Backend Engineer - Podcast

Spotify's Podcast Mission is building the platform that powers how podcasts and video podcasts reach hundreds of millions of listeners. We're responsible for the backend infrastructure that enables creators and large podcast networks to publish, manage, and distribute content on Spotify at scale.

In this role, you will take ownership of backend systems that are central to Spotify's podcast ecosystem. You will work closely with other backend engineers, fullstack engineers, SREs, and cross‑functional partners to design, build, and operate services that handle high‑throughput content ingestion, support podcast content management systems, and power the tooling that internal teams rely on daily.

• Design and build backend services that support podcast and video podcast content ingestion, management, and administration at scale.
• Own and operate high‑availability systems, ensuring they are reliable, observable, and easy to maintain in production.
• Collaborate with SREs, other backend engineers, and cross‑functional partners such as customer support and product managers to understand requirements and deliver effective solutions.
• Build and maintain integrations that support the podcast distribution API and content management systems.
• Drive operational excellence through better monitoring, alerting, automation, and incident response practices.
• Contribute to the technical direction of the platform, including evaluating AI‑powered approaches to automate operational workflows.

• You have experience building and maintaining backend services in production, with a focus on reliability, scalability, and operational readiness.
• You have strong proficiency in Ruby or Java, with experience designing and operating services in at least one of these languages. Experience with Node.js is a plus.
• You have hands‑on experience with relational databases, including schema design, query optimization, and operating databases at scale.
• You understand what it takes to run high‑availability systems: monitoring, alerting, graceful degradation, and incident response are familiar territory.
• You care about engineering best practices and want to build systems that are well‑tested, well‑documented, and easy to operate.
• You enjoy collaborating in a team environment and working closely with stakeholders to understand real‑world problems and deliver practical solutions.
• You embrace AI‑native development practices, using AI tools to accelerate your workflow and improve code quality.
• You are curious about applying AI‑powered or agent‑based approaches to improve backend, support, or operational workflows.

• This role is based in New York.
• 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.

The United States base range for this position is $132, 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, and paid sick leave. These ranges encompass multiple levels; leveling is determined during the interview process and depends on relevant work history and interview performance.

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. The more voices we have represented and amplified in our business, the more we will all thrive, contribute, and be forward‑thinking.

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.