Audio ML Engineer (Research)

Audio ML Engineer (Research)

Location: Northridge - California, USA

Job Family: Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Worker Type Reference: Regular - Permanent Pay Rate Type: Salary Career Level: T4

Introduction: A Career at HARMAN Corporate

We're a global, multi-disciplinary team that's putting the innovative power of technology to work and transforming tomorrow. At HARMAN Corporate, you are integral to our company's award-winning success.

About the Role

The Audio ML Engineer (Research) develops learning-based perception and personalization models that enhance Intelligent Audio experiences across devices and contexts. You will build models that understand audio scenes, predict perceptual outcomes, personalize tuning, and drive adaptive behavior—designed from the start for embedded and cloud deployment paths. In Year 1, your work is expected to feed directly into productization by delivering models that are measurable, reproducible, and deployable (or easily productizable) with clear compute/memory tradeoffs. Success means your models improve user experience in controlled testing and remain robust in the messiness of real-world use cases.

What You Will Do

• Learning-Based Perception Models: Develop ML models for perception-related tasks (e.g., quality prediction, artifact detection, scene/context classification, personalization embeddings, preference modeling).
• Embedded + Cloud Deployment Focus: Design solutions that can run on-device (quantized, efficient inference) and/or scale in cloud pipelines (batch evaluation, fleet learning, offline training + on-device inference).
• Personalization & Adaptation: Build personalization and adaptation strategies that integrate with DSP pipelines (e.g., model outputs drive adaptive EQ/DRC/spatial parameters) while maintaining stability and explainability.
• Data Strategy & Tooling: Define data collection and labeling strategies, data QA, augmentation, bias checks, and experiment tracking—so results are reproducible and transferable to product.
• Model Optimization: Apply compression/acceleration techniques (quantization, pruning, distillation, ONNX export, hardware-aware training) to meet latency and footprint constraints.
• Cross-Functional Handoff: Partner with DSP, perceptual, and productization engineers to deliver reference pipelines, integration guidelines, and acceptance metrics for OneUX releases.
• AI Tools: Use modern AI tooling (LLM-based coding assistants, data analysis copilots, automated report generation) to accelerate iteration while keeping rigorous review and validation.

What You Need to Be Successful

• Education: MS or PhD in CS/EE/Statistics/Applied ML (or BS with strong equivalent experience).
• Experience: 5+ years applied ML engineering experience; 2+ years specifically in audio/speech or time-series ML strongly preferred.
• ML Stack: Strong proficiency in Python, PyTorch/TensorFlow, dataset pipelines, evaluation methodology, and experiment tracking.
• Deployment Skills: Experience deploying models to embedded (TFLite / ONNX Runtime / custom inference) and/or cloud (service or batch pipelines, MLOps practices).
• Signal + Perception Understanding: Working knowledge of DSP/audio fundamentals and how ML interacts with perceptual outcomes.
• AI Tools: Demonstrated experience using AI-assisted tools to speed up coding, testing, debugging, and documentation.

Bonus Points if You Have

• Experience with audio ML domains (speech enhancement, denoising, source separation, spatial audio ML, perceptual audio metrics, recommendation/personalization).
• Familiarity with on-device acceleration (NNAPI, Core ML concepts, CUDA/TensorRT-like optimization where applicable).
• Experience with privacy-preserving learning or on-device personalization approaches.
• Patents/publications or shipped ML features in consumer/automotive audio products.

What Makes You Eligible

• Successfully complete a background investigation and drug screen as a condition of employment (post-offer).

What We Offer

• Flexible work environment, allowing for full-time remote work globally for positions that can be performed outside a HARMAN or customer location
• Access to employee discounts on world-class products (JBL, HARMAN Kardon, AKG, and more)
• Extensive training opportunities through our own HARMAN University
• Competitive wellness benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• "Be Brilliant" employee recognition and rewards program
• An inclusive and diverse work environment that fosters and encourages professional and personal development

Benefits

HARMAN is interested in the health and wellbeing of you and your family and offers a range of benefits designed to support your needs for holistic wellbeing. Benefits and perks may vary depending on the nature of your employment with HARMAN, and may include paid vacation and holidays, paid sick leave, volunteer leave, and paid bonding and care giver leave. Employees may also be eligible to participate in comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, fertility support and adoption assistance, Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts, retirement savings plan with employer match, short and long term disability coverage, life insurance, and more.

About HARMAN: Where Innovation Unleashes Next-Level Technology

Ever since the 1920s, we've been amplifying the sense of sound. Today, that legacy endures, with integrated technology platforms that make the world smarter, safer, and more connected. Across automotive, lifestyle, and digital transformation solutions, we create innovative technologies that turn ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences. Our renowned automotive and lifestyle solutions can be found everywhere, from the music we play in our cars and homes to venues that feature today's most sought-after performers, while our digital transformation solutions serve humanity by addressing the world's ever-evolving needs and demands. Marketing our award-winning portfolio under 16 iconic brands, such as JBL, Mark Levinson, and Revel, we set ourselves apart by exceeding the highest engineering and design standards for our customers, our partners and each other. If you're ready to innovate and do work that makes a lasting impact, join our talent community today!

Important Notice: Recruitment Scams

Please be aware that HARMAN recruiters will always communicate with you from an '@harman.com', '@careers.harman.com' or '@harmanglobal.avature.net' email address. We will never ask for payments, banking, credit card, personal financial information or access to your LinkedIn/email account during the screening, interview, or recruitment process. If you are asked for such information or receive communication from an email address not ending in one of the above email domains about a job with HARMAN, please cease communication immediately and report the incident to us through: View email address on click.appcast.io.

You Belong Here

HARMAN is committed to making every employee feel welcomed, valued, and empowered. No matter what role you play, we encourage you to share your ideas, voice your distinct perspective, and bring your whole self with you – all within a support-minded culture that celebrates what makes each of us unique. We also recognize that learning is a lifelong pursuit and want you to flourish. We proudly offer added opportunities for training, development, and continuing education, further empowering you to live the career you want. HARMAN is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. HARMAN strives to hire the best qualified candidates and is committed to building a workforce representative of the diverse marketplaces and communities of our global colleagues and customers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. HARMAN attracts, hires, and develops employees based on merit, qualifications and job-related performance.( ) HARMAN is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process, please contact us at View email address on click.appcast.io . Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law.