Senior Software Engineer, Embedded UI

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Software Engineer, Embedded UI

Company: Roku

Location: Manchester, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Software Engineering / Embedded Systems / UI Development

Date Posted: 2026-08-07

Experience Level: Senior (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Design, develop, and deliver engaging platform features for millions of Roku users worldwide, focusing on embedded UI elements like screensavers, wallpapers, and featured experiences.

• Leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies, including Large Language Models (LLMs), to innovate and enhance user experiences across the Roku streaming platform.

• Drive projects from proof-of-concept prototyping in a startup-minded environment to production-grade, scalable deployment, demonstrating ownership and initiative.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including UI/UX design, product management, and backend engineering to translate innovative ideas into impactful, commercially viable solutions.

• Investigate, diagnose, and resolve complex technical issues, ensuring the high quality and reliability of customer-facing features within the embedded software and firmware.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a Senior Software Engineer position with a strong focus on embedded UI development, uniquely integrating AI/ML and LLM technologies. The emphasis on "ownership-driven approach," "startup-minded environment," and "pragmatic dreamers" suggests a culture that values initiative, rapid iteration, and impactful delivery, common in fast-growing tech companies. The mention of "agentic engineering toolchain" and specific tools like Claude Code and Cursor indicates a forward-thinking approach to AI integration in the development workflow.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and implement innovative platform features, including dynamic screensavers, static and dynamic wallpapers, interactive trivia, and AI-driven content discovery experiences.

• Develop proof-of-concept prototypes to rapidly validate new feature ideas and user engagement strategies, fostering an iterative development cycle.

• Collaborate with UI/UX designers to translate wireframes and mockups into functional, visually appealing, and performant embedded UI components.

• Partner with backend engineering teams to define and integrate APIs, ensuring seamless data flow and functionality for new user experiences.

• Adapt and optimize successful prototypes into robust, scalable, and production-ready software for deployment to millions of Roku devices globally.

• Apply AI, ML, and LLM technologies to create intelligent features that personalize content recommendations and enhance overall user engagement.

• Investigate, debug, and resolve complex technical issues within the embedded software and firmware, ensuring product stability and commercial viability.

• Contribute to API design decisions, considering trade-offs related to performance, scalability, and maintainability within the embedded context.

• Work across various development domains, including UI development, content management systems, and cloud backend integration, to deliver end-to-end feature solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of core embedded software development, UI/UX implementation, and cutting-edge AI/ML integration. The emphasis on "proof-of-concept prototypes" and "startup mindset" suggests a dynamic environment where engineers are encouraged to experiment and innovate rapidly. The requirement to "adapt those prototypes for production-grade deployment" underscores the need for engineers who can bridge the gap between experimentation and scalable, reliable software engineering.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a closely related technical field. Experience:

• Extensive experience in a professional software engineering environment, with a significant portion focused on embedded systems development.

• Proven track record of successfully developing and shipping features for consumer-facing products, ideally within the media, content, or advertising technology sectors. Required Skills:

• Proficiency in scripting languages such as JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, or BrightScript, with a strong understanding of their application in embedded UI development.

• Demonstrated experience working within an embedded development environment, including an understanding of core OS concepts like memory management and multi-threading.

• Practical experience in designing and implementing APIs, with a solid grasp of associated considerations and trade-offs.

• Proven ability to create proof-of-concept prototypes and subsequently productionize them for scalable deployment.

• Experience with AI/ML and LLM technologies, including practical application in developing software features.

• Strong problem-solving and debugging skills, with a methodical approach to investigating and resolving technical issues.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams including UI/UX, product management, and backend engineering. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with modern UI development frameworks such as React Native.

• Familiarity with cloud development practices and cloud backend integration.

• Consumer electronics experience, particularly in media, content, or ad product development.

• Experience with agentic engineering toolchains, such as Claude Code or Cursor, and related AI development frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for proficiency in specific scripting languages like BrightScript, alongside more common ones like JavaScript and Python, points to Roku's proprietary platform. The emphasis on AI/ML and LLMs, coupled with specific mentions of agentic tools, signals a strong push towards integrating AI into the development lifecycle and product features. Experience in "productionising solutions" and "API design" are critical for a senior role, indicating a need for robust engineering practices.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase projects demonstrating expertise in embedded UI development, including visual design implementation and user interaction flows.

• Highlight contributions to projects that involved AI/ML or LLM technologies, detailing the problem solved and the technical approach taken.

• Present case studies of features developed from proof-of-concept to production-grade, illustrating the iterative development and scaling process.

• Include examples of API design contributions, explaining the rationale behind design choices and their impact on system integration.

• Demonstrate experience with core OS concepts through projects that required careful memory management or multi-threading considerations. Process Documentation:

• Document the process of translating user requirements and UI/UX designs into functional embedded software.

• Illustrate the methodology used for rapid prototyping and validation of new features.

• Detail the approach to debugging and resolving complex technical issues within an embedded environment.

• Showcase experience in adapting experimental code into robust, scalable, and maintainable production systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Software Engineer role, especially one involving UI and AI, a portfolio is crucial. It should clearly demonstrate not just coding ability but also the engineering process, from ideation and prototyping to production deployment and problem-solving. Highlighting experience with AI/ML integration and the ability to productionize prototypes will be key differentiators.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Software Engineers in the United Kingdom, particularly those with specialized embedded UI and AI/ML experience, a competitive salary range is estimated to be between £70,000 and £100,000 per annum. This estimate considers the seniority of the role, the technical specialization required, and the cost of living in a major UK city like Manchester. Benefits:

• Global access to mental health and financial wellness support and resources.

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage, including medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Life insurance, accident insurance, and disability insurance.

• Commuter benefits to support daily travel.

• Retirement options, including a 401(k) or equivalent pension scheme.

• Generous time off in accordance with local leave policies to support work-life balance.

• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning. Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week. The role operates on a hybrid model, with employees generally expected in the office Monday through Thursday, and Fridays offering flexibility for remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary ranges are estimates based on market data for senior software engineering roles in the UK, adjusted for the specific skills in embedded UI and AI/ML. The hybrid work model, with 4 days in office, is a key detail from the job description that influences work-life balance. The benefits package is comprehensive, reflecting standard offerings for a large tech company.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (Streaming Media Platform)

Company Size: Large (Likely 1,000-10,000+ employees, given Roku's public status and market position)

Founded: 2002

Company History: Roku pioneered streaming to the TV and has grown to become the #1 TV streaming platform in the US, Canada, and Mexico, with ambitions to power every television globally. This history underscores a culture of innovation, market leadership, and continuous growth.

Team Structure:

• The OS UI/SDK team is part of Roku's broader engineering organization, focused on enhancing the user experience of the Roku platform.

• Developers on this team operate with a high degree of autonomy, often taking ownership of features from conception to delivery, in a manner akin to a startup environment within a larger corporation.

• Collaboration is deeply integrated, requiring close partnerships with UI/UX design, product management, backend engineering, and business leadership. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Innovation: Features are developed with a focus on user experience and market impact, leveraging user data and feedback.

• Agile & Iterative Development: Emphasis on rapid prototyping, quick iteration, and delivering working software frequently, particularly in the initial stages of feature development.

• AI-Augmented Workflows: Active integration of AI agents and smart tools to assist with development tasks, analysis, and workflow automation, while human oversight and judgment remain critical.

• Ownership & Accountability: Engineers are encouraged to be "owners," identifying problems and driving solutions through to completion, demonstrating accountability for their work.

Company Website: https://www.weareroku.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Roku's culture is described as fast-paced, collaborative, and ownership-driven. The "pragmatic dreamers" tagline suggests a balance between innovation and practical execution. The explicit mention of using AI agents to assist in development ("AI agents and smart tools help power drafts, analysis, and repetitive workflows") is a significant cultural and methodological indicator for this role.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Software Engineer

This level signifies a high degree of technical expertise and autonomy. Senior engineers are expected to lead complex projects, mentor junior engineers, contribute to architectural decisions, and drive technical strategy within their domain. For this role, it means not only deep technical skills in embedded UI and AI/ML but also the ability to influence feature direction and technical implementation.

Reporting Structure:

• The Senior Software Engineer will likely report to an Engineering Manager or a Lead Engineer within the OS UI/SDK team.

• Collaboration will be with peers across engineering, as well as with product managers, UI/UX designers, and potentially stakeholders from other business units. Operations Impact:

• This role has a direct and significant impact on the user experience of tens of millions of Roku users globally.

• Innovations in UI, content discovery, and AI-driven features directly influence user engagement, satisfaction, and retention, which are critical metrics for a streaming platform.

• Contributions to the platform's core features can shape the future of streaming entertainment and Roku's competitive positioning. Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in embedded systems, UI development, and cutting-edge AI/ML applications within the streaming media domain.

• Leadership Development: Transition into Lead Engineer or Engineering Manager roles, taking on more responsibility for team guidance, project direction, and strategic planning.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to work on different aspects of the Roku platform, potentially moving into areas like backend services, platform architecture, or AI research.

• Mentorship: Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers, fostering their growth and contributing to team development.

• Industry Exposure: Gain experience with advanced AI development tools and methodologies, staying at the forefront of technology trends in consumer electronics and streaming.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies a significant impact and expectation of leadership, even if not formal management. The growth opportunities are framed around deepening technical expertise, moving into leadership roles, and exploring diverse areas within Roku's extensive platform. The emphasis on AI integration suggests that developing skills in this area will be a key part of career progression.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model with a strong emphasis on collaborative in-office work.

Office Location(s): Manchester, United Kingdom. This location provides a base for collaborative workdays.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is designed to foster teamwork, with designated days (Monday-Thursday) for in-person collaboration, brainstorming, and team meetings.

• Technology-Rich: Access to the necessary development tools, hardware (e.g., Roku devices for testing), and high-speed network infrastructure to support complex embedded development and AI workloads.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: The workspace encourages regular interaction with UI/UX designers, product managers, and other engineering teams, facilitating efficient communication and problem-solving.

Work Schedule:

• The hybrid model offers flexibility, with Fridays typically designated for remote work, allowing for focused individual tasks or personal commitments.

• Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected, with the understanding that occasional overtime may be required to meet project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is clearly defined: Monday-Thursday for in-office collaboration, Friday for remote flexibility. This indicates a structured approach to balancing in-person teamwork with individual focus, which is important for engineers working on complex embedded systems and AI features.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely conduct an initial call to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in the role.

• Technical Interviews (Multiple Rounds): Expect interviews focused on core software engineering principles, C++, data structures, algorithms, and problem-solving. Specific rounds will likely delve into:

  • Embedded Systems: Questions on OS concepts (memory management, multi-threading), real-time systems, and embedded development challenges.
  • UI/UX Implementation: Discussions on translating designs into code, performance optimization for UI, and experience with relevant frameworks.
  • AI/ML & LLM Integration: Questions about your experience using AI/ML/LLMs, how you've integrated them into projects, and your understanding of their capabilities and limitations. Be prepared to discuss the "agentic engineering toolchain" if you have experience.
  • System Design: Scenarios involving designing scalable features for a streaming platform, considering performance, reliability, and user experience.

• Coding Challenge/Take-Home Assignment: A practical coding exercise, potentially involving embedded UI elements or AI integration, to assess your coding style, problem-solving approach, and ability to deliver functional code.

• Behavioral & Cultural Fit Interview: Questions designed to understand your teamwork, communication, ownership, and adaptability, particularly in a collaborative, fast-paced environment. Be ready to discuss how you've worked with cross-functional teams and handled ambiguity.

• Hiring Manager/Team Lead Interview: A final discussion to assess overall fit, strategic thinking, and alignment with team goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 2-3 projects that best showcase your skills relevant to this role: embedded UI, AI/ML integration, prototyping to production, and API design.

• Quantify Impact: For each project, clearly state the problem, your role, the technologies used, the challenges faced, your solutions, and the measurable outcomes (e.g., performance improvements, user engagement metrics, adoption rates).

• Demonstrate Process: Explain your development process – from requirements gathering and design to implementation, testing, and deployment. Highlight how you've used AI tools in your workflow.

• Code Samples: Be prepared to share well-documented code snippets or links to repositories (e.g., GitHub) for relevant projects, especially those demonstrating embedded UI or AI implementations.

• AI/LLM Focus: Specifically detail projects where you leveraged AI/ML or LLMs, explaining your approach to prompt engineering, agent utilization, output verification, and integration.

Challenge Preparation:

• Practice Coding: Brush up on algorithms, data structures, and common programming patterns. Practice coding in JavaScript, TypeScript, or Python.

• Embedded Concepts: Review core OS concepts (memory, threading, scheduling) and common embedded development challenges.

• AI/LLM Use Cases: Think about how AI can be applied to UI, content discovery, and developer productivity. Be ready to discuss your experience with tools like Claude Code or Cursor if applicable.

• STAR Method: Prepare answers to behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to clearly articulate your experiences.

• Roku Platform: Research Roku's platform, its market position, and its approach to AI to tailor your answers and demonstrate genuine interest.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is likely to be rigorous, focusing heavily on technical depth in embedded systems, UI, and crucially, AI/ML. A strong portfolio showcasing practical application of these skills, especially AI integration and the transition from prototype to production, will be vital for success.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Programming Languages: JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, BrightScript (Roku's proprietary language), potentially C++ for core OS components.

• UI Frameworks: React Native (for potential cross-platform UI components), and native embedded UI development tools.

• Development Environments: IDEs such as Visual Studio Code, potentially with AI coding assistant integrations (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code).

• Embedded Development Tools: Debuggers, emulators, and device-specific SDKs for Roku platforms.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Internal Roku analytics platforms for tracking user engagement, feature adoption, and performance metrics.

• Tools for monitoring application stability and identifying technical issues in production. CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how user data flows from the platform to backend systems is important.

• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and automated testing frameworks for embedded software development.

• Experience with AI/ML model deployment and management tools, if applicable.

• Agentic engineering toolchain: Claude Code, Cursor, MCP servers, custom skills, agent frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is diverse, requiring proficiency in multiple languages and frameworks, with a specific emphasis on BrightScript for Roku's platform. The explicit mention of AI tools like Claude Code and Cursor, alongside general AI/ML concepts, is a strong indicator of the expected technical environment. Experience with CI/CD and testing is also critical for production-grade development.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Ownership & Initiative: A core value where individuals are empowered and expected to take responsibility for problems and drive solutions from start to finish.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Deeply ingrained in the culture, with a strong emphasis on working effectively across diverse teams (engineering, design, product) to achieve common goals.

• Pragmatic Innovation: A balanced approach that values bold ideas but prioritizes practical, deliverable solutions that provide tangible customer value.

• Engineering Excellence: A commitment to high-quality code, robust systems, and continuous improvement in development processes and product performance.

• Adaptability & Speed: The ability to move quickly, iterate rapidly, and adapt to changing market needs and technological advancements, especially in the fast-paced streaming industry.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Engineers are expected to actively engage with designers, product managers, and other engineering disciplines to ensure holistic feature development.

• Open Communication: Encouraging clear, direct, and constructive communication to facilitate problem-solving and knowledge sharing.

• Feedback Culture: A willingness to provide and receive feedback to foster continuous improvement and learning within the team.

• Agile Mindset: Embracing iterative development cycles, rapid prototyping, and flexible approaches to project execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: Roku's culture emphasizes individual contribution within a highly collaborative framework. The "ownership" aspect is key, suggesting that engineers who proactively identify and solve problems will thrive. The integration of AI as a collaborative tool, rather than just a technology, also points to a forward-thinking and adaptive team culture.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Innovation and Production: The need to rapidly prototype new AI-driven features while ensuring they meet the high standards of production-grade embedded software for millions of users.

• Complexity of Embedded Systems: Navigating the constraints and intricacies of embedded development, including memory management, real-time performance, and diverse hardware platforms.

• AI/ML Integration: Effectively integrating AI/ML models and LLMs into a resource-constrained embedded environment, ensuring performance, reliability, and a positive user experience.

• Cross-Functional Dependencies: Managing dependencies and aligning priorities with multiple teams (UI/UX, Product, Backend) to ensure seamless feature delivery.

• Rapidly Evolving Technology: Keeping pace with advancements in AI, LLMs, and embedded systems technologies to maintain a competitive edge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into AI/ML: Opportunities to gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art AI/ML technologies and agentic development tools, potentially leading to specialization.

• Embedded Systems Expertise: Enhance skills in OS internals, performance optimization, and low-level development within the unique Roku ecosystem.

• Cross-Platform Development: Broaden experience across different aspects of the Roku platform, from UI to backend services.

• Leadership Training: Develop leadership skills through project ownership, mentorship of junior engineers, and potential transition into team lead or management roles.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Support for attending relevant industry events and pursuing certifications in areas like AI, machine learning, or embedded systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a senior role in a cutting-edge tech company, focusing on the intersection of rapid innovation, complex technology, and large-scale deployment. The growth opportunities are directly aligned with these challenges, offering pathways to deepen expertise in high-demand areas like AI and embedded systems.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• AI Integration: "Describe a project where you used AI/ML or LLMs to enhance a user experience. What was your approach, what tools did you use (e.g., Claude Code, Cursor), and what was the outcome?" Be ready to discuss how you've driven agents and verified their output.

• Prototyping to Production: "Walk us through a feature you developed from a proof-of-concept to a production-ready solution. What were the key challenges in scaling it, and how did you address them?"

• Embedded UI Challenges: "How do you approach optimizing UI performance in a resource-constrained embedded environment? What are the key considerations for memory management and multi-threading in UI development?"

• API Design: "Discuss your experience with API design. What principles do you follow, and what trade-offs have you encountered when designing APIs for embedded systems?"

• Collaboration Scenarios: "Describe a time you had to collaborate with UI/UX designers and product managers to bring a complex feature to life. How did you handle conflicting priorities or feedback?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• Roku's AI Approach: "How do you see AI agents changing the software development lifecycle, based on your experience or understanding?" (Show you've read and understood their approach to AI).

• Ownership Mentality: "Tell us about a time you took ownership of a problem or project that wasn't explicitly assigned to you. What was the situation, and what did you do?"

• Teamwork: "Describe your ideal team environment. How do you contribute to a collaborative culture?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame your portfolio projects as narratives. Start with the problem, explain your role and approach, detail the technical solutions (especially AI/ML aspects), and conclude with the impact and lessons learned.

• Visual Aids: Use diagrams, screenshots, or short video clips to illustrate UI elements, prototypes, or system architecture.

• Focus on Process: Clearly articulate your development process, from ideation and prototyping to testing and deployment, emphasizing how you addressed challenges.

• Quantify Impact: Always include metrics. How did your work improve performance, user engagement, or efficiency?

• AI/LLM Demonstration: If possible, have a live demo or a detailed walkthrough of a project where you utilized AI tools or LLMs, showcasing your ability to work with them effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation emphasizes practical application of skills, particularly in AI/ML and the full development lifecycle. Candidates should be ready to discuss their experience with specific AI tools mentioned by Roku and demonstrate a proactive, ownership-driven mindset. A well-prepared portfolio that clearly articulates impact and process will be a significant asset.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Software Engineer, Embedded UI position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Roku careers portal.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in embedded systems, UI development, AI/ML integration, and proficiency in languages like JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, and BrightScript. Quantify achievements with specific metrics.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 key projects that best demonstrate your skills relevant to this role. Focus on embedded UI, AI/ML applications, prototyping, and production deployment. Be ready to present these clearly and concisely.

• Practice Technical Questions: Review core computer science concepts, algorithms, data structures, embedded systems principles, and AI/ML use cases. Practice coding problems and system design scenarios.

• Research Roku's AI Strategy: Understand Roku's stated approach to AI in development and product features. Prepare to discuss your experience with AI tools and how you can contribute to their vision.

• Anticipate Behavioral Questions: Prepare examples using the STAR method to showcase your ownership, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.