Job Title: Spatial Audio Capture Project Manager
Location: Onsite – Redmond, WA
Duration: 12 Months
 
About the Role:

• Reality Labs Research at Client brings together a world-class team of researchers, developers, and engineers to create the future of virtual and augmented reality, which together will become as universal and essential as smartphones and personal computers are today.
• In particular, the Reality Labs Research Audio team is focused on two goals; creating virtual sounds that are perceptually indistinguishable from reality, and redefining human hearing. These two initiatives will allow us to connect people by allowing them to feel together despite being physically apart, and allow them to converse in even the most difficult listening environments.
• We are looking for an experienced contract project manager to help us advance research and development on spatial audio capture as part of a team of project managers that support research scientists, software engineers, and PhD student interns. An ideal candidate would have work experience in research project management, and familiarity with some or all of the following areas: Spatial audio, binaural audio, and audio signal processing.

 
Responsibilities:

• Manage and drive projects to advance research and development according to a delivery plan.
• Monitor progress, identify problems, facilitate resolution, and implement changes as necessary to keep projects on track towards completion.
• Regularly report on project progress, dependencies and risks to the team and stakeholders.
• Ensure proper documentation of progress and completion of tasks and projects.
• Manage procurement projects for equipment and vendor services.
• Willingness to "roll up your sleeves" and take on operational tasks in support of the team's goals.

 
Must-Have Skills:

1. Project Management
   a. Sprint-Based Project Management – Experience with bi-weekly sprint planning, tracking, and reporting.
2. Driving execution in a research environment (For example, companies with R&D in consumer electronics)
   a. UXR fishfooding, SLO setup, and Google form deployment.
3. Synthesize and report information to stakeholders
   a. Strong documentation skills, including maintaining GSD boards, summarizing sprint progress, and reporting gaps/risks.
   b. Regular communication with DRIs and management, including bi-weekly updates and summary reports.

 
Nice-to-Have Skills:

1. Agile/Scrum/Sprint management
2. Event coordination
3. Audio production (event, mixing, performance) or technology (Spatial audio, binaural audio, and audio signal processing) experience
   a. experience with spatial/binaural audio, audio signal processing, and relevant programming languages.

 
Minimum Qualifications:

1. Work experience in research project management with a track record of successful project completion.
2. Interpersonal and communication skills, with strong attention to detail.
3. Proactive with ability to execute on multiple tasks simultaneously.
4. Ability to collaborate cross-functionally with team members and individuals throughout the broader organization.
5. Strong organizational and time management skills.
6. Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Computer Science, (Audio) Engineering, Acoustics, Physics, or a related field.

 
Preferred Qualifications:

1. Experience working in a fast-paced research and/or product development environment.
2. Experience with programming languages such as Matlab, Python, C++, Max/MSP or similar.
3. Experience with spatial audio, binaural audio, and audio signal processing.
4. Experience with user experience studies.

 
Years of Experience: 3+
 
Related Job Titles / Skill Sets:

• Moving technology into product

• Research & Product Development – 50/50 (slightly more research preferred)
• R&D at an audio electronics company
• T-mobile or Big Tech companies

 
Interview Process:

• (Optional) 15 Minute Phone screen
• Round 1 – 45 minute TPM interview
• Round 2 – 45 minute technical lead interview

 
 
At SPECTRAFORCE, we are committed to maintaining a workplace that ensures fair compensation and wage transparency in adherence with all applicable state and local laws. This position’s starting pay is: $ 70.00/hr.