Senior Staff Research Engineer, Neural Network Video Coding

Ofinno • Reston, VA

1d

About The Position

As a Senior Staff Research Engineer in the Advanced Media Lab, you will serve as the tech stack owner for our neural network-based video coding (NNVC) efforts and lead related standardization activities. You will set the research direction with cross-team impact, turning neural coding ideas into reproducible evidence, standards-ready proposals, and patentable inventions.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or M.S. (EE/CS or related) with 7+ years of relevant research and/or product experience in video compression and/or NNVC.
• Prior delegate or active contributor experience in video coding standardization bodies, including JVET, MPEG, or AOM.
• Deep expertise in video compression plus strong capability in machine learning for vision/video (model design, training, evaluation, and failure analysis).
• Solid understanding of at least one modern video coding standard, including HEVC/H.265, VP9, VVC/H.266, AV1, AV2, or ECM.
• Proven ability to act as an architect/tech stack owner: make sound technical decisions, set direction, and drive execution through measurable outcomes.
• Strong implementation skills across the stack: PyTorch (or equivalent) for training/inference workflows and C/C++ for codec prototyping and/or production integration.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to represent the company in standards meetings and industry events.
• Track record of technical impact through peer-reviewed publications, patents, and/or standards contributions.

Nice To Haves

• Hands-on experience in one or more video coding tool areas, including neural in-loop filtering, neural prediction, learned transforms, or end-to-end neural video compression.
• Hands-on experience with GPU acceleration, including performance tuning and deployment considerations.
• Familiarity with the patent filing process and collaborating with patent attorneys.

Responsibilities

• Own NNVC technical direction end-to-end, from research framing to standards-ready proposals.
• Collaborate cross-team to remove blockers, integrate tool interactions, and improve shared infrastructure (e.g., testing pipelines, scripts, datasets, and configurations).
• Communicate research findings and technical insights to clients, partners, and industry audiences, representing the company’s expertise in video compression.
• Drive standards contributions by authoring technical proposals, defending results, and working with delegates/partners to align test conditions, baselines, and conclusions.
• Invent and develop patentable solutions that improve compression efficiency and/or complexity, and support the full IP process- from invention disclosure through filing.
• Implement and optimize GPU-accelerated training and/or inference workflows for NNVC tools, including profiling and performance tuning for latency, throughput, and memory.
• Mentor and multiply team output through code reviews, technical coaching, interview participation, and onboarding others to NNVC methodology and best practices.

Benefits

• 401(K) matching -- We help you plan and save for retirement with a 401(K) matching program that’s available on day one.
• Free healthcare plans -- Ofinno covers full premiums for you are your family on select healthcare plans, including employer HSA contributions if applicable.
• Free Food -- Our kitchen is always fully stocked, including lunch, protein bars, fruit, sodas, coffee, and tea.
• Unlimited Paid Time Off -- Our lives are enriched by family time, vacations, and personal time. We offer unlimited paid time off and sick leave.
• On-campus gym -- Unwind, reduce stress and feel great – even when you’re at work.
• Other benefits, too long to list -- Please discuss with our great People Ops team about additional benefits offered.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees