Senior/Principal DSP and Audio System Engineer

Company Overview |

Frontier Audio, based in Chicago, is a stealth-mode startup developing a game-changing wearable / hearable device that will make tens of millions of critical frontline workers. The company has raised funding from the first investor in Oculus (AR / VR company sold to Meta), contracts with the United States Department of Defense, pilots scheduled with Fortune 500 companies, and an ambitious team. The company is seeking those who want to overcome huge technical challenges and do the most impactful and important work of their life delivering long overdue capabilities to a huge, underserved user group.

Job Description |

Frontier Audio Labs is looking for an extremely passionate and creative audio system and DSP engineer with experience designing audio algorithms and / or systems for headsets, earbuds, or other wearables. The selected individual will own immense aspects of the R&D and product development process and their work will have a huge impact on the safety, comfort, and productivity of millions of end-users powering and protecting the world. “Crazy ideas”, being scrappy, and having fun are tenants of the culture as well as focus and hard work, fundamental requirements to reach our goals.

Frontier Audio is an ideal company for those looking to be a cornerstone or foundational member of a quickly growing team that iterates rapidly. While Frontier Audio as a startup may not be able to offer top-bucket cash compensation starting off, this position will include a significant (multiple percent) equity stake.

Responsibilities |

• Drive audio system design, architecture, and algorithms / DSP to create incredible wearable / hearable acoustic experiences
• Empirically and subjectively tune, measure, analyze, and conduct critical listening of systems and components in development
• Model or simulate acoustic systems like microphone arrays and algorithms
• Building out acoustic testing capabilities and back-end systems
• Creating audio system prototypes / demos with rudimentary electronics / hardware
• Working with leading chip, microphone, and transducer vendors, as well as algorithm partners and contract manufacturers throughout the development process
• Collaborating with mechanical, DSP, and electrical / hardware engineers

Qualifications |

Required

• Dedication to creating products stretching the boundaries of possible
• 5 years of experience working closely with audio algorithms and digital signal processing
• Proficient knowledge around audio ASICs, transducers, microphones, amplifiers, and DSP
• 2 years of experience designing acoustic systems for wearables (headphones / earbuds)
• 5 years of experience with acoustic test and measurement and systems such as like Audio Precision, Clio, Klippel, or SoundCheck / Listen.
• Proficient understanding of acoustics and psychoacoustics and strong critical listening
• Strong understanding of capabilities / experiences / systems on market and the cutting edge of wearable audio research
• Self-driven engineer who can independently prioritize and “get things done”
• Must have ability to be qualified to work in the U.S. in less than 3 months and have no restrictions for international travel
• Ability to commute to Frontier Audio Labs’ Chicago office on a daily basis

Preferred

• 5 years of experience in acoustic wearables / hearables (headphones, earbuds, hearing aids, etc.)
• Experience implementing adaptive active noise cancellation, transparency, or other cutting edge modes
• 5 years of experience developing algorithms / DSP
• Experience working with Qualcomm, GreenWaves, ADI, or Airoha chipsets
• 3 years of psychoacoustics experience
• Members of our engineering team have degrees in Acoustics or a similar field (mechanical or electrical engineering, physics, etc.), but if you have taken a different route to gain the required experience, that is acceptable

Frontier Audio Labs evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.

• Please send your resume to pmoeckel@frontieraudio.com with the job title in the subject to apply for this position. We are not reviewing applications on LinkedIn.