Android Architect

Job Description

Job Description: An experienced Android Architect is required to lead the design and development of applications and system-level integrations for the Google TV platform. This role involves architecting home applications, streaming apps, OEM service applications, and Android firmware, ensuring product resilience against frequent Android OS upgrades and security patches. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in Android TV, ExoPlayer, system app development, and AOSP customizations, with a strong focus on scalability, performance, and maintainability. Key Responsibilities: Application & System Architecture: Design and develop Google TV home applications, streaming apps, and OEM service applications with a scalable and modular approach. Architect custom launchers, TV UI frameworks, and deep Google TV API integrations for personalized content discovery. Ensure seamless ExoPlayer-based video playback, including DRM (Widevine, PlayReady), adaptive bitrate streaming, and content prefetching. Implement WebSocket-based real-time updates and backend interactions for content and user engagement. Firmware & OS-Level Development: Collaborate with OEMs and SoC (System on Chip) vendors to integrate system-level services and optimize TV firmware performance. Customize Android Open Source Project (AOSP) for Google TV, including modifications to the Android TV Input Framework (TIF), Launcher3, and vendorspecific system services. Optimize low-level performance, memory management, and hardware acceleration for Android TV devices. Work on system-level debugging, logs analysis, and crash monitoring tools for stability improvements. Product Resilience & Upgrade Handling: Develop strategies to ensure product resilience against Android OS upgrades, minimizing impact on core applications and services. Design backward-compatible APIs, feature flags, and progressive rollouts to handle Android version fragmentation. Work on silent installations, app persistence mechanisms, and seamless update experiences for system applications. Implement automated testing frameworks and CI/CD pipelines to ensure robust upgrade handling and rollback strategies. Collaboration & Leadership: Work closely with product managers, designers, and OEM partners to define the future of Google TV experiences. Lead code reviews, mentor developers, and enforce best coding practices for scalable and maintainable architectures. Stay up to date with Google TV, Android TV, and AOSP advancements, evaluating new technologies for potential adoption. Required Skills & Experience: 10+ years of Android development experience, with 5+ years focused on Android TV/Google TV. Expert-level proficiency in Kotlin, Java, and Jetpack Compose. Strong experience with ExoPlayer, DRM (Widevine, PlayReady), streaming protocols (HLS, DASH, RTSP). Deep understanding of AOSP customizations, Android TV Input Framework (TIF), Launcher3 modifications, and SystemUI. Knowledge of firmware development, system services, and hardware abstraction layers (HALs) in Android. Experience with OEM integrations, SoC vendor collaboration, and platform optimizations. Strong understanding of WebSocket-based communication, network resilience, and offline content caching. Proven track record in handling Android OS upgrades, backward compatibility, and feature migrations. Experience with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and performance monitoring for Android TV apps. Preferred Qualifications: Experience in converting Android apps into system apps and implementing silent installations. Knowledge of C++ and JNI for low-level Android optimizations. Previous contributions to AOSP modifications for TV platforms. Experience with AI/ML-based content recommendations and TV personalization engines.