Acoustic Location EngineerSoundThinking's SafetySmart™ Platform is a suite of products for law enforcement and security customers, including ShotSpotter (real-time gunshot alerts), ResourceRouter (patrol management), and SafePointe (weapons detection). These products are backed by many microservices running in the public cloud, using TypeScript/Node.js, C#/.NET, Go, and Python.ShotSpotter's acoustic location engine — the core technology that calculates where gunfire occurs — has operated for over two decades as a monolithic LabVIEW implementation running in colocation infrastructure. We are now re-architecting this system as cloud-native AWS microservices, while simultaneously enhancing our location algorithms to incorporate 3D urban models for improved accuracy in complex acoustic environments.You will contribute to the design and development of next-generation acoustic location services, working directly with a ShotSpotter cofounder who brings deep domain expertise in acoustic science and system design. You will report to the cofounder (Director of Engineering) and work collaboratively with the VP of Engineering on architectural decisions and platform integration.
This is life-safety software — your code will directly impact how fast and accurately gunfire is located in real cities.Essential Duties/ResponsibilitiesDecompose and re-architect the monolithic LabVIEW-based location engine into AWS microservices (Lambda, EKS/Kubernetes, RabbitMQ, etc.)Design event-driven pipelines for real-time acoustic data ingestion, multilateration computation, and location refinementCollaborate with the cofounder to implement enhanced location algorithms incorporating 3D urban models to account for sound reflection, diffraction, multipath, and shadowingIntegrate geospatial data sources (LiDAR, GIS, 3D city models) into the location computation pipelineBuild simulation and back-testing frameworks to validate accuracy improvements against historical incident dataTranslate legacy LabVIEW signal processing and mathematical logic into maintainable, well-tested, modern codebasesDefine service boundaries, REST/gRPC APIs, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure-as-codeEstablish observability and monitoring for mission-critical servicesMinimum Qualifications8+ years of software design and development experience in backend/distributed systemsAdvanced proficiency in Python and at least one systems-level language (C++, Rust, or Go)Strong AWS experience — you've designed and shipped microservice architectures using core servicesExperience with PostgreSQL, NoSQL databases, and message brokers (RabbitMQ, SQS/SNS)Experience decomposing monolithic systems into microservicesExperience with complex distributed, event-driven architecturesStrong foundation in applied mathematics, physics, or signal processing — comfortable with multilateration, TDOA, optimization algorithms, and numerical methodsExperience with Kubernetes, Linux, Git, CI/CD tools, infrastructure-as-codeExcellent communication and collaboration skillsBachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, physics, or related field (advanced degree preferred)Nice-to-HaveExperience with acoustic modeling, computational acoustics, or wave propagation simulationFamiliarity with 3D geometry processing, ray tracing, or computational geometryBackground with LabVIEW or migrating from LabVIEW/MATLAB to production systemsExperience with IoT device management, GIS platforms, LiDAR, or 3D city model formatsExperience with machine learning pipelinesExperience in defense, public safety, or mission-critical domainsTravel: 15%Location: Fremont, CA, OfficeHybrid WorkplaceSoundThinking follows a hybrid schedule for employees who live equal to or less than 50 miles from one of our office locations, which include Fremont, CA, Tucson, AZ, Washington, D.C., Orlando, Florida, or Iselin, NJ. Employees are expected to work onsite for a minimum of 3 days per week, unless the advertised role has a specific on-site requirement. The specific days for in-office are dependent on the office location.Compensation: At SoundThinking, we are committed to equitable compensation practices and consider a variety of factors, including skills, experience, and work location. The typical base salary range for this role is $140,000 - $165,000 annually.
This range reflects base salary only and does not include bonus, sales incentives, equity, or benefits, where applicable.Note: The Company reserves exclusive right in its sole discretion to modify, adjust, delete, add or otherwise change the above at any time.SoundThinking provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, SoundThinking complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.SoundThinking expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of SoundThinking's employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are limited in the ability or unable to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact SoundThinking at for assistance.The above salary is based on a good faith estimate made at the time of publication and may be modified in the future.
The pay offered to a candidate may vary within this range depending on factors such as education, experience, and geographic location.VISA SPONSORSHIP NOT AVAILABLE