20 Years in Audio Engineering: Advice I Shared with a Young Engineer at a Hackathon
A few weeks ago, while judging a student hackathon, a young engineer walked up to me and asked a simple question:
“How did you build your career in audio engineering—and what should I do if I want to follow a similar path?”
His question made me pause. It’s been 20 years since I wrote my first audio algorithm, and the journey has taken me through some of the most challenging and rewarding chapters of my life. So I told him my story—not as a résumé, but as a series of lessons I learned along the way.
This is the advice I shared with him.
1. Start with curiosity—not a job title
When I began my career, I didn’t know I would work at places like Dolby or Apple. What I did know was that I was fascinated by sound—echoes, filters, reverberations, noise, everything.
I told him:
Follow the questions that excite you. Not the buzzwords or whatever the industry is hyping today. Curiosity will take you further than any job description.
2. Master the fundamentals—they will stay with you forever
My early work was in echo cancellation, noise suppression, and speech processing. Honestly, the algorithms were hard. But learning real-time DSP, MATLAB experiments, filter design, and debugging shaped everything I did afterward.
I said:
If you master fundamentals early, every future job becomes easier.
The core principles of DSP, audio pipeline design, and system behavior haven’t changed in decades—and they won’t.
3. Every company teaches you something different
I shared how each place I worked shaped a different part of who I am:
Qualcomm taught me what it means to build audio that works for millions of mobile users in unpredictable conditions.
Intel taught me the complexity of wireless media—latency, networks, timing, synchronization.
Dolby showed me the art of emotion in audio—surround sound, psychoacoustics, and the beauty of immersive experiences.
Microsoft taught me systems thinking: how audio, OS-level frameworks, networking, and user experience intertwine.
Roku taught me scale—high performance on simple hardware.
Apple brought everything together: real-time DSP, spatial audio, automotive environments, AI-driven enhancements, and user-first design.
I told him:
Don’t chase the logo; chase the learning.
Each company will give you a new lens through which to understand audio.
4. Real growth happens when things break
I told him a truth most engineers don’t talk about:
You grow the most when you’re debugging something that refuses to work. Late-night experiments, misbehaving filters, distortion you can’t explain, mysterious latency—it’s in those moments you become a real engineer.
Every tough issue I solved became a skill I kept forever.
5. Your technical reputation matters more than your job title
Over time, opportunities came—publishing research on ICA, mentoring teams, designing audio systems for global products—not because of titles, but because people trusted my work.
So I told him:
Be reliable. Be curious. Be the person who solves problems.
That reputation will open more doors than any formal promotion.
6. Don’t forget the human side of engineering
I reminded him that audio engineering is not just math and algorithms. It’s emotional.
When someone plays a song, makes a call, or navigates their drive, audio becomes personal. The systems we build influence real human experiences every day.
So I told him:
Never build for a spec. Build for a person.
7. Keep giving back—even as you move forward
Judging hackathons, reviewing technical papers, and mentoring students has been one of the most meaningful parts of my journey.
I told him:
Share what you learn. It keeps you grounded and inspired.
Your knowledge grows when you pass it on.
8. The future of audio is bigger than ever
I ended with this:
We’re entering an era of AI-driven audio, spatial computing, intelligent cars, sensor fusion, and adaptive systems. If you start now, you’re joining the industry at the perfect time.
I told him:
Audio engineering is where science, creativity, and emotion meet. If you care about sound, this field will reward you for life.
Final Thought: You Don’t Need to Plan the Whole Journey
I never mapped out a 20-year roadmap. I just kept following what I loved, kept improving my craft, and stayed open to opportunities.
I told him the same thing I’ll tell you:
You don’t need to know your whole path.
You just need to take the next step—with passion, discipline, and curiosity.
And that’s how great careers are built—one sound at a time.
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