balance, care for your health, protect your finances and help you save and invest for the future.Generous paid time away from work, including flexible time off, holidays and sick time, health and wellness initiatives, and a charitable match program to help you give back to your community.Great perks, which vary by location and can be site-specific: employee discounts, transportation reimbursements, subsidized cafes and fitness facilities.A flexible, hybrid work environment combining the best of in-office collaboration and community-building along with the benefits of working from home.The estimated base salary range for this full-time position is $137,871- $180,000 plus bonus and benefits, and can vary if outside of this location. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, competencies, experience, market demands, internal parity, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range and perks and benefits for your location during the hiring process.