Senior Software Engineer, Android, YouTube Create

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 5 years of experience programming in C++.
• 5 years of experience programming in Java or Kotlin.
• 3 years of experience testing, maintaining, or launching software products, and 1 year of experience with software design and architecture.
• 3 years of experience with android application development.

Preferred qualifications:

• Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science or a related technical field.
• 5 years of experience with data structures and algorithms.
• 3 years of experience with performance, large-scale systems data analysis, visualization tools, or debugging.
• 1 year of experience in a technical leadership role.
• Experience developing accessible technologies.

About the job

Google's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large-scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google’s needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast-paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full-stack as we continue to push technology forward.

As a Senior Software Engineer on the YouTube Create Client team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of mobile content creation. YouTube Create is our dedicated Android app for creators, offering advanced editing tools, effects, and cutting-edge AI-powered media generation.

In this role, you will lead the design and implementation of complex features and infrastructure projects that empower millions of creators globally. You will translate ambiguous product requirements into high-performance technical solutions while driving the long-term technical roadmap.

At YouTube, we believe that everyone deserves to have a voice, and that the world is a better place when we listen, share, and build community through our stories. We work together to give everyone the power to share their story, explore what they love, and connect with one another in the process. Working at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and boundless creativity, we move at the speed of culture with a shared goal to show people the world. We explore new ideas, solve real problems, and have fun — and we do it all together.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of core video-creation features on YouTube Create Android app, such as advanced editing tools, effects, and AI-powered media generation, ensuring a seamless and high-performance experience for creators.
• Drive the technical roadmap for Android infrastructure by scoping and implementing complex projects, such as media-engine migrations (e.g., MEv2) or reliability frameworks, that span multiple quarters and require minimal supervision.
  
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners, including Product, Design, and Backend teams, to translate ambiguous product requirements into scalable technical solutions that impact the future of mobile content creation at YouTube
  
• Mentor and guide engineers, setting technical standards through rigorous code and design reviews, and helping junior team members grow their technical and professional skills.
  
• Identify and resolve systemic technical debt or process bottlenecks, improving developer productivity and ensuring long-term sustainability of the Android codebase.