Software Engineer Intern, Streaming Media (Hiring Immediately) in Cambridge

Teamwork makes the stream work. Roku is changing how the world watches TV. Roku is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and we have set our sights on powering every television in the world. Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. Our mission is to be the TV streaming platform that connects the entire TV ecosystem. We connect consumers to the content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers unique capabilities to engage consumers.

From your first day at Roku, you’ll make a valuable - and valued - contribution. We’re a fast-growing public company where no one is a bystander. We offer you the opportunity to delight millions of TV streamers around the world while gaining meaningful experience across a variety of disciplines.

About this area

The MediaPlayer team is part of the RokuOS organization, responsible for the engine that powers every stream on our platform. We sit at the heart of the user experience, building and optimizing the media pipeline to ensure high-performance, seamless playback for millions of users worldwide. Our team continuously innovates on new features and pushes the boundaries of performance to ensure Roku remains the gold standard for streaming quality.

About the role

Join Roku’s MediaPlayer team as a Software Engineer Intern, where you will work at the intersection of embedded systems and digital media. During this paid 12-week internship starting in Summer 2026, you will contribute to the core component of RokuOS that handles video and audio streaming. You’ll be assigned a high-impact project designed to enhance the media playback engine optimizing playback performance, or improving the reliability of our media stack across millions of devices.

What you’ll be doing

• Own a project within the MediaPlayer stack; examples include implementing new media features, optimizing for media playback KPIs, or enhancing support for modern streaming protocols and codecs.
• Develop high-performance C++ code on Linux-based systems to improve the efficiency and stability of the core media pipeline.
• Use advanced debugging and analysis tools to reproduce, isolate, and fix complex playback issues across various hardware profiles.
• Collaborate with senior engineers across firmware and platform teams to innovate on the next generation of media features that delight Roku users.

Our Hybrid Work Approach

Roku fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment where teams work in the office Monday through Thursday. Fridays are flexible for remote work except for employees whose roles are required to be in the office five days a week or employees who are in offices with a five day in office policy.

Benefits

Roku is committed to offering a diverse range of benefits as part of our compensation package to support our employees and their families. Our comprehensive benefits include global access to mental health and financial wellness support and resources. Local benefits include statutory and voluntary benefits which may include healthcare (medical, dental, and vision), life, accident, disability, commuter, and retirement options (401(k)/pension). Our employees can take time off work for vacation and other personal reasons to balance their evolving work and life needs. It’s important to note that not every benefit is available in all locations or for every role. For details specific to your location, please consult with your recruiter.

Accommodations

Roku welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and provides reasonable accommodations and adjustments in accordance with applicable law. If you require reasonable accommodation at any point in the hiring process, please direct your inquiries to EmployeeRelations@Roku.com.

The Roku Culture

Roku is a great place for people who want to work in a fast-paced environment where everyone is focused on the company's success rather than their own. We try to surround ourselves with people who are great at their jobs, who are easy to work with, and who keep their egos in check. We appreciate a sense of humor. We believe a fewer number of very talented folks can do more for less cost than a larger number of less talented teams. We’re independent thinkers with big ideas who act boldly, move fast and accomplish extraordinary things through collaboration and trust. In short, at Roku you’ll be part of a company that’s changing how the world watches TV.

We have a unique culture that we are proud of. We think of ourselves primarily as problem-solvers, which itself is a two-part idea. We come up with the solution, but the solution isn’t real until it is built and delivered to the customer. That penchant for action gives us a pragmatic approach to innovation, one that has served us well since 2002.