Senior C++ Playback Engineer

Job Description – Senior C++ Playback Engineer

Position: Senior C++ Playback Engineer

Experience: 7+ Years

Work Mode: Remote

Employment Type: Contract

Position Overview

We are looking for an experienced Senior C++ Playback Engineer to design, develop, and optimize native C++ video playback solutions using GStreamer for Smart TVs, Set-Top Boxes, and Gaming Consoles.

The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in native C/C++ development, multimedia frameworks, video streaming technologies, and Digital Rights Management (DRM). The role involves developing high-performance streaming video players, integrating content protection technologies such as Microsoft PlayReady and Google Widevine, and optimizing playback performance across multiple platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain native C++ streaming video players for Smart TVs, Set-Top Boxes, and Gaming Consoles.
• Develop and maintain video player plugins and components using GStreamer.
• Integrate and implement DRM technologies, including Microsoft PlayReady and Google Widevine.
• Optimize video playback performance, including Time to First Frame (TTFF), startup time, and playback stability.
• Design and implement scalable and efficient video player architectures.
• Research, evaluate, and implement suitable multimedia technologies and technical solutions.
• Support multiple streaming protocols and adaptive bitrate (ABR) playback.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex multimedia, playback, and platform-specific issues.
• Maintain technical documentation and ensure clean, maintainable, and testable code.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including engineers, QA testers, product managers, and project stakeholders.
• Take ownership of assigned components and deliver features within agreed timelines.
• Participate in Agile/Scrum ceremonies, sprint planning, and technical discussions.

Required Qualifications & Technical Skills

1. C/C++ & Native Development

• 7+ years of hands-on experience in C/C++ programming.
• Strong experience in native application development for TV platforms.
• Experience developing high-performance applications with low-level platform APIs/NDK.
• Experience building and maintaining streaming video players, preferably using C++.

2. Multimedia Frameworks

• Strong familiarity with multimedia frameworks and open-source projects such as:
• GStreamer
• FFmpeg
• WebRTC
• Experience developing and integrating GStreamer-based plugins and pipelines.

3. Video Streaming Protocols

• Strong understanding of video streaming protocols and formats, including:
• HLS and Low-Latency HLS (LL-HLS)
• MPEG-DASH
• CMAF
• RTP and RTMP
• Timed Metadata (ID3)
• Experience with Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) streaming and ABR ladder algorithms.

4. DRM & Content Protection

• Strong experience with digital rights management (DRM) technologies, including:
• Google Widevine
• Microsoft PlayReady
• Apple FairPlay
• MPEG Common Encryption (CENC)
• Experience implementing secure content playback and DRM integration.

5. Smart TV & Device Platforms

Experience developing or optimizing applications for one or more of the following platforms:

• Samsung Tizen
• Roku
• Amazon Fire TV
• Apple tvOS
• Vizio
• Hisense
• Xbox
• PlayStation
• Other Smart TV, Set-Top Box, or Gaming Console platforms

6. Audio, Video & Subtitle Technologies

• Knowledge of multilingual text tracks, closed captioning, and subtitle formats such as WebVTT.
• Understanding of multilingual audio tracks and audio description.
• Knowledge of modern video codecs, including H.264, H.265/HEVC, VP8, VP9, and AV1.
• Familiarity with Dolby Vision, HDR, and high-refresh-rate video playback.

7. Video Streaming & Delivery Workflows

• Basic understanding of Video-on-Demand (VOD) and linear streaming workflows.
• Familiarity with content ingest, transmuxing, encoding, packaging, playout, and Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI).
• Understanding of multi-CDN streaming environments and content delivery workflows.
• Experience with REST API integration and development.

Additional Requirements

• Strong understanding of Agile/Scrum development methodologies.
• Ability to write clean, efficient, maintainable, and testable code.
• Proven ability to manage large-scale development projects from design through delivery.
• Ability to independently own and deliver specific components or features.
• Experience with Jira and Confluence for project tracking and documentation.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to provide regular progress updates, effort estimations, and delivery timelines to project managers and Scrum Masters.