Staff Software Engineer, Android Laptop and Tablet System Software, Platform Inputs

Google

San Jose, California, United StatesFull-time$207,000–$300,000Posted Oct 22, 2026

About the role

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
  • 8 years of experience in software development.
  • 8 years of experience with one or more general purpose programming languages

(e.g., Java, C/C++, or Python).

  • 5 years of experience with Linux Kernel, Operating Systems, Performance

Analysis, Performance Optimization, Performance Tuning, and C++ or C coding.

  • 3 years of experience with software design and architecture.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related

technical field.

  • 8 years of experience with software development in C/C++, and with data

structures and algorithms.

  • 5 years of experience testing, maintaining, or launching software products,

and 1 year of experience with software design and architecture.

  • 5 years of experience building and developing large-scale infrastructure,

distributed systems or networks, or experience with compute technologies,

inputs, or hardware architecture.

  • 3 years of experience in a technical leadership role leading project teams

and setting technical direction.

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.

Android is Google’s mobile operating system powering more than 3 billion devices

worldwide. Android is about bringing computing to everyone in the world. We

believe computing is a super power for good, enabling access to information,

economic opportunity, productivity, connectivity between friends and family and

more. We think everyone in the world should have access to the best computing

has to offer. We provide the platform for original equipment manufacturers

(OEMs) and developers to build compelling computing devices (smartphones,

tablets, TVs, wearables, etc) that run the best apps/services for everyone in

the world.

Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills,

experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $207000 - $300000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits

Learn more about benefits at Google

[https://www.google.com/about/careers/applications/benefits/].

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Architect, deliver of premium, desktop-class input experiences across

Google’s unified Android and ChromeOS computing ecosystems.

  • Own end-to-end technical roadmap across the multi-layered input stack

spanning physical hardware matrices, firmware protocols (HID, HID++, USI 2.0

styluses, SPI/I2C touch controllers), Linux, Android GKI kernel-drivers,

native C++ input processing pipelines, Java framework services.

  • Design, scale foundational OS capabilities including public, system APIs for

third-party peripheral, mouse button customization, next-generation keyboard

standards featuring dedicated AI hardware triggers (Super G, quick

insert-keys), cross-form-factor haptics for trackpads and styluses,

heatmap-driven palm rejection algorithms, low-latency hardware-to-OS wake

signaling.

  • Be the primary technical conduit across system UI, input experience hardware

engineering, and global Tier-1 OEM for new platform bring-up.

  • Advocate next-generation hardware-in-the-loop test automation, input latency

telemetry, drive operational excellence across release bug triaging and code-

ownership to deliver flagship Google devices.

Responsibilities

  • Architect premium desktop-class input experiences across Android and ChromeOS.
  • Own the technical roadmap for the input stack, from hardware and firmware through Linux, Android kernel drivers, and software frameworks.
  • Design foundational OS capabilities, APIs, input standards, haptics, palm rejection, and low-latency hardware-to-OS signaling.
  • Coordinate platform bring-up across system UI, hardware engineering, and global OEM partners.
  • Advance hardware-in-the-loop testing and input latency telemetry, and drive release quality and code ownership.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
  • At least 8 years of software development experience and experience with a general-purpose programming language.
  • At least 5 years of experience with Linux Kernel, operating systems, performance analysis and optimization, and C or C++ coding.
  • At least 3 years of experience in software design and architecture.
  • Preferred: Master's degree or PhD in a related technical field.
  • Preferred: Experience with C/C++, data structures and algorithms, and launching or maintaining software products.
  • Preferred: Experience building large-scale infrastructure, distributed systems, networks, compute technologies, input systems, or hardware architectures.
  • Preferred: At least 3 years in a technical leadership role.

Benefits

  • 20% target bonus
  • Equity
  • Benefits

Skills mentioned

C++LinuxPerformance OptimizationSystem DesignAndroid DevelopmentEmbedded SystemsFirmware DevelopmentSystems EngineeringSoftware TestingAutomation

About Google

A problem isn't truly solved until it's solved for all. Googlers build products that help create opportunities for everyone, whether down the street or across the globe. Bring your insight, imagination and a healthy disregard for the impossible. Bring everything that makes you unique. Together, we can build for everyone. Check out our career opportunities at goo.gle/3DLEokh

Software Development10,001+ employeesMountain View, CA

H-1B sponsorship history

Historical employer filing data was found for Google. The employer record includes 57,181 historical certified applications. This is employer-level history, not a guarantee that this role currently offers sponsorship.