Senior Software Engineer, Ads Auction Platform

Teamwork makes the stream work. Roku is changing how the world watches TV.

About the Team

The Advertising Performance group focuses on performance for all participants in the Advertising ecosystem - Advertisers, Publishers and Roku. The systems and solutions span across different disciplines and technologies to perform real-time multi-objective optimization with distributed systems at large scale and low latencies. We use Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, AI, Control and Optimization Systems and Auction Dynamics to solve a large set of complex problems. At the core of this is our Machine Learning, Experimentation and Inference Platform that powers the entire landscape which we continuously evolve over time.

About the Role

In this role, you will contribute to the Ads Auction and Marketplace systems that optimize yield, gross profit, and real-time multi-objective outcomes across short- and long-term goals. You will work on core auction capabilities, low-latency services, and scalable integrations that support Roku’s CTV advertising platform. You will partner closely with Engineering, Inventory, Product, and Data Science teams to translate business objectives into robust technical solutions. You will help design, implement, and evaluate auction improvements through experimentation and performance analysis. This is a strong fit for an engineer who enjoys distributed systems, real-time decisioning, and measurable impact in a high-scale marketplace.

What You'll Be Doing

• Contribute to the design and implementation of real-time ads auction systems for Roku’s CTV advertising platform.
• Build and improve auction features including ad pod construction, bid evaluation, ranking, pricing, pacing, and frequency capping.
• Develop low-latency, reliable services that handle high-scale ad serving with strict performance and uptime requirements.
• Implement auction logic that balances advertiser performance, publisher yield, and platform revenue.
• Work on SSP-side auction integration with DSPs, programmatic demand sources, and direct-sold campaigns.
• Collaborate with product managers, data scientists, and researchers to translate requirements into scalable solutions.
• Support yield optimization through auction enhancements, pricing experiments, and demand optimization features.
• Participate in A/B testing and experimentation, analyze results, and help implement data-driven improvements.
• Help ensure auction correctness and compliance with privacy, regulatory, and brand-safety requirements.
• Contribute to technical discussions around architecture, scalability, and performance optimization.

We're Excited If You Have

• Experience building distributed backend services at scale.
• Strong coding skills in Java and familiarity with service-oriented architectures.
• Experience with low-latency systems and real-time decisioning workflows.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms and containerized deployments.
• Working knowledge of ad tech concepts such as auctions, pacing, and frequency controls.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders across product and data teams.
• Comfort with experimentation frameworks and A/B testing analysis.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a focus on reliability, observability, and maintainability.

Our Hybrid Work Approach

Roku fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment where teams work in the office Monday through Thursday. Fridays are flexible for remote work except for employees whose roles are required to be in the office five days a week or employees who are in offices with a five day in office policy.

Benefits

Roku is committed to offering a diverse range of benefits as part of our compensation package to support our employees and their families. Our comprehensive benefits include global access to mental health and financial wellness support and resources. Local benefits include statutory and voluntary benefits which may include healthcare (medical, dental, and vision), life, accident, disability, commuter, and retirement options (401(k)/pension). Employees are supported in taking time off, in accordance with local leave policies and other personal needs to support their evolving work and life needs. It's important to note that not every benefit is available in all locations or for every role. For details specific to your location, please consult with your recruiter.

Accommodations

Roku welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and provides reasonable accommodations and adjustments in accordance with applicable law. If you require reasonable accommodation at any point in the hiring process, please direct your inquiries to EmployeeRelations@Roku.com.