Senior Backend Engineer (Music) in London

Senior Backend Engineer (Music) in London

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

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Design and build backend services for Spotify's rights management platform.
  • Company: Join a leading music streaming service with a focus on innovation.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work options, and opportunities for skill development.
  • Other info: Collaborative team culture with growth opportunities in a dynamic environment.
  • Why this job: Make an impact in the music industry while working with cutting-edge technology.
  • Qualifications: Experience in Java, distributed systems, and a passion for music.

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

Requirements

  • You have strong experience designing and building distributed, high-volume services in Java or similar languages.
  • You are comfortable with gRPC, Protocol Buffers, and event-driven architectures (Pub/Sub).
  • You have experience with PostgreSQL or similar relational databases and understand data modeling trade-offs.
  • You are accustomed to supporting production systems and apply learnings from prior incidents when building new features.
  • You own solutions end-to-end, from scoping through deployment and production monitoring.
  • You ensure quality through modern testing, debugging, and automation techniques.
  • You have a solid understanding of object-oriented and functional programming paradigms.
  • You proactively identify tech debt and work with your team to get it prioritized.
  • You care about software architecture across the full stack and the APIs that connect systems together.
  • You’re excited to learn new problem spaces and domains, and you prioritise team success.
  • Experience with Bazel, GCP services (Cloud SQL, Pub/Sub, BigQuery), and data pipeline tools (Scio, Scala, Flyte) is a plus.
  • Familiarity with rights management, content moderation, or 0-to-1 product work is a plus.

What the job involves

  • The Music Mission team owns Spotify’s end-to-end proposition for music creators and the experiences they create for fans. The team is dedicated to building tools and services to enable creation, promotion, expression, and monetisation at scale.
  • The Rights Systems team builds and operates Spotify Rights Center (SRC) — Spotify's rights management platform that enables Spotify and its partners to identify, manage, and enforce music licensing rights across all the content Spotify has to offer.
  • Comparable in scope to YouTube's Content ID, SRC is purpose-built for Spotify’s ecosystem and underpins Spotify’s strategy for video and new content types.
  • Over the past year, the team shipped SRC from inception to a fully operational production platform, growing from one squad to three squads (~30 people). The team is continuing to scale as an area of strategic investment over the next 2–5 years.
  • Design, build, and operate backend services and data pipelines that power Spotify Rights Center.
  • Partner closely with product, insights, design, and engineering peers to understand the needs of external rightsholders and internal partners.
  • Deliver scalable, testable, maintainable backend systems with strong operational ownership.
  • Help evolve the platform architecture as it expands to more licensors, territories, and content types, including shifts from batch processing toward event-driven patterns.
  • Support timely delivery of technical solutions aligned to business needs.
  • Contribute to modern engineering practices, including agile ways of working and healthy engineering standards.
  • Integrate with Spotify’s broader content and moderation ecosystem as needed.
  • Contribute to a healthy, collaborative team culture aligned to how we work together.
  • Collaborate on product ideation with specialists, researchers, product managers, and subject-matter experts.
  • Grow your skills through hands-on work, feedback, and learning opportunities (hack days, reading groups, internal courses).

Senior Backend Engineer (Music) in London employer: Deepstreamtech

Spotify is an exceptional employer for Senior Backend Engineers, offering a dynamic work culture that prioritises collaboration and innovation. With a strong focus on employee growth, Spotify provides numerous learning opportunities, including hands-on projects and internal courses, all while working on cutting-edge technology in the vibrant city of London. The company's commitment to building tools that empower music creators ensures that your work will have a meaningful impact on the industry.

Deepstreamtech

Contact Detail:

Deepstreamtech Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

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

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, especially those already at Spotify or similar companies. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that job descriptions just can't.

Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! If you've got a GitHub or portfolio, make sure it's up to date with your best work. When you get the chance, share specific projects that highlight your experience with distributed systems and event-driven architectures.

Tip Number 3

Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your knowledge of PostgreSQL and data modelling. Be ready to discuss how you've tackled tech debt and improved production systems in the past—real examples will make you stand out!

Tip Number 4

Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in joining our team and contributing to the Music Mission.

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

Java
gRPC
Protocol Buffers
Event-Driven Architectures
PostgreSQL
Data Modelling
Production System Support

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV highlights your experience with distributed services and Java, as well as any relevant projects you've worked on. We want to see how your skills align with our needs, so don’t be shy about showcasing your achievements!

Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills:In your application, give examples of how you've tackled challenges in past roles, especially around tech debt or production incidents. We love seeing candidates who can think critically and learn from their experiences.

Be Clear About Your Experience:When discussing your familiarity with tools like PostgreSQL, gRPC, or event-driven architectures, be specific! We appreciate clarity and detail, so let us know how you've used these technologies in your work.

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen to join our team!

How to prepare for a job interview at Deepstreamtech

Know Your Tech Inside Out

Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of Java, gRPC, and PostgreSQL. Be ready to discuss your experience with distributed systems and how you've tackled challenges in the past. They’ll want to see that you can not only talk the talk but also walk the walk when it comes to building high-volume services.

Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills

Prepare examples of how you've identified tech debt and worked with your team to prioritise it. They’ll be keen to hear about your approach to production incidents and how you’ve applied those learnings to improve future features. Think of specific scenarios where your problem-solving made a difference.

Demonstrate Your Collaborative Spirit

This role involves working closely with product managers, designers, and other engineers. Be ready to share experiences where you’ve successfully collaborated across teams. Highlight how you contribute to a healthy team culture and how you value input from others in the development process.

Embrace Continuous Learning

Express your enthusiasm for learning new technologies and problem spaces. Mention any recent projects or courses you've undertaken to grow your skills. They’ll appreciate a candidate who is proactive about their professional development and eager to adapt to new challenges.