At a Glance
- Tasks: Develop innovative backend solutions to enhance Airbnb's hosting experience across Europe.
- Company: Join Airbnb, a global leader in unique travel experiences and community connections.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonuses, equity, and employee travel credits.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace with opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Tackle complex engineering challenges that impact millions of travellers and hosts.
- Qualifications: 4+ years of experience in software development; collaboration skills are key.
The predicted salary is between 75000 - 88000 € per year.
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.
The Community You Will Join
We're building the next generation of Airbnb experiences for guests and hosts across Europe and EMEA - and we're looking for a Backend Software Engineer to help us get there. Our team has a singular mission: make Airbnb the go‑to platform across 40+ markets in the region. We're embedded within the Guest and Host organisation and work in close collaboration with engineering teams in San Francisco and across the globe. Our work spans the full app, and we're empowered to make changes wherever they're needed to win in the region. Right now, our focus is on the experiences that matter most - payments, search, pricing, and inventory discovery - but our charter goes far beyond that. If something needs to change to drive success in Europe, we're the team that makes it happen. You'll be working on technically challenging, high‑impact problems that shape how millions of Europeans travel and host. From enabling localised experiences that reflect how people in the region actually use the platform, to building the trust and reliability that keeps both guests and hosts coming back - this is work that matters at scale. If you're excited by complex engineering problems, a broad mandate, and the chance to directly influence one of Airbnb's most important strategic priorities, this is the role for you.
The Difference You Will Make
- Deliver useful, personalized new features for Airbnb’s hosting experience; enabling hosts around the world to connect with others to make hosting on Airbnb easier.
- Build systems that drive reliability, performance, and cost‑efficiency in our infrastructure.
- Contribute to technical direction in your area, partner across adjacent teams when needed, and help raise the bar for engineering quality within the team.
A Typical Day
- Write clear technical designs for projects of moderate‑to‑high complexity, balancing functional requirements and non‑functional qualities (resilience, testability, observability).
- Collaborate with engineers and cross‑functional partners in Hosting Services to clarify requirements, manage dependencies, and ensure robust integrations.
- Contribute to technical improvements that make the team’s products higher quality and increase the team’s velocity.
- Help define and improve coding standards, development processes, operational runbooks, and best practices.
Your Expertise
- 4+ years of industry experience with a bachelor’s or master’s degree. No prior industry experience required for candidates with a PhD.
- Experience in building and scaling high‑quality products (or systems) with a focus on operational excellence.
- Strong collaboration with colleagues across multiple timezones.
- Strong communication skills with a demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across teams and stakeholders.
Our Commitment To Inclusion & Belonging
Airbnb is committed to working with the broadest talent pool possible. We believe diverse ideas foster innovation and engagement, and allow us to attract creatively‑led people, and to develop the best products, services and solutions. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.
How We’ll Take Care Of You
Our job titles may span more than one career level. The actual base pay is dependent upon many factors, such as training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs and market demands. This role may also be eligible for bonus, equity, benefits, and Employee Travel Credits. United Kingdom Annual Pay Range £75,000—£88,000 GBP.
Backend Software Engineer - Guest & Host employer: Airbnb
Airbnb is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration, empowering its employees to tackle complex engineering challenges that directly impact millions of users across Europe and EMEA. With a commitment to inclusion and belonging, the company offers competitive compensation, employee travel credits, and opportunities for professional growth within a dynamic team environment. Working at Airbnb means being part of a mission-driven organisation that values diverse ideas and encourages personal and professional development in a vibrant location.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Backend Software Engineer - Guest & Host
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former Airbnb employees on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the technical interview by brushing up on your coding skills. Use platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to practice problems that are relevant to backend development. We want you to feel confident when tackling those complex engineering challenges!
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your passion for Airbnb's mission! When you get the chance to chat with interviewers, share why you love the platform and how you can contribute to making hosting easier for everyone. Authenticity goes a long way!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Airbnb community.
We think you need these skills to ace Backend Software Engineer - Guest & Host
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Backend Software Engineer role. Highlight your experience in building and scaling high-quality products, as well as any collaboration across teams.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell us why you're excited about working at Airbnb and how you can contribute to our mission. Share specific examples of past projects that demonstrate your problem-solving skills and technical expertise.
Showcase Your Technical Skills:In your application, don’t forget to mention your technical skills and any relevant programming languages or frameworks you’ve worked with. We want to see how you can tackle complex engineering problems!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of being noticed. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets to the right people!
How to prepare for a job interview at Airbnb
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re familiar with the technologies mentioned in the job description. Brush up on your knowledge of backend systems, especially those related to payments, search, and inventory discovery. Being able to discuss your experience with these technologies will show that you're ready to tackle the challenges Airbnb faces.
✨Showcase Collaboration Skills
Since this role involves working closely with teams across different time zones, be prepared to share examples of how you've successfully collaborated in the past. Highlight any experiences where you’ve worked with cross-functional teams to clarify requirements or manage dependencies.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect to face technical questions that assess your problem-solving skills and coding standards. Practice explaining your thought process while solving complex problems, as well as discussing your approach to writing clear technical designs. This will demonstrate your ability to handle the high-impact problems Airbnb is focused on.
✨Emphasise Your Passion for User Experience
Airbnb is all about creating unique experiences for guests and hosts. Be ready to discuss how your work has contributed to improving user experiences in previous roles. Share specific examples of features you’ve developed that enhanced usability or reliability, showing that you understand the importance of user-centric design.
