Staff Data Research Engineer

Join the leader in entertainment innovation and help us design the future. At Dolby, science meets art, and high tech means more than computer code. As a member of the Dolby team, you'll see and hear the results of your work everywhere, from movie theaters to smartphones. We continue to revolutionize how people create, deliver, and enjoy entertainment worldwide. To do that, we need the absolute best talent. We're big enough to give you all the resources you need, and small enough so you can make a real difference and earn recognition for your work. We offer a collegial culture, challenging projects, and excellent compensation and benefits, not to mention a Flex Work approach that is truly flexible to support where, when, and how you do your best work.

The Advanced Technology Group (ATG) is the research division of the company. ATG's mission is to look ahead, deliver insights, and innovate technological solutions that will fuel Dolby's continued growth. Our researchers have a broad range of expertise related to computer science and electrical engineering, such as AI/ML, algorithms, digital signal processing, audio engineering, image processing, computer vision, data science & analytics, distributed systems, cloud, edge & mobile computing, computer networking, and IoT.

At Dolby, we believe data is the key to unlocking deeply personalized, resilient, and immersive experiences. Sight and sound shape our world-and we're pushing the boundaries of what's possible by combining cutting-edge AI with distributed systems to transform how people experience media.

We're seeking a Staff AI Distributed Research Engineer to join our Advanced Technology Group. This role is ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of research and engineering-someone who can architect real-time, low-latency streaming systems that bring Dolby's next-gen audio and visual experiences to life across cloud and edge environments.

What You'll Do

• Architect and optimize AI-based imaging and audio algorithms for distributed execution across cloud and edge devices.
• Design and implement scalable, low-latency cloud backends and real-time streaming platforms that power immersive applications on web, Android, and iOS.
• Collaborate with researchers to translate cutting-edge ideas into production-ready systems that redefine media experiences.
• Build unified data models and metadata services to support AI/ML training and inference in hybrid-cloud environments.
• Develop novel tools for data collection, instrumentation, and context inference using AI techniques.
• Champion data governance and management practices to uphold Dolby's role as a trusted steward in the media ecosystem.

• Deep experience in distributed systems, real-time streaming, and cloud-native architectures.
• Strong proficiency in Python and one or more systems-level languages (e.g., C++, Golang, Rust).
• Expertise in data structures, distributed algorithms, and heterogeneous data analytics.
• Hands-on experience with container orchestration (Kubernetes), microservices, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Familiarity with real-time messaging frameworks (Kafka, Flink, Spark Streaming, etc.).
• Knowledge of AI/ML models, cloud optimization, and DevOps practices.
• Bonus: Experience with deep learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch) and Databricks/Spark.

• Understanding of audio/video formats, streaming protocols, and media processing pipelines.
• Passion for immersive technologies and the future of human-computer interaction.

• A drive to explore, invent, and innovate in emerging tech domains.
• Ability to work with urgency, adapt to change, and take calculated risks.
• Strong communication and partnership skills-you'll work closely with researchers, product teams, and external collaborators.

• Master's in Computer Science or related field (PhD preferred).
• 5+ years of experience designing and building distributed data systems.
• Proven track record of delivering impactful, scalable solutions in cloud and edge environments.