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- Tasks: Lead the development of Depop's data platform, ensuring scalability and innovation.
- Company: Join Depop, a vibrant marketplace revolutionising fashion through technology.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and health support including counselling and wellness programmes.
- Why this job: Be part of a culture that champions technical excellence and social impact in the tech space.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in data infrastructure with strong programming skills in Python, Scala, or Java.
- Other info: Work in a dog-friendly office and enjoy perks like free shipping on Depop sales.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Staff Backend Engineer – Data Platform
Team: Engineering & Data
Location: Depop – London
Company Description
Depop is the community-powered circular fashion marketplace where anyone can buy, sell and discover desirable secondhand fashion. With a community of over 35 million users, Depop is on a mission to make fashion circular, redefining fashion consumption. Founded in 2011, the company is headquartered in London, with offices in New York and Manchester, and in 2021 became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Etsy. Find out more at Our mission is to make fashion circular and to create an inclusive environment where everyone is welcome, no matter who they are or where they’re from. Just as our platform connects people globally, we believe our workplace should reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. We thrive on the power of different perspectives and experiences, knowing they drive innovation and bring us closer to our users. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer, providing employment opportunities without regard to age, ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy or maternity, marriage and civil partnership, or any other protected status. We’re continuously evolving our recruitment processes to ensure fairness and are open to accommodating any needs you might have. If, due to a disability, you need adjustments to complete the application, please let us know by sending an email with your name, the role to which you would like to apply, and the type of support you need to complete the application to . For any other non-disability related questions, please reach out to our Talent Partners.
Life is about creating. That\’s why we\’re home to over 30 million artists, stylists, designers, sneakerheads — and you? We\’re the community-powered, circular-minded marketplace changing the world of online fashion. Now it\’s time to get inspired at Depop.
Responsibilities
Job description
Role
We’re looking for a Staff Backend Engineer – Data Platform to be a key technical leader within the teams responsible for Depop’s data platform. You’ll drive the technical vision and implementation for our foundational data platform — from experimentation, event ingestion pipelines to our data lake, governance frameworks, and data observability and real-time analytics capabilities.
You will work closely with data scientists, machine learning engineers, backend teams, and product leaders, providing deep technical expertise to ensure our data systems are scalable, secure, observable, and enable innovation across the company.
Responsibilities
Partner with stakeholders across Product, Data, and Engineering to translate strategic goals into well-architected, scalable platform capabilities.
Drive the technical design and implementation of core data platform components, providing hands-on coding and architectural leadership.
Define and evolve the technical roadmap for Depop’s modern data platform, ensuring reliable and scalable analytics.
Champion engineering excellence, setting high technical standards and advocating for best practices in system design, maintainability, performance, and privacy.
Lead efforts in data observability, governance, and privacy-by-design principles, ensuring their robust implementation across the organization.
Mentor and coach engineers, elevating the technical capabilities of the team and fostering a culture of technical excellence.
Identify and address complex technical challenges and bottlenecks, proposing and implementing effective solutions.
Qualifications
Proven experience as a Staff Engineer or equivalent senior technical leadership role in data infrastructure or platform at scale, ideally in a consumer or marketplace environment.
Deep understanding of distributed systems and modern data ecosystems — including extensive experience with Databricks, Apache Spark, Apache Kafka, Apache Flink, Apache Beam and DBT.
Demonstrated success in designing, building, and operating data platforms at scale, encompassing both batch processing and real-time streaming architectures.
Expertise in data warehousing concepts, advanced ETL/ELT processes, and analytics engineering best practices.
Exceptional programming skills, particularly in Python, Scala, or Java, and deep expertise with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure).
Extensive experience working with privacy-sensitive datasets and implementing robust data observability and governance frameworks.
A strong technical background with a track record of hands-on architecture and development of complex data systems.
Ability to think strategically and pragmatically: you can define long-term technical strategies and execute rapidly.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills; you’re comfortable influencing technical direction and aligning diverse stakeholders across the organization.
Bonus points:
Experience with machine learning infrastructure or ML Ops practices.
Familiarity with event-driven architectures in a mobile-first product environment.
Prior work in fashion, marketplaces, or sustainability-driven tech.
Staff Backend Engineer - Data Platform employer: Depop
Contact Detail:
Depop Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Staff Backend Engineer - Data Platform
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific technologies mentioned in the job description, such as Databricks, Apache Spark, and Kafka. Having hands-on experience or projects that showcase your skills with these tools can set you apart during discussions.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of Depop to gain insights into their data platform and engineering culture. This can provide you with valuable information that you can reference in conversations, demonstrating your genuine interest in the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your previous experiences in leading technical projects, especially those involving data platforms. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've tackled complex challenges and implemented effective solutions in your past roles.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your ability to mentor and elevate team members by discussing any past experiences where you've coached others. Highlighting your leadership skills will resonate well with the expectations for this Staff Backend Engineer position.
We think you need these skills to ace Staff Backend Engineer - Data Platform
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and qualifications for the Staff Backend Engineer - Data Platform position. Tailor your application to highlight relevant experiences that align with the job description.
Highlight Technical Expertise: In your CV and cover letter, emphasise your experience with distributed systems and modern data ecosystems. Mention specific technologies like Databricks, Apache Spark, and cloud platforms such as AWS or GCP, as these are crucial for the role.
Showcase Leadership Skills: Since this is a senior role, it's important to demonstrate your leadership capabilities. Include examples of how you've mentored teams, driven technical projects, or influenced stakeholders in previous positions.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell a story about your journey in data engineering. Discuss your passion for building scalable data platforms and how your vision aligns with the company's goals. Make it personal and engaging to stand out.
How to prepare for a job interview at Depop
✨Understand the Data Ecosystem
Make sure you have a solid grasp of distributed systems and modern data ecosystems. Be prepared to discuss your experience with tools like Databricks, Apache Spark, and Kafka, as these are crucial for the role.
✨Showcase Your Technical Leadership
Highlight your previous experiences in leading technical projects and mentoring teams. Be ready to provide examples of how you've driven architectural decisions and improved system performance.
✨Communicate Effectively
Since this role involves collaboration with various stakeholders, practice articulating complex technical concepts in a clear and concise manner. Demonstrating strong communication skills can set you apart.
✨Prepare for Problem-Solving Questions
Expect to face questions that assess your ability to tackle complex technical challenges. Think through past bottlenecks you've encountered and how you resolved them, as well as your approach to ensuring data governance and observability.
