About the job
About Our Team
Join the dynamic Consumer Products team at OpenAI, where we are at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence into tangible products. Our team expertly combines custom silicon, embedded systems, operating systems, and cloud services to craft innovative, production-ready devices that operate seamlessly at scale.
Within our Consumer Products division, the camera stack plays an essential role as a sensory component. We collaborate closely with electrical engineering, silicon suppliers, systems engineering, and advanced perception teams to launch new hardware, stabilize capture pipelines, and ensure that our camera systems are resilient, debuggable, and primed for deployment in real-world scenarios. Our projects encompass everything from early prototypes to full-scale production, focusing on precision, repeatability, and long-term dependability.
About the Role
As a Camera Firmware Engineer, you will take charge of low-level camera enablement on bespoke hardware—from initial board bring-up to stable production capture. Your expertise will drive the development and maintenance of firmware and software that ensures camera sensors are reliable, controllable, and debuggable, laying the groundwork for advanced camera pipelines and product features.
This position is hands-on and systems-focused. You will engage directly with hardware, troubleshoot real-world timing and integration challenges, and develop tools that streamline the iteration process across the entire camera stack.
This role is located in San Francisco, CA, and follows a hybrid work model, requiring four days a week in the office. We also offer relocation assistance for new hires.
Your Responsibilities
Bring up new camera sensors and modules on prototype and production boards, ensuring link stability, sensor control, and accurate power, reset, and clock sequencing.
Develop and maintain low-level camera software, including sensor drivers, board configurations, and camera subsystem integration across hardware iterations.
Enable and validate essential capture paths for both development and production, including RAW capture for debugging, still capture, and hardware-accelerated video encoding and streaming with stable timestamps and long-lasting reliability.
Establish camera control and repeatability features, such as basic 3A loop exposure, manual overrides and locks, and deterministic presets to facilitate validation and debugging.
Create and maintain camera bring-up tools, including capture scripts, automated sweeps, manifests, and debugging utilities that simplify issue reproduction and triage.
Collaborate closely with electrical engineering, camera pipeline teams, and more to ensure seamless integration of camera technologies into our products.
