Software Engineer - On-Device & Backend Systems at Meta
Redmond, WA
$183,997–$257,000from the description
Jul 13, 2026
Redmond, WA
Jul 21, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
A senior individual-contributor role focused on the full-stack software architecture connecting Meta's custom silicon and AOSP-based on-device software to the cloud services that support it — covering areas such as hardware abstraction layers, backend model serving, OTA infrastructure, and telemetry pipelines. The position suits an engineer with a decade or more of experience spanning both embedded/Android platform work and large-scale distributed systems, who has previously led initiatives that cross hardware, OS, and cloud boundaries.
Staff level · 10+ years · San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA · Full-time
“or” means any one of them counts — you don't need all of them.
We read this from the posting text with AI. Skim the description below before ruling yourself out.
How this req sits in the market our data
Roughly 340 people in the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA area plausibly meet what this posting asks for (software developers). range 85–440
Applicant volume Moderate — A normal amount of company. The rare requirements below are what will separate a shortlisted application from the rest.
Most people in this occupation already list these. Still required — just not what gets you shortlisted.
What the occupation pays Median $190,744 (middle half $167,095–$224,501). This posting is about at that midpoint.
Estimated from BLS employment for this occupation and area, per-skill prevalence across our listing corpus, and published wage benchmarks — as of Jul 28, 2026. It is a model, not a headcount.
Why we read it this way (8)
The role is explicitly titled 'Staff Software Engineer' and the scope — driving org-level architecture across silicon, on-device, and cloud boundaries — genuinely supports Staff-level classification.
Location is not explicitly stated in the posting; Meta's headquarters is Menlo Park, CA (San Francisco Bay Area CBSA). The role may also be filled at other Meta offices; the Bay Area CBSA is used as the primary metro.
Degree requirement is None: the JD accepts 'equivalent practical experience' in lieu of a Bachelor's degree.
Java and Kotlin are listed as interchangeable alternatives for backend service development ('Java/Kotlin'); Python and C++ are listed as a separate backend option — Python is captured as a standalone required skill given its explicit mention.
The alternative occupation code 15-1244 is noted as a distant runner-up only; the role's primary work is clearly writing and shipping software (15-1252), not operating infrastructure someone else built.
Several preferred qualifications name specific technical areas (on-device ML inference, OTA systems, DSP programming, AR/VR) that appear only under the 'Preferred Qualifications' heading and are marked accordingly.
Compensation is stated as a range of $183,997–$257,000/year plus bonus, equity, and benefits.
Ignored 2 non-technology phrase(s) as skills (responsibilities/concepts, not named tools): custom SoC / embedded platforms, on-device ML inference.
Read the full posting
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