Senior Backend Engineer (Audiobooks) in London

Senior Backend Engineer (Audiobooks) in London

London Full-Time 60000 - 80000 € / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Deepstreamtech

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Design and build systems for audiobook ingestion and delivery, ensuring quality and scalability.
  • Company: Join Spotify's innovative team focused on audiobooks with a playful culture.
  • Benefits: Flexible work options, collaborative environment, and opportunities for continuous learning.
  • Other info: Embrace a dynamic role with mentorship opportunities and a focus on growth.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in the audiobook ecosystem while working with cutting-edge technology.
  • Qualifications: 5+ years in software engineering, proficient in Java/gRPC/GCP, and a passion for clean code.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 € per year.

Requirements:

  • You have 5+ years of software engineering experience, ideally across backend systems and distributed architectures.
  • You’re highly proficient in Spotify's backend tech stack (Java/gRPC/GCP).
  • You have some data experience and a willingness to work across the stack when needed — not because you have to, but because you’re curious.
  • You care about clean, maintainable, and testable code and take ownership of quality and operational excellence.
  • You thrive in ambiguous, fast-paced environments, enjoy context-switching, and value quick, pragmatic decision-making.
  • You demonstrate data proficiency, curiosity about the business domain, and a desire to understand the broader audiobook ecosystem.
  • You’re collaborative, humble, and growth-minded — adopting Spotify’s playful culture and Audiobooks Mission ethos of experimentation, ownership, and continuous learning.

We offer you the flexibility to work where you work best! There will be some in-person meetings, but still allows for flexibility to work from home.

What the job involves:

  • We’re looking for a Senior Backend Engineer to join a small, high-impact team within the Audiobooks Pipeline area.
  • This team is responsible for building and scaling systems that ingest, process, and transform audiobook and eBook content, metadata, and royalties — ensuring the right content reaches listeners efficiently and with the highest quality.
  • While this role is full stack in scope, the majority of work will lean toward backend and data-focused development.
  • We’re looking for someone who thrives in ambiguity, loves to learn, and is eager to stretch beyond their comfort zone to solve challenging problems across the stack.
  • Design and build systems that power audiobook ingestion, transformation, and delivery — ensuring performance, accuracy, and scalability across millions of titles.
  • Contribute across the stack, from backend services and APIs to lightweight interfaces or operational tools, depending on the team’s evolving needs.
  • Collaborate with engineers, PMs, and designers to translate sophisticated workloads into elegant, maintainable, and reliable systems.
  • Be responsible for your impact — take operational responsibility for the services you build and drive continuous improvement in reliability and performance.
  • Adapt and T-shape: Step into areas beyond your comfort zone (e.g., data pipelines, internal tooling, or deployment infrastructure) as the mission evolves.
  • Author and review RFCs, sharing your insights and shaping technical decisions that affect the broader Audiobooks ecosystem.
  • Embrace the Audiobooks Mission expectations: operate with “short toes,” take ownership beyond team boundaries, and value pragmatic, reversible decisions.
  • Mentor and collaborate with peers, sharing knowledge and contributing to an inclusive, psychologically safe engineering culture.

Senior Backend Engineer (Audiobooks) in London employer: Deepstreamtech

At Spotify, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant and inclusive work culture that fosters creativity and collaboration. As a Senior Backend Engineer in our Audiobooks team, you'll enjoy the flexibility to work where you feel most productive, alongside a group of passionate individuals dedicated to continuous learning and innovation. With ample opportunities for professional growth and a commitment to operational excellence, you'll be empowered to make a meaningful impact in the audiobook ecosystem while embracing our ethos of experimentation and ownership.

Deepstreamtech

Contact Detail:

Deepstreamtech Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Backend Engineer (Audiobooks) in London

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, attend meetups, and connect with people on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly.

Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those that align with backend systems and distributed architectures. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do.

Tip Number 3

Prepare for interviews by practising common technical questions and coding challenges. Don’t forget to brush up on your knowledge of Java, gRPC, and GCP, as these are key to impressing your interviewers.

Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us.

We think you need these skills to ace Senior Backend Engineer (Audiobooks) in London

Software Engineering
Backend Systems
Distributed Architectures
Java
gRPC
Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
Data Proficiency

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Off Your Experience:Make sure to highlight your 5+ years of software engineering experience, especially with backend systems. We want to see how you've tackled challenges in distributed architectures and what you've learned along the way.

Be Curious and Open-Minded:We love candidates who are eager to learn and stretch beyond their comfort zones. Share examples of how you've explored different tech stacks or taken on new challenges — it shows your growth mindset!

Quality Matters:Talk about your commitment to clean, maintainable, and testable code. We value operational excellence, so any examples of how you've ensured quality in your projects will definitely catch our eye.

Apply Through Our Website:Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure you’re considered for this exciting role in our Audiobooks team.

How to prepare for a job interview at Deepstreamtech

Know Your Tech Stack

Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of Java, gRPC, and GCP. Be ready to discuss how you've used these technologies in past projects, and think of specific examples where you’ve tackled challenges or improved performance.

Show Your Curiosity

Demonstrate your willingness to learn and adapt by discussing times when you stepped outside your comfort zone. Whether it’s working with data pipelines or exploring new tools, show that you’re eager to grow and contribute across the stack.

Emphasise Clean Code

Talk about your commitment to writing clean, maintainable, and testable code. Prepare to share examples of how you’ve ensured quality in your work and how you take ownership of the systems you build.

Collaborate and Communicate

Highlight your collaborative spirit by sharing experiences where you worked closely with engineers, PMs, or designers. Discuss how you’ve translated complex requirements into elegant solutions and contributed to a positive team culture.