Audio Consultant Engineer - Linux Audio Stack (Remote/Anywhere)

What You'll Actually DoUpstream & Community Participation: Contribute to and collaborate with WirePlumber, PipeWire, and ALSA upstream communitiesReal-World Impact: Design, integrate, and ship embedded Linux audio systems that work reliably in real-world productsDeep Technical Work: Implement and debug PipeWire + WirePlumber stacks, including ALSA, DSPs, and system-level interactionsCustomer Collaboration: Work directly with customer teams to translate requirements into robust audio architectures and solutionsBreadth When Needed: Support adjacent areas like Bluetooth audio and Linux audio tooling when required (pw-cli, pw-top, alsa-utils, tracing frameworks) to diagnose and resolve issues efficientlyBe a Technical Advisor: Explain complex audio architecture decisions to product teams, provide honest assessments of what is and isn't possible and build trust through transparent communicationWhat We're Looking ForRequired:Strong hands-on experience with the Linux audio stack (PipeWire, WirePlumber, ALSA)Strong proficiency in C and systems-level programmingSolid understanding of core audio concepts (latency, formats, synchronization, buffering, resampling)Proven ability to debug complex issues across multiple layers of a Linux systemComfortable working directly with customers in a consulting or support capacityStrong communication skills, both written and verbalNice to Have:Experience with ALSA kernel driver developmentFamiliarity with RustExposure to Bluetooth audio (A2DP, HFP, LE Audio)Basic understanding of DSP concepts, such as signal flow, filtering, and common processing blocks (e.g. echo cancellation, noise suppression, beamforming)Contributions to relevant open-source projectsExperience with embedded or real-time Linux systemsWhat We OfferCompensation & BenefitsWe offer a competitive benefits package tailored to each country in which we have employees, plus a core global benefit offering accessible to all Collaborans. Our core benefits include:Competitive salary based on experience and locationOffice setup budgetSabbatical/Retention of Services - after five years of continuous serviceCo-working policy - support for working outside homeWellness assessments - biannual wellbeing assessments with a trained mental health specialistConference attendance -we cover expenses and encourage speaking opportunitiesOpen source time - contribute to projects you care aboutWork EnvironmentFully remote - work where you’re most productiveGlobal team - engineers across Europe, Americas and AsiaNo on-call rotations - this isn't support workSustainable pace - we're here for the long termFlexible hours - manage your own scheduleGrowth & ImpactUpstream contributions - your work shapes Linux, not just client productsTechnical leadership track - path to principal engineer, subsystem expertise or technical architecture rolesConsulting track - develop deeper client relationships, lead customer engagements or shape service offeringsMentorship opportunities - both receiving and providing guidanceConference speaking - we support presentation submissions and provide coachingRecognition - your contributions are public, building your professional reputationCulture & ValuesUpstream first - we believe the best solutions benefit everyoneTransparency - open discussion about technical decisions, business constraints and project challengesPragmatism - perfect is the enemy of good; we ship quality code that solves real problemsRespect for expertise - we trust engineers to make technical decisionsCollaborative - we succeed by working together, internally and with the communitySustainable pace - we're here for the marathon, not the sprintOur Interview ProcessWe respect your time and provide a clear, structured process:Application Review (within 2 weeks) - we look at your code and contributionsInitial Chat (30 min) - casual conversation about your experience and our workTechnical Interview (2 - 3h)Technical Deep-Dive - discuss kernel architecture, past debugging challenges and how you approach problem-solving (no whiteboard coding)Code Review Session - review real patches together, discuss trade-offsClient Scenario Discussion - talk through a realistic customer situation: balancing technical debt, timeline pressure and upstream goals (we want to see your thought process, not a "right answer")Chief Operating Officer (60 min) - meet the Chief Operating Officer, ask about day-to-day work and how Collabora works, discuss compensation and benefits.Offer (within 1 week of final interview)Total timeline: 3-4 weeks from application to offerWe provide feedback at every stage, and you'll always know where you stand.Collabora's CommitmentWe're committed to building a diverse team and inclusive environment. We encourage applications from people underrepresented in tech.We evaluate candidates based on skills and contributions, not pedigree. If you're unsure whether you qualify, apply anyway - imposter syndrome is real and you might be exactly who we're looking for.Originally posted on Himalayas

What You'll Actually DoUpstream & Community Participation: Contribute to and collaborate with WirePlumber, PipeWire, and ALSA upstream communitiesReal-World Impact: Design, integrate, and ship embedded Linux audio systems that work reliably in real-world productsDeep Technical Work: Implement and debug PipeWire + WirePlumber stacks, including ALSA, DSPs, and system-level interactionsCustomer Collaboration: Work directly with customer teams to translate requirements into robust audio architectures and solutionsBreadth When Needed: Support adjacent areas like Bluetooth audio and Linux audio tooling when required (pw-cli, pw-top, alsa-utils, tracing frameworks) to diagnose and resolve issues efficientlyBe a Technical Advisor: Explain complex audio architecture decisions to product teams, provide honest assessments of what is and isn't possible and build trust through transparent communicationWhat We're Looking ForRequired:Strong hands-on experience with the Linux audio stack (PipeWire, WirePlumber, ALSA)Strong proficiency in C and systems-level programmingSolid understanding of core audio concepts (latency, formats, synchronization, buffering, resampling)Proven ability to debug complex issues across multiple layers of a Linux systemComfortable working directly with customers in a consulting or support capacityStrong communication skills, both written and verbalNice to Have:Experience with ALSA kernel driver developmentFamiliarity with RustExposure to Bluetooth audio (A2DP, HFP, LE Audio)Basic understanding of DSP concepts, such as signal flow, filtering, and common processing blocks (e.g. echo cancellation, noise suppression, beamforming)Contributions to relevant open-source projectsExperience with embedded or real-time Linux systemsWhat We OfferCompensation & BenefitsWe offer a competitive benefits package tailored to each country in which we have employees, plus a core global benefit offering accessible to all Collaborans. Our core benefits include:Competitive salary based on experience and locationOffice setup budgetSabbatical/Retention of Services - after five years of continuous serviceCo-working policy - support for working outside homeWellness assessments - biannual wellbeing assessments with a trained mental health specialistConference attendance -we cover expenses and encourage speaking opportunitiesOpen source time - contribute to projects you care aboutWork EnvironmentFully remote - work where you’re most productiveGlobal team - engineers across Europe, Americas and AsiaNo on-call rotations - this isn't support workSustainable pace - we're here for the long termFlexible hours - manage your own scheduleGrowth & ImpactUpstream contributions - your work shapes Linux, not just client productsTechnical leadership track - path to principal engineer, subsystem expertise or technical architecture rolesConsulting track - develop deeper client relationships, lead customer engagements or shape service offeringsMentorship opportunities - both receiving and providing guidanceConference speaking - we support presentation submissions and provide coachingRecognition - your contributions are public, building your professional reputationCulture & ValuesUpstream first - we believe the best solutions benefit everyoneTransparency - open discussion about technical decisions, business constraints and project challengesPragmatism - perfect is the enemy of good; we ship quality code that solves real problemsRespect for expertise - we trust engineers to make technical decisionsCollaborative - we succeed by working together, internally and with the communitySustainable pace - we're here for the marathon, not the sprintOur Interview ProcessWe respect your time and provide a clear, structured process:Application Review (within 2 weeks) - we look at your code and contributionsInitial Chat (30 min) - casual conversation about your experience and our workTechnical Interview (2 - 3h)Technical Deep-Dive - discuss kernel architecture, past debugging challenges and how you approach problem-solving (no whiteboard coding)Code Review Session - review real patches together, discuss trade-offsClient Scenario Discussion - talk through a realistic customer situation: balancing technical debt, timeline pressure and upstream goals (we want to see your thought process, not a "right answer")Chief Operating Officer (60 min) - meet the Chief Operating Officer, ask about day-to-day work and how Collabora works, discuss compensation and benefits.Offer (within 1 week of final interview)Total timeline: 3-4 weeks from application to offerWe provide feedback at every stage, and you'll always know where you stand.Collabora's CommitmentWe're committed to building a diverse team and inclusive environment. We encourage applications from people underrepresented in tech.We evaluate candidates based on skills and contributions, not pedigree. If you're unsure whether you qualify, apply anyway - imposter syndrome is real and you might be exactly who we're looking for.Originally posted on Himalayas