Senior Android R&D Engineer

Company overview:

Unplugged (unplugged.com) is a rapidly growing B2C startup specializing in privacy-focused digital solutions. Our product suite includes a proprietary smartphone and mobile apps, designed to provide users with more secure and privacy-conscious alternatives. We offer an opportunity to join a dynamic company that is rapidly gaining global recognition.

Job Description:

Unplugged is forming a pioneering R&D team under the direct leadership of the CTO. We're looking for a skilled and creative Android R&D Engineer to spearhead technical prototyping, platform experimentation, and deep technology research aligned with company needs.

This is not a standard engineering role—it's a hybrid of technologist, hacker, and innovator. You will work on short-cycle experimental projects, deconstruct technologies, and build system-level tools or apps that could form the basis for future Unplugged products. Creativity, curiosity, and deep technical skills are essential.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and build experimental prototypes for novel product ideas and privacy-focused features.
• Conduct focused technology research based on strategic priorities from the CTO and leadership team.
• Explore unconventional use of the Android OS through private APIs, AOSP modification, and advanced platform capabilities.
• Reverse engineer Android apps and frameworks to understand behavior, compatibility issues, or integration patterns.
• Present research findings and technical assessments with actionable insights.
• Evaluate the feasibility of integrating emerging technologies into Unplugged's stack.

Required Qualifications:

• Advanced Android development expertise with Kotlin and Java
• Experience in C/C++.
• Deep familiarity with Android internals, platform APIs (including private and hidden APIs), and AOSP.
• Experience in prototyping or non-official Android features outside standard SDK usage.
• Ability to operate in a self-driven research environment with minimal supervision.
• Excellent debugging, profiling, and OS-level investigation skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with custom ROMs, embedded systems, or firmware-level Android development.
• Reverse engineering skills using tools like JADX.
• Familiarity with Android security model, permission systems, and system services.
• Prior work in technical R&D, skunkworks projects, or innovation labs.

What We Offer:

• A central role in shaping the direction of next-generation privacy technology.
• Full ownership of research topics and experimental projects.
• Direct mentorship and collaboration with the CTO.
• A fast-paced, creative environment where your work directly influences company vision.