Sound Designer (Contract)

The Opportunity:

The Sound Designer (Contract) is essential in shaping the sonic identity of our diverse content slate, with a primary focus on our 2026 Meditation & Mindfulness tentpole. This ambitious slate includes sound bath channels, function-driven meditation channels that are unmistakably Hatch, and a wide variety of mindfulness experiences that range in voice, tone, and style. These channels promote mindfulness as a gateway to rest, while remaining deeply connected to our light-forward content experience on the Hatch device, for both Baby and Adult.

The Sound Designer will gather all sonic elements from pre-production and principal recording, and drive the process through to completion and final delivery. This role is responsible for designing music, soundscapes, and ambience, creating a cohesive sensory experience across sound, light, and, if applicable, voice.

Involvement with a project begins early, during development and piloting, collaborating closely with the Lead Producer to build proofs of concept, experiment with music and sonic palettes, and setting up recording sessions to ensure the highest quality end product possible. This role carries significant creative ownership, requiring comfort with iteration, feedback, and fast-moving timelines.

The ideal candidate has a strong background in audio engineering, sound design, music composition, and mixing, with experience in voice-led and music-driven productions. They enjoy shipping work, iterating quickly with partners and balancing creative exploration with clear delivery timelines.

Key Responsibilities:

Piloting & Production

• Work closely with Producers to devise the tone, style and sonic identity of a show, culminating in a proof of concept delivered on a clear timeline that guides production
• Using creative briefs, pitches, and Hatch content’s guiding principles, independently design and propose music, sound effects, and ambience that achieve the sonic objective of a channel
• During pre-production, begin collecting and organizing elements that will be in the final product, including original music, themes, and curated library material
• In advance of principal recording, conduct tech checks with any third-party studios, run an audio test, and communicate Hatch’s file specifications and recording standards
• Ensure all recorded audio, whether captured in a professional grade studio or remotely, is aligned with Hatch’s standards of quality
• Oversee recording sessions, monitoring and troubleshooting from a technical perspective as needed

Post-Production Sound Design & Mixing

• Design and implement soundscapes, original music, and effects for meditation, sound bath, and narrative audio experiences..
• Edit and mix dialogue to ensure clarity, consistency, and natural pacing.
• Deliver strong V1s efficiently and incorporate feedback through focused revision cycles.
• Integrate original and library music, ensuring seamless transitions and balanced interaction between voice, music, and sound effects.
• Mix and master audio specifically for Hatch hardware, ensuring optimal playback on device.
• Adhere to tight deadlines and communicate proactively about timelines, risks, and dependencies.

Music Composition & Original Scoring

• Compose and produce original music and sound design for meditation and mindfulness content. .
• Identify musical and sonic opportunities within scripts or briefs..
• Collaborate with Producers and composers when applicable, ensuring all music aligns with creative direction and functional intent.

Workflow & Collaboration

• Partner with producers and writers in pre-production to anticipate sound design needs and establish sonic direction early.
• Partner closely with Producers to clarify feedback early and translate direction into thoughtful creative iteration and decision-making.
• Communicate progress, questions, and tradeoffs clearly to support smooth handoffs and delivery.
• Maintain organized session files, stems and documentation to support efficient revisions and delivery.
• Contribute to evolving best practices for sound design and post-production workflows.

QC & Delivery

• Deliver final audio assets in the correct formats for both hardware and off-platform listening experiences.
• Ensure all final mixes meet quality, balance, and level standards before entering the Hatch content catalog.
• Own final QC, on hardware devices, verifying optimal audio experience across all listening environments.

What You’ll Do:

Within 3 Months:

• Master post-production workflows for meditation, mindfulness, and other Hatch content types.
• Complete at least one full production cycle for a scripted single-voice or immersive audio project.
• Establish efficient session organization and workflow to ensure efficiency, reducing bottlenecks in revisions and final asset delivery.

Within 6 Months:

• Take ownership of sound design and mixing for multiple projects, working across different content types.
• Contribute original music or sound design to meditation or sound bath channels.
• Build strong working relationship with producers and stakeholders.

After 1 Year:

• Lead the sound design and mixing for a major meditation or mindfulness project, from development through final delivery.
• Help refine sound design best practices and reference materials
• Support the development of a resource library for sound assets, helping to streamline the use of SFX, music cues, and dialogue processing templates.
• Mentor or assist in onboarding junior team members or freelancers, helping scale the sound design function for future growth.
• Innovate within the sound design process, introducing new tools or techniques (such as AI-assisted audio tools or immersive audio formats) that improve efficiency or creative output.

What You’ll Bring:

• 3+ years of experience in sound design, audio editing, or music composition, ideally in meditation, wellness, podcasting, or immersive audio.
• Expertise in Pro Tools, Logic Pro X, or Reaper, with a deep understanding of mixing and mastering for voice-driven content.
• Demonstrated ability to design music and soundscapes that elevate voice and create cohesive experiences.
• Strong mixing and QC skills, including experience delivering audio for specific playback devices.
• Comfort taking feedback from non-technical stakeholders and executives and iterating it creatively.
• Ability to balance creative direction with technical execution, delivering high-quality work within structured timelines and revision cycles.
• Familiarity with audio asset management, version control, and efficient deliverable formatting.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work across teams of producers, editors, and talent.
• Comfort experimenting with AI-assisted and emerging audio tools, using them thoughtfully to increase efficiency, streamline workflows, and support creative iteration while maintaining high-quality standards.

Nice-to-Have:

• Experience working with voice actors and musicians in a recording environment.
• Knowledge of spatial or immersive audio formats (e.g., Dolby Atmos, binaural sound design).
• Experience designing or programming sound and light together, or working within mixed-media experiences that combine audio with visual, physical, or interactive elements.