Senior Software Engineer, Embedded, Platforms and Devices at Google
San Francisco, CA
$174,000–$252,000from the description
Aug 17, 2026
San Francisco, CA
Sep 25, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
This role sits on Google's XR Platforms and Devices team, building embedded software for next-generation extended-reality hardware that pairs AI with lightweight XR devices. The engineer will write and test low-level systems code, debug hardware/software issues, and participate in design reviews. It suits someone with strong embedded OS and C/C++ experience who can also mentor junior engineers.
Senior level · 5+ years · San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, 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 1,850 people in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA area plausibly meet what this posting asks for (software developers). range 970–2,400
Applicant volume Moderate — A normal amount of company. The rare requirements below are what will separate a shortlisted application from the rest.
What the occupation pays Median $217,796 (middle half $177,469–$231,052). 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 Aug 20, 2026. It is a model, not a headcount.
Why we read it this way (9)
The posting lists two work locations (San Jose and San Francisco); San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara CBSA is used as the primary metro since it is listed first.
The degree requirement is 'Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience,' which means equivalent experience is explicitly accepted — treated as no hard degree gate.
C++ and C are listed as interchangeable examples ('e.g. C++ or C') within the same requirement; C++ is used as the primary skill name with C as an alternative.
The 5-year data structures and algorithms requirement appears under Preferred qualifications, so it is marked preferred despite having a specific year count.
Computer vision (image classification/processing, object detection, visual search), video generation, and signal processing all appear under Preferred qualifications. Video generation is a domain/concept rather than a named tool and is omitted per guidelines.
Experience developing accessible technologies appears under Preferred qualifications but names no specific technology, so it is omitted.
The 1-year technical leadership experience under Preferred qualifications names no specific technology and is omitted.
Compensation is stated as $174,000–$252,000/year plus a 15% bonus target and equity; the bonus and equity are not captured in the comp fields but are noted here.
Ignored 1 non-technology phrase(s) as skills (responsibilities/concepts, not named tools): Data structures and algorithms.
Read the full posting
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