Senior Backend Engineer, Subscriptions

Senior Backend Engineer, Subscriptions

Full-Time 70000 - 90000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
Spotify AB

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Design and build scalable Java services for Spotify's merchandising platform.
  • Company: Join Spotify, a leading tech company revolutionising how the world listens.
  • Benefits: Flexible work options, extensive learning opportunities, and generous parental leave.
  • Other info: Inclusive culture that values diverse perspectives and offers excellent career growth.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on millions of users while working with cutting-edge technology.
  • Qualifications: 5+ years in backend systems, strong Java skills, and cloud service experience.

The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.

The Subscriptions Mission builds and scales the products, platforms, and business models that convert free listeners into lifelong Premium subscribers. We focus on driving acquisition, optimizing conversion, improving retention, and delivering seamless commerce experiences that fuel Spotify’s growth and bring fans closer to the creators they love. At Spotify, our Subscriptions data powers the decision engines and experiences behind our 700M+ Monthly Active Users and 290M+ Premium subscribers. You’ll join a collaborative, cross‑functional team focused on building the systems that power merchandising, personalization, and seamless subscription experiences at global scale. Together, we shape how users discover value and choose to stay with Spotify.

What You Will Do

  • Design, build, and run scalable Java services that power our merchandising platform and support conversion and upsell journeys.
  • Work closely with your squad to design backend systems, APIs, and data models on Google Cloud Platform.
  • Partner with product managers, data scientists, and engineers to solve meaningful technical challenges.
  • Improve and scale data pipelines that support experimentation, heuristics, and machine learning applications.
  • Contribute to architecture decisions that improve reliability, performance, and long‑term maintainability.
  • Support production systems end‑to‑end, ensuring services are observable, reliable, and continuously improving.
  • Share knowledge through code reviews and collaboration, helping strengthen the team’s technical practices.

Who You Are

  • You have 5+ years of experience building backend systems using Java.
  • You have strong computer science fundamentals and experience working with distributed systems at scale.
  • You have experience designing and operating cloud‑native services (e.g., GCP or AWS).
  • You are comfortable designing APIs and working with partners to translate needs into scalable solutions.
  • You have experience running high‑volume services in production and understand reliability, observability, and performance.
  • You collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams and take ownership of complex work from idea to delivery.
  • You seek feedback, learn continuously, and look for ways to improve systems and how teams work together.
  • You have experience with technologies such as gRPC, BigQuery, Bigtable, CMS integrations, or ML‑driven systems.

Where You Will Be

This role is based in London, England or Stockholm, Sweden. 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.

Spotify is an equal opportunity employer. You are welcome at Spotify for who you are, no matter where you come from, what you look like, or what’s playing in your headphones. Our platform is for everyone, and so is our workplace. The more voices we have represented and amplified in our business, the more we will all thrive, contribute, and be forward‑thinking! So bring us your personal experience, your perspectives, and your background. It’s in our differences that we will find the power to keep revolutionizing the way the world listens.

At Spotify, we are passionate about inclusivity and making sure our entire recruitment process is accessible to everyone. We have ways to request reasonable accommodations during the interview process and help assist in what you need. If you need accommodations at any stage of the application or interview process, please let us know - we’re here to support you in any way we can.

Extensive learning opportunities, through our dedicated team, GreenHouse. Flexible share incentives letting you choose how you share in our success. Global parental leave, six months off - for all new parents. All The Feels, our employee assistance program and self‑care hub. Flexible public holidays, swap days off according to your values and beliefs.

Senior Backend Engineer, Subscriptions employer: Spotify AB

At Spotify, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that champions inclusivity and collaboration. Our London and Stockholm offices provide a dynamic environment where Senior Backend Engineers can thrive, with extensive learning opportunities, flexible working arrangements, and generous parental leave policies. Join us to be part of a team that not only drives innovation in the music industry but also values your unique perspectives and personal growth.

Spotify AB

Contact Details:

Spotify AB Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Backend Engineer, Subscriptions

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at meetups. A friendly chat can open doors that a CV just can't.

Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Build a small project or contribute to open source. It’s a great way to demonstrate your expertise and passion for backend systems.

Tip Number 3

Prepare for those interviews! Brush up on your Java and cloud-native services knowledge. Practice coding challenges and be ready to discuss your past projects.

Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining us at Spotify. Plus, it makes the process smoother for everyone!

We think you need these skills to ace Senior Backend Engineer, Subscriptions

Java
Cloud-Native Services
Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
API Design
Distributed Systems
Reliability Engineering
Observability

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Senior Backend Engineer role. Highlight your Java expertise and any experience with cloud-native services like GCP or AWS. We want to see how you can contribute to our mission!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to show us your personality and passion for the role. Share specific examples of how you've tackled challenges in backend systems and how you collaborate with cross-functional teams. Let us know why you're excited about joining Spotify!

Showcase Your Projects:If you've worked on relevant projects, whether personal or professional, don’t hesitate to include them. We love seeing real-world applications of your skills, especially those involving high-volume services or machine learning. It helps us understand your hands-on experience!

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team at Spotify. We can’t wait to hear from you!

How to prepare for a job interview at Spotify AB

Know Your Tech Stack

Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially Java and cloud platforms like GCP or AWS. Brush up on your experience with distributed systems and be ready to discuss how you've designed and operated scalable services.

Showcase Your Collaboration Skills

Since this role involves working closely with product managers, data scientists, and other engineers, prepare examples of how you've successfully collaborated in cross-functional teams. Highlight specific projects where your teamwork made a difference in achieving goals.

Prepare for Technical Challenges

Expect to face technical questions that assess your problem-solving skills. Review common backend engineering challenges and think through how you would approach them, particularly around APIs, data models, and system reliability.

Emphasise Continuous Learning

Spotify values feedback and continuous improvement, so be ready to discuss how you seek out learning opportunities. Share instances where you’ve implemented feedback to enhance your work or contributed to team practices through code reviews.