Backend Engineer - Media Streaming

SoundCloud
Berlin +1 more
HybridCareer-pivot friendly

Who this role is best for

Geared toward candidates comfortable with global-scale backend development and cross-platform collaboration, this role emphasizes distributed systems and high availability in a flexible, inclusive work environment.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with 4+ years of experience in large-scale backend systems and a strong Go background.
    — “4+ years of experience in building and operating large-scale backend or distributed systems”
  • Individuals who have worked with infrastructure as code and cloud-native environments.
    — “Hands-on experience with infrastructure as code (IaC) using Terraform”
  • Professionals who enjoy shaping user experiences through backend architecture and code reviews.
    — “Participate in architecture discussions, code reviews, and roadmap planning”

Things to consider

  • On-call rotation is expected, which requires readiness for urgent system maintenance.
    — “Be part of on-call rotation to ensure the reliability and availability of SoundCloud’s systems”
  • The role demands a high level of autonomy and ownership in ambiguous environments.
    — “You have a strong sense of ownership and are comfortable navigating ambiguity in fast-moving environments”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience with microservices and container technologies in your resume and interviews.
    — “Experience with microservices, SQL/NoSQL databases, and container technologies”
  • Showcase your ability to debug complex issues across systems and ensure global consistency.
    — “Debug complex issues across systems, ensuring a consistent experience for users globally”
  • Emphasize your background in continuous delivery and automated testing practices.
    — “You care about the craft of software engineering: continuous delivery, defensive programming, automated testing, clean code principles”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • building scalable backend services
  • maintaining system reliability
  • participating in architecture discussions
Typical background
backend developmentcloud-native environments

Skills & requirements

Required

Backend DevelopmentAPI DevelopmentCloud-native EnvironmentsMicroservicesSql/nosql DatabasesContainer TechnologiesGo Programming

Preferred

ScalaMedia StreamingAudio EngineeringAi-assisted Development

Stack & domain

GoTerraformAWSGCPMicroservicesSQLNoSQLContainer TechnologiesMedia StreamingBackend Engineering

About the role

Original posting from SoundCloud via Greenhouse

SoundCloud empowers artists, tastemakers and fans to connect and share through music. Founded in 2007, SoundCloud is a creator-first platform helping artists build and grow their careers by providing them with the most advanced tools, services, and resources. With over 4x the music catalog of every other major streaming platform, spanning 40+ million artists across 190+ countries, SoundCloud is where emerging artists find their sound, hidden gems are discovered, and music culture is shaped in real time.

SoundCloud is looking for a software engineer to join our Media Streaming Team, with a mission to operate a media streaming platform at global scale, delivering the best possible audio experience to creators, listeners, and partners alike. We are handling petabytes of data and gigabytes per second of traffic. You will join a tightly-knit team where you will help shape how millions of people experience music.  

Read about engineering at SoundCloud

Key Responsibilities: 

Contribute to building, scaling and maintaining backend APIs and services that serve millions of users

Collaborate closely with Android, iOS, web, and full-stack engineers to deliver seamless end-to-end media experiences

Ensure performance, scalability, and maintainability of SoundCloud’s services

Debug complex issues across systems, ensuring a consistent experience for users globally

Participate in architecture discussions, code reviews, and roadmap planning

Be part of on-call rotation to ensure the reliability and availability of SoundCloud’s systems

Experience and Background:

4+ years of experience in building and operating large-scale backend or distributed systems

Proficiency in Go

Hands-on experience with infrastructure as code (IaC) using Terraform

Experience with cloud-native environments such as AWS or GCP

Experience with microservices, SQL/NoSQL databases, and container technologies

You care about the craft of software engineering: continuous delivery, defensive programming, automated testing, clean code principles

You have a strong sense of ownership and are comfortable navigating ambiguity in fast-moving environments

You bring a humble attitude, an eagerness to help your colleagues, and a desire to do whatever it takes to make the team succeed 

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience designing APIs and backend services consumed by multiple client platforms

Experience with Scala or other functional programming languages

Knowledge of API communication patterns (e.g., gRPC, GraphQL)

Exposure to media streaming, playback, audio engineering or adjacent domains

Familiarity with audio/video codecs, streaming protocols (HLS, DASH), and transport container technologies

Experience using AI-assisted development tools and a strong intuition for their strengths, weaknesses, and emerging opportunities

About us:

We are a multinational company with offices in the US (New York and Los Angeles), Germany (Berlin), and the UK (London)

We provide a flexible work culture that offers the opportunity to collaborate and connect in person at our offices as well as accommodating work from home

We are deeply committed to ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels of our organization and fostering a community where everyone’s voice, perspective and experience is respected and heard.

We believe a strong team is made by investing in employees through mentorship, workshops and enrichment opportunities

Benefits:

Interested in a gym membership, photography course or book? We have a Creativity and Wellness benefit!

Employee Equity Plan

Generous professional development allowance

Flexible vacation and public holiday policy where you can take up to 35 days of PTO annually

Various snacks, goodies, and 2 free lunches weekly when at the office

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at SoundCloud

SoundCloud is for everyone. Diversity and open expression are fundamental to our organization; they help us lead what’s next in music by understanding and empowering our creators and fans, no matter their identity. We acknowledge the challenges in the music industry, and strive to influence an inclusive culture where everyone can contribute respectfully and thrive, especially the historically marginalized communities that many of our creators, fans and SoundClouders identify with. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment at SoundCloud for everyone, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, migration background, national origin, age, disability status, or care-giver status.

At SoundCloud you can find your community or elevate your allyship by joining a Diversity Resource Group. Diversity Resource Groups are employee-organized groups focused on supporting and promoting the interests of a particular underrepresented community in order to build a more inclusive culture at SoundCloud. Anyone can join, whether you share the identity or strive to be an ally.

Source: SoundCloud careers (Greenhouse)

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