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Snap Inc.

AR Engineer, Level 4

Posted 53 Minutes Ago
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Hybrid
Los Angeles, CA, USA
133K-235K Annually
Mid level
Hybrid
Los Angeles, CA, USA
133K-235K Annually
Mid level
Build and optimize augmented reality software for Spectacles and Snap OS. Responsibilities include developing real-time 3D interaction algorithms, core features for custom 3D engines, spatial and multimodal experiences, native OS integrations, and inter-application communication for shared-space AR. The role requires strong C++ programming, 3D mathematics, performance-critical development, and experience with real-time 3D engines or frameworks.
The summary above was generated by AI

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.


The Company operates Snapchat, a visual messaging app that enhances your relationships with friends, family, and the world, and Specs Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary dedicated to making computing more human, in addition to Bitmoji, Saturn, and other digital services.


Specs Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Snap Inc. dedicated to making computing more human. The company develops Specs, advanced eyewear that seamlessly integrates digital experiences into the physical world.

Specs feature see-through lenses that place digital objects directly into three-dimensional space, powered by Snap OS, a proprietary, context-aware operating system designed for natural interaction with your hands and voice.

Specs Inc. also provides Lens Studio, a full suite of advanced developer tools that powers immersive augmented reality experiences across Specs, Snapchat, and other services.

This team of Software Engineers work in a highly collaborative environment alongside Design and Product to build the products and experiences that bring our community together in new and special ways.

We’re looking for an AR Engineer to join our Specs team at Snap! 

What You’ll Do:

  • Advance and build the holistic look, feel, and flow of interactions and interfaces for user-facing software on Spectacles.

  • Contribute towards the consistent and unified user experience across the entire Snap OS software platform.

  • Create and empower spatial experiences through our human-centered and multi-modal interactive systems, which enable natural and intuitive interactions in augmented reality.

  • Design and implement performant real-time 3D interaction algorithms optimized for resource-constrained AR hardware.

  • Develop and optimize core systems and features within custom 3D engines and frameworks, ensuring high performance for immersive AR experiences.

  • Interface with native OS and platform services and APIs to extend AR application capabilities and deliver seamless system integrations.

  • Architect and integrate inter-application communication and shared state for concurrent shared-space AR experiences.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

  • Strong 3D math and software engineering fundamentals with data structures and algorithms.

  • Practical C++ experience with developing real-time 3D engine features and applications.

  • Excellent collaboration and communication skills working with engineering, design, and product disciplines.

Minimum Requirements:

  • ​3+ years of post-Bachelor’s software development experience or equivalent years of relevant work experience; or Master’s degree in a technical field + 2+ year of post-grad software development experience; or PhD in a relevant technical field

  • Hands on experience building real-time 3D interactive applications and/or features/systems for real-time 3D engines.

  • Proficiency in C++ with experience writing performance-critical code for real-time 3D applications or engines.

  • Experience working with 3D engines / frameworks (such as Unity, Unreal, Godot, or custom engines) and understanding of their internal architectures.

Preferred Requirements:

  • Demonstrable passion for creating spatial experiences.

  • Experience with gameplay engineering, including real-time physics, animation systems, or input handling.

  • Networking experience, including multiplayer synchronization, client-server architectures, or real-time networked applications.

  • Experience working with custom 3D engines and/or modifying existing engine source code.

  • Experience writing or interfacing with native services and platform APIs (e.g., iOS, Android NDK, or proprietary OS APIs).

  • Understanding of building real-time applications that interface with external services.

  • Understanding of modern UI frameworks and patterns, especially for real-time 3D applications.

  • Familiarity with shaders and technical art.

  • Track record of writing performant real-time 3D interaction algorithms.

"Default Together" Policy at Snap: At Snap Inc. we believe that being together in person helps us build our culture faster, reinforce our values, and serve our community, customers and partners better through dynamic collaboration. To reflect this, we practice a “default together” approach and expect our team members to work in an office 4+ days per week. 


At Snap, we believe that having a team of diverse backgrounds and voices working together will enable us to create innovative products that improve the way people live and communicate. Snap is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. EOE, including disability/vets.


We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law (by example, the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, where applicable).


Our Benefits: Snap Inc. is its own community, so we’ve got your back! We do our best to make sure you and your loved ones have everything you need to be happy and healthy, on your own terms. Our benefits are built around your needs and include paid parental leave, comprehensive medical coverage, emotional and mental health support programs, and compensation packages that let you share in Snap’s long-term success!

Compensation

In the United States, work locations are assigned a pay zone which determines the salary range for the position. The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. The starting pay may be negotiable within the salary range for the position. These pay zones may be modified in the future.

Zone A (CA, WA, NYC):

The base salary range for this position is $157,000-$235,000 annually.


 

Zone B:

The base salary range for this position is $149,000-$223,000 annually.

Zone C:

The base salary range for this position is $133,000-$200,000 annually.

This position is eligible for equity in the form of RSUs.

If you believe this job description is missing required pay transparency information, please submit a report through this form: Job Description Pay Range Disclosure.

HQ

Snap Inc. Santa Monica, California, USA Office

Snap LA is located in the Santa Monica Business Park. We're across the street from a ton of great restaurants, coffee shops, Clover Park, and more!

Machine Learning

At Snap, Machine Learning Engineers are innovators, transforming massive amounts of data into intelligent, personalized experiences for over 850 million users. From revolutionizing content and ad platforms to enhancing search, our team leverages state of the art machine learning models to drive snapchat’s mission forward: to empower people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn and enjoy the world together. By pioneering technology that understands and anticipates user needs, Snap’s ML team fuels moments of discovery, connection, and joy - impacting lives and advancing human progress every day.

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