Rust/C++ Software Engineer

Discord is looking for a Software Engineer to build high-performance, cross-platform client software that powers experiences for 200+ million users worldwide. You'll work on core libraries that run across Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS—writing native code using platform-specific APIs to provide optimal experiences wherever people use Discord.

As a Software Engineer on our A/V Client team, you'll tackle challenging performance problems, design systems that scale across diverse hardware configurations, and build the foundation that enables real-time experiences for millions of concurrent users.

What you'll be doing:

• Build core libraries that power Discord's client experiences across desktop, browser, and mobile platforms (Rust, C++, and Typescript)
• Optimize performance end-to-end across all supported platforms
• Design and run experiments with proper success criteria and statistical rigor to validate improvements
• Debug complex issues across diverse hardware and platform configurations
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ship features that delight millions of users

What you should have:

• 2+ years building large-scale, cross-platform software (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, or game console development)
• Strong Rust or C++ skills with understanding of memory management, multi-threading, and low-level optimization
• Experience building performance-critical applications where milliseconds matter

Bonus points:

• Experience designing experiments that prove (not just suggest) improvements
• Experience with real-time media applications (audio/video, game streaming, etc.)
• Hands-on experience with WebRTC, SDP, SRTP, or DTLS protocols
• Familiarity with audio/video codecs (Opus, H.264, AV1, etc.) and their corresponding quality measurements (POLQA, PSNR, VMAF, etc.)
• Proficiency with CPU, GPU, and memory profiling—you can identify bottlenecks, optimize critical paths, and manage resource constraints effectively
• You have built or contributed to open source projects

Candidates must reside in or be willing to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties). For this role, the hiring manager would like folks to be in the office 1 day a week. Relocation assistance may be available. 

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $160,000 to $180,000 + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role and level. Within the range, individual pay is determined by additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include equity, or benefits.