Job Description

Job Title

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Founding Engineer - Mobile (Audio)

Location

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Bangalore, India

Employment Type

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Full-time | Founding Team

Role Overview

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This role focuses on building real-time, interactive audio systems for a mobile-first music learning experience. The goal is to make singing practice fun, responsive, and game-like using low-latency audio and clear feedback.



You will own everything related to voice input, audio processing, and musical feedback. This includes pitch detection, rhythm timing, and turning raw voice input into meaningful, encouraging responses for users.



As an early technical hire, you will help shape both the technical foundation and product direction.

Key Responsibilities

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Real-Time Audio Systems

Design and build low-latency audio input and playback systems for mobile and web Handle audio challenges such as:

+ Buffers and sample rates
+ Device-specific behavior
+ Latency compensation
+ Echo handling and headphone behavior
Ensure smooth and reliable real-time audio performance across devices

Voice Analysis & Feedback

Build or integrate systems for:

+ Monophonic

pitch detection

for singing and simple melodies
+

Rhythm, timing, and onset detection

to evaluate singing in time
Convert noisy real-world voice input into clear, friendly feedback such as: + Slightly flat + Late on the beat
+ Perfect timing

Interactive Vocal Experiences

Build and prototype interactive practice modes, including:

+ Sing-back and call-and-response exercises
+ Singing or clapping in time with beats or backing tracks
Rapidly prototype new ideas and improve them based on feel and user feedback

Foundational Engineering Work

Help select and design the audio technology stack, such as:

+ Native mobile audio (iOS / Android)
+ WebAudio
+ Shared C++ or Unity-based audio cores
Create clean APIs and interfaces so other engineers can use audio systems without dealing with DSP complexity Contribute technical input to product decisions, highlighting what is possible, delightful, or unnecessary

Required Skills & Experience

---------------------------------

Real-Time Audio / Music Technology

Experience building or shipping products such as:

+ Singing or music learning apps
+ Rhythm games
+ Tuners, loopers, DAW tools, or audio-reactive experiences
Strong understanding of: + Audio buffers + Latency and timing constraints
+ Sample formats
+ Real-time audio threads

Platform & Technology Experience

Hands-on experience with

at least one

of the following:



#

Native Mobile Audio

iOS: Core Audio, AVAudioEngine, Audio Units Android: AudioTrack, AAudio, Oboe



#

Game / Cross-Platform Frameworks

Unity with strong audio integration Audio frameworks such as JUCE or PortAudio Flutter with Flame (or similar engines), isolates, and cross-platform debugging



#

Web

WebAudio APIs for browser-based prototypes

Audio DSP Fundamentals

Practical experience with:

+ Pitch detection
+ Beat and onset detection
+ Simple filters
+ Spectral analysis
Ability to read technical papers or blogs and turn concepts into working, tested code

Core Engineering Skills

Proficiency in one or more of the following:

+ C / C++
+ Swift
+ Kotlin
+ C#
Focus on performance, stability, and testable code

Nice-to-Have Skills

-------------------------



Experience working on

music or rhythm games

, including:

+ Timing windows
+ Latency calibration
+ Perfect / Good / Miss feedback systems
Experience integrating or working with

AI / ML models

for audio analysis, such as: Pitch or beat tracking Timbre or style analysis Experience building

cross-platform audio libraries

used by mobile apps Early-stage startup experience or comfort working in small, fast-moving teams Ability to sing or play a musical instrument (any level) Understanding of musical concepts such as: + Pitch and intervals + Rhythm and tempo
+ Beat subdivisions
+ What makes feedback feel musical rather than mechanical

Please note

: This position is for one of Playdawn's clients, and successful candidates will be hired directly by the client, not by Playdawn.



Our client is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. They are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, or other protected characteristics. They believe that diversity fuels innovation and creativity, and they strive to create an environment where everyone can thrive and contribute to shared success.