Lead Systems Software Architect

Teamwork makes the stream work. Roku is changing how the world watches TV Roku is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and we've set our sights on powering every television in the world. Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. Our mission is to be the TV streaming platform that connects the entire TV ecosystem. We connect consumers to the content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers unique capabilities to engage consumers. From your first day at Roku, you'll make a valuable - and valued - contribution. We're a fast-growing public company where no one is a bystander. We offer you the opportunity to delight millions of TV streamers around the world while gaining meaningful experience across a variety of disciplines. About the role Roku’s leadership in streaming depends on delivering exceptional devices that combine the right hardware platforms with Roku OS to create simple, reliable, and delightful experiences. Roku is the #1 TV streaming platform in North America, and we’ve set our sights on powering every television in the world. Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. Our mission is to change the face of television and streaming media watching around the world. This role is tasked with leveraging hardware and software to create a unique viewing experience, one that turns users into raving fans. You will report directly to the Vice President of Software Engineering and serve as a key technical contributor for Roku’s device platform strategy, with a strong focus on high-quality software solutions. We are looking for a highly skilled Lead Systems Software Architect who leads complex implementations for Roku TVs and streaming devices, grounded in a deep understanding of multimedia system design (video/audio pipelines, SoCs, memory, power, thermals). You will design, implement, debug, and optimize the software platform that spans the full system, ensuring it is performant, secure, and scalable across SKUs and generations. You will collaborate with ODM partners, chipset vendors, and internal software/hardware teams to drive products from concept to mass production. The work we do can be challenging, but that’s why we enjoy it so much. The ideal candidate isn’t a bystander. They are curious and engaged, willing to jump in to solve problems and make data-driven decisions even when things feel very ambiguous. Our industry changes quickly, so we expect a great candidate to be comfortable responding quickly to changing business needs, knowing that their own success comes when the team succeeds. For California Only - The estimated annual salary for this position is between $350,000 - $637,500 annually. Compensation packages are based on factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, certifications, and specific geographical location. This role is eligible for health insurance, equity awards, life insurance, disability benefits, parental leave, wellness benefits, and paid time off." What you’ll be doing Software development & platform ownership Own complex features or subsystems end-to-end, from design and implementation through bring-up, validation, and production support. Translate product and business goals into concrete designs, tasks, and implementation plans. Design, implement, and maintain core platform software for Roku device programs and platforms, with a strong focus on code quality, robustness, and long-term maintainability. Contribute to and influence hardware–software partitioning, platform APIs, and integration patterns to enable feature teams to build reliably on the device platform. Drive and model best practices for coding standards, code reviews, testing strategies, and CI/CD for platform software. Multimedia & system-level engineering Implement and optimize video/audio pipelines, codecs, and rendering paths to deliver high-quality playback, low latency, and smooth UI/UX for streaming applications. Contribute to end-to-end multimedia system design for TVs and streaming devices, ensuring solutions scale across SKUs and generations. Define and help maintain benchmarks and test scenarios for media, graphics, and system behavior that map directly to Roku use cases. Implement and maintain secure boot, DRM integrations, and standards-compliant content protection features in collaboration with security experts. Systems-aware implementation integrating hardware-software Lead the product evaluation and enablement of candidate SoCs and companion chipsets, partnering with SoC vendors on performance, power, cost, and ecosystem maturity. Implement and maintain drivers, HALs, and low-level services that expose the right hardware capabilities (media, graphics, connectivity, security) to Roku OS. Drive early bring-up and debug of new SoCs and boards from a software perspective (boot chain, device drivers, board support packages, diagnostics). Anticipate system-level failure modes (thermal, power, component tolerances, resource exhaustion) and implement software mitigations (throttling, graceful degradation, watchdogs, telemetry hooks). Performance engineering in constrained environments Define and enforce memory, CPU/GPU/NPU, and storage budgets across SKUs, working closely with feature teams. Use profiling tools, tracing, and telemetry to diagnose and fix performance bottlenecks across the stack (kernel, drivers, middleware, apps). Implement optimizations to improve boot time, UI performance, streaming quality, and app responsiveness while staying within platform constraints. Quality, diagnostics, and observability Partner with NPI, test, and manufacturing engineering to design and implement system-level validation strategies, test automation, and regression suites for your components. Implement and refine diagnostics, logging, and telemetry that make field issues diagnosable and fixable at scale, including the platform hooks needed for AI-assisted troubleshooting. Ensure the robustness and reliability of low-level software in production configurations, including robust error handling, recovery strategies, and safe update mechanisms. Cross-functional collaboration & technical leadership Collaborate with OS, media, graphics, connectivity, security, and cloud/service teams to integrate platform features that meet product requirements. Provide technical mentorship to other software engineers, especially around debugging complex system issues, performance tuning, and best practices for systems-level code. Work closely with engineering leads to review designs, surface trade-offs, and de-risk implementations before they reach production. Partner with SoC vendors and OEM/ODM partners from design through mass production, ensuring software deliverables, validation, and readiness meet Roku’s standards AI and system-level intelligence Implement components in system-level AI/ML flows where AI is in the loop (e.g., quality monitoring, recommendations, anomaly detection, test selection). Specify and implement platform APIs and telemetry that enable AI tools to be effective across the device stack (logs, traces, metrics, events). We’re excited if you have Education & experience BS/MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field. 15+ years of industry experience in embedded systems-level software development, with a strong emphasis on hands-on software development for multimedia products. Proven track record building and shipping AV products (TVs, set-top boxes, streaming devices, consoles, or similar) at scale. Software development & systems expertise Strong experience with embedded Linux or Android-based systems Proficiency in one or more systems programming languages such as C/C++ (Rust or similar is a plus), with deep experience in debugging, performance tuning, and maintainable code design. Strong familiarity with modern SDLC practices: CI/CD, automated testing, static/dynamic analysis, continuous performance regression monitoring, and observability tooling. Multimedia & system knowledge Deep understanding of ARM-based SoCs, multimedia pipelines, and system constraints (memory bandwidth/latency, storage performance, UI/frame-rate stability, thermal behavior). Demonstrated ability to analyze and optimize system-level performance using profiling, tracing, and hardware counters. Experience with DRM, content protection, secure boot, and related industry standards for streaming and TV products. Experience collaborating with SoC vendors and ODM/OEM partners from design through mass production, especially around platform software deliverables and validation. AI, accelerators, and low-level platforms Experience with NPU/DSP/AI accelerator blocks on embedded SoCs, including maximizing throughput and minimizing latency within real-world device constraints. Ability to build or integrate end-to-end flows where AI is in the loop, particularly for diagnostics, performance optimization, or UX improvements. Proficient in using AI tools for debugging, code review, test selection, and log analysis, and in implementing the platform hooks (APIs/telemetry) that those tools need. Hardware & board-level understanding (bonus) Solid understanding of board-level design concepts (schematics/layout review, power and thermal design, signal integrity considerations, and interfaces such as I²C, USB, PCIe, and HDMI). Comfortable partnering with board design teams to translate software and system needs into board-level requirements and constraints, even though your primary focus is software How you work Strong communication skills with the ability to explain complex software and system trade-offs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. A bias toward data-driven decisions, clear documentation, and repeatable processes. Demonstrated ability to lead technically through code and design, influence cross-functional teams, and drive complex platform changes from concept to production. #LI-RN1 Our Hybrid Work Approach Roku fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment where teams work in the office Monday through Thursday. Fridays are flexible for remote work except for employees whose roles are required to be in the office five days a week or employees who are in offices with a five day in office policy. Benefits Roku is committed to offering a diverse range of benefits as part of our compensation package to support our employees and their families. Our comprehensive benefits include global access to mental health and financial wellness support and resources. Local benefits include statutory and voluntary benefits which may include healthcare (medical, dental, and vision), life, accident, disability, commuter, and retirement options (401(k)/pension). Employees are supported in taking time off, in accordance with local leave policies and other personal needs to support their evolving work and life needs. It's important to note that not every benefit is available in all locations or for every role. For details specific to your location, please consult with your recruiter. Accommodations Roku welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and provides reasonable accommodations and adjustments in accordance with applicable law. If you require reasonable accommodation at any point in the hiring process, please direct your inquiries to [email protected] . The Roku Culture Roku is a great place for people who want to work in a fast-paced environment where everyone is focused on the company's success rather than their own. We try to surround ourselves with people who are great at their jobs, who are easy to work with, and who keep their egos in check. We appreciate a sense of humor. We believe a fewer number of very talented folks can do more for less cost than a larger number of less talented teams. We're independent thinkers with big ideas who act boldly, move fast and accomplish extraordinary things through collaboration and trust. In short, at Roku you'll be part of a company that's changing how the world watches TV. We have a unique culture that we are proud of. We think of ourselves primarily as problem-solvers, which itself is a two-part idea. We come up with the solution, but the solution isn't real until it is built and delivered to the customer. That penchant for action gives us a pragmatic approach to innovation, one that has served us well since 2002. To learn more about Roku, our global footprint, and how we've grown, visit https://www.weareroku.com/factsheet . By providing your information, you acknowledge that you want Roku to contact you about job roles, that you have read Roku's Applicant Privacy Notice , and understand that Roku will use your information as described in that notice. If you do not wish to receive any communications from Roku regarding this role or similar roles in the future, you may unsubscribe at any time by emailing [email protected] .