Embedded Engineer, Graphics

Location: Vienna, United States

Department: Spectacles

Employment Type: Full time

About Snap Inc

Snap Inc is a technology company. We believe the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. Snap contributes to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together.

About the Role

Snap Inc is a camera company that believes AR technology will transform how people connect, create, and experience the world. Our Spectacles team is at the forefront of this revolution, developing fifth-generation standalone AR glasses powered by Snap OS that blend digital creativity with real-world interaction. We're seeking an Embedded Engineer, Graphics, to join our innovative Spectacles team in Santa Monica, where you'll architect graphics systems that power immersive, see-through AR experiences for playing, learning, and working together. In this role, you'll lead the design and implementation of embedded graphics software, optimizing GPU and display pipelines for our custom SoC hardware in resource-constrained environments. Collaborating with AR, camera, and silicon experts, you'll drive real-time graphics innovations that enhance Snapchat's visual messaging and Lens Studio's AR capabilities, all while pushing the boundaries of lightweight AR eyewear. Your work will directly impact how millions express themselves through Snap's ecosystem. Join a creative culture that values diverse voices, rapid iteration, and 'Default Together' collaboration in our office 4+ days a week. With our comprehensive benefits and commitment to equal opportunity, Snap empowers you to innovate fearlessly. If you're passionate about graphics in AR and ready to shape the future of wearable tech, apply now.

What You'll Do

• Lead or participate in the design and architecture of system software for prototype and shipping consumer AR products like Spectacles
• Implement and maintain software to efficiently program embedded GPU and display processing hardware in compute-constrained environments
• Collaborate with the SoC team to design, evaluate and write software for purpose-built GPU solutions tailored to AR glasses
• Optimize real-time graphics workloads for low-latency AR experiences in Snap OS
• Debug and profile graphics performance on embedded Linux systems powering Spectacles
• Develop and integrate Linux graphics drivers (DRM/KMS) for custom display hardware
• Work cross-functionally with AR, camera, and hardware teams to push boundaries of see-through AR technology
• Contribute to open-source graphics projects to advance Snap's AR innovation
• Document designs, track bugs, and maintain source control for scalable Spectacles software
• Prototype new graphics features enhancing play, learning, and collaboration in real-world AR

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a relevant technical field such as computer science or electrical engineering or equivalent years of experience
• 5+ years of experience with system software development
• Proficiency in programming C and C++ on Linux
• Experience with Linux graphics driver architecture, implementation and debugging
• Experience with GPU architecture; programming, debugging and optimizing real time graphics workloads
• Proficiency in system-level programming on a Linux-based operating system
• Strong analytical and software debugging skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with optimizing and tracing graphics performance on mobile GPUs
• Experience with the Linux display driver subsystem (drm, KMS)
• Experience with embedded display hardware
• Experience with reading hardware schematics and implementing/debug drivers based on that
• Experience with a modern graphics API (i.e. Vulkan) and an implementation at the driver level
• Contributions to an open source system software project (e.g. Mesa, Linux DRM)

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• GPU architecture and real-time graphics programming
• Embedded Linux system-level programming
• C and C++ proficiency on Linux
• Linux graphics driver development (DRM, KMS)
• Graphics performance optimization and tracing
• Software debugging and analytical problem-solving
• Source control, bug tracking, and design documentation
• Hardware schematics reading and driver implementation
• Modern graphics APIs like Vulkan at driver level
• Cross-functional collaboration in AR/hardware teams
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Experience with compute-constrained embedded environments
• Open-source contributions (e.g., Mesa, Linux DRM)
• Real-time workload optimization for mobile/embedded GPUs
• Prototyping for consumer AR products

Our Benefits

• Paid parental leave
• Comprehensive medical coverage
• Emotional and mental health support programs
• Compensation packages that let you share in Snap’s long-term success
• Dynamic collaboration in a creative, innovative culture
• Office-based 'Default Together' policy fostering team connection 4+ days per week
• Opportunities to work on cutting-edge AR glasses and camera technologies
• Support for diverse backgrounds in an equal opportunity environment

"Default Together" Policy: At Snap Inc, we practice a "default together" approach and expect team members to work in an office 4+ days per week.

Snap is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.