# Media Software Engineer, Speech

**Company:** [Cantina](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/cantina)
**Location:** Sunnyvale, CA, San Francisco, CA
**Role:** Backend Engineering
**Salary:** $180k – $270k/yr
**Experience:** 7+ years
**Skills:** C++, C, Webrtc, Streaming Protocols, Media Processing, iOS, Android, Node.js, Go, Speech Recognition, Speech Synthesis, Machine Learning, Concurrent Systems, Asynchronous I/O, Distributed Systems
**Posted:** 2026-08-18

> Build and optimize high-performance, real-time speech, audio, video, and WebRTC infrastructure for conversational AI across mobile and web platforms. The role requires professional C or C++ experience, concurrent systems knowledge, and at least three years of software engineering experience.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Improve the real-time speech and media systems powering live AI conversations.
- Reduce latency and optimize responsiveness across audio streaming and speech pipelines.
- Build tools to enable the creation of AI models to support speech processing.
- Develop new voice and video capabilities enabling more immersive interactions between users and AI bots.
- Improve and extend custom WebRTC infrastructure across iOS, Android, and web.

## Requirements
- Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, a related field, or equivalent experience.
- 3+ years of professional software engineering experience.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and drive projects from requirements to completion.
- Professional experience with C or C++.
- Computer science fundamentals, including memory management, high-performance data structures, and concurrent or multithreaded systems.
- Exposure to system programming concepts, including network protocol design, asynchronous I/O, and distributed system architectures.
- Object-oriented development and design skills.
- Interest in solving subtle and challenging engineering problems.

## Nice-to-haves
- Experience with WebRTC, streaming protocols, or other media-adjacent technologies.
- Familiarity with media processing techniques.
- Experience creating backend server infrastructure.
- Experience developing software for iOS or Android.
- Familiarity with services built using Node.js or Go.
- Familiarity with artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques, particularly speech recognition and synthesis.

## Compensation and Benefits
- Annual base salary: **$180,000–$270,000**.
- Competitive salary and generous company equity.
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance, with 99.99% of premiums covered.
- 42 days of paid time off, including 15 PTO days, 10 sick days, 15 company holidays, and 2 floating holidays.
- Generous parental leave and fertility support.
- 401(k) retirement savings plan.
- $500/month lifestyle spending account.
- Complimentary lunch and snacks for in-office employees.
- One Medical membership.

## Similar jobs

- [Senior Software Engineer, Platform](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/b6aab700-8a56-4a32-bf1b-a6633d5a779b) - Maybern - New York, NY - $180k – $230k/yr
- [Senior Software Engineer, Backend](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/6163f6fb-5395-404c-b1d2-427fe0637b22) - Duolingo - Pittsburgh, PA - $183k – $247k/yr
- [Senior Software Engineer, Backend](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/fa632a1a-42dc-411b-82a2-70f55bb28408) - Duolingo - New York, NY - $183k – $247k/yr
- [Senior Software Engineer, Cloud Growth](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/ed76541f-510f-4808-b52f-750ae033898e) - Temporal - Remote - $176k – $231k/yr
- [Lead Backend Software Engineer](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/0e5b8ee5-02e9-4af9-888b-6a608120036f) - Beacon AI - San Carlos, CA - $185k – $260k/yr

**Apply:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/76fb31a9-3820-4744-870f-0997c3c9b33d
**Canonical:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/76fb31a9-3820-4744-870f-0997c3c9b33d