Why This Job is Featured on The SaaS Jobs
Personalization is a core SaaS differentiator because it turns broad product catalogs into experiences that feel tailored, and it depends on dependable data foundations. This backend engineer role sits on the platform layer that ingests and materializes event driven behavior data, connecting product surfaces like Home and Search to the recommendation logic behind them. In a subscription product with massive daily usage, that kind of infrastructure work is tightly coupled to retention and engagement outcomes.
From a SaaS career perspective, the work maps directly to common scaling challenges: building high volume pipelines, operating cloud based systems, and making experimentation supportable in production. Experience with frameworks like Apache Beam, BigQuery, and GCP translates well across modern SaaS stacks, especially in companies investing in data informed product development and ML adjacent capabilities. The emphasis on reliability and maintainability also reinforces skills that matter when systems become business critical.
This role is a strong fit for engineers who like platform ownership and operational responsibility, not just feature delivery. It will suit someone comfortable collaborating across engineering and product stakeholders, and interested in the mechanics of experimentation, productionisation, and long term technical direction in a data intensive SaaS environment.
The section above is editorial commentary from The SaaS Jobs, provided to help SaaS professionals understand the role in a broader industry context.
Job Description
The Personalization team makes deciding what to play next on Spotify easier and more enjoyable for every listener. We seek to understand the world of music, podcasts and audiobooks better than anyone else so that we can make great recommendations to every individual and keep the world listening. Every day, hundreds of millions of people all over the world use the products we build which include destinations like Home and Search as well as original playlists such as Made For You, Discover Weekly and Daily Mix.
We are looking for a Data engineer with backend experience to join our team. We build the fundamental platform to ingest, model and materialize high-scale, event-driven user behavior data so Spotify can make personalized recommendations. Our platform tools support easy experimentation and productionisation. This is a unique opportunity to help develop and shape the way Spotify recommendations work. You’ll be able to grow your skills in engineering at scale, drive long term platform vision, and join a high-energy, positive team environment!
Join us and you’ll keep millions of users listening to great recommendations every day.
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What You’ll Do
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Work with large-scale data pipelines with data processing frameworks like Scio, BigQuery, Google Cloud Platform and Apache Beam.
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Develop, deploy, and operate Java services that impact millions of users.
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Work towards supporting machine learning projects powering the experience that suits each user individually.
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Collaborate with other engineers, product managers and stakeholders, taking on learning and leadership opportunities that will arise every single day.
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Deliver scalable, testable, maintainable, and high-quality code.
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Share knowledge, promote standard methodologies, making your team the best version of itself through mentorship and constructive accountability.
Who You Are
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You have experience building and operating large-scale backend systems and data pipelines in production environments, with a focus on reliability, scalability, and maintainability.
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You are proficient in Java and have experience developing, deploying, and supporting services that serve large numbers of users.
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You have hands-on experience working with modern data processing frameworks and cloud technologies such as Apache Beam, Scio, BigQuery, or similar large-scale data platforms.
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You are comfortable working with data-intensive systems and are excited about building infrastructure and services that support machine learning and personalized user experiences.
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You care deeply about software engineering best practices and strive to deliver high-quality, well-tested, and maintainable code.
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You are curious about emerging technologies and excited by the opportunity to work at the intersection of large-scale data processing, backend engineering, and machine learning.
Where You’ll Be
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This role is based in New York.
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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.
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The United States base range for this position is $132,948 - 189,927 plus equity. The benefits available for this position include health insurance, six month paid parental leave, 401(k) retirement plan, monthly meal allowance, 23 paid days off, 13 paid flexible holidays, paid sick leave. This range encompasses multiple levels. Leveling is determined during the interview process. Placement in a level depends on relevant work history and interview performance. These ranges may be modified in the future.
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.
