Senior Software Engineer, Advertising Engineering

Roku; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Retirement plan

Mental health support

Job summary

Roku is seeking a highly skilled Senior Software Engineer for a hybrid role that blends software and data engineering. You will design, build, and maintain scalable APIs and data pipelines using Scala, Java, Spark, and Airflow, partnering with Finance, Analytics, and Engineering to translate complex requirements into robust solutions.

You will also contribute to AI-powered initiatives to scale financial workflows and improve data quality across pipelines, while mentoring junior engineers in best

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• 8+ years of software/data engineering experience with Spark and Airflow.
• Strong SQL and API/backend development skills in Python/Java/Scala.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure) and containers.
• Excellent problem-solving and communication.

Responsibilities

• Design and build APIs and backend services using Scala and Java.
• Develop data pipelines with Spark and Airflow; ensure reliability and performance.
• Collaborate with analytics and engineering teams; mentor junior engineers.
• Drive data quality and operational excellence across data pipelines.

Skills

Scala/Java

Spark

Airflow

Python

SQL

Cloud platforms

KubernetesDocker

CI/CD

Agentic AI

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Jenkins

Terraform

Job description

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

Roku is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and we've set our sights on powering every television in the world. Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. Our mission is to be the TV streaming platform that connects the entire TV ecosystem. We connect consumers to the content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers unique capabilities to engage consumers.

What does the team work on?

The Revenue Automation and Data team is a key part of Roku's Advertising organization, driving financial automation and data solutions that enable informed decision-making across the advertising ecosystem. We work in a fast-paced, complex environment and partner closely with Finance, Accounting, Analytics, and multiple engineering teams to deliver timely, high-impact insights into business performance. As we look ahead, we're investing in AI-powered capabilities to exponentially scale financial workflows and help non-technical stakeholders translate our diverse data assets into actionable outcomes.

What is the role?

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Software Engineer for this hybrid position which bridges software and data engineering, requiring the ability to design, build, and maintain scalable systems for both application development and large-scale data processing. In this role, you will architect and maintain production-grade data products and APIs, leveraging technologies such as Java/Scala, SQL, Spark, Airflow, and Kubernetes to deliver reliable, high-performance solutions. You will collaborate with cross-functional partners across Finance, Accounting, and Analytics to translate complex business requirements into robust technical solutions. The role involves driving data quality and operational excellence across the full lifecycle of data pipelines and backend services. You will also contribute to the team's AI-powered initiatives, helping to scale financial workflows and unlock actionable insights from diverse data assets. The successful candidate has a proven track record building high-scale data services and pipelines, with strong engineering rigor and a passion for continuous improvement. [Insert Pay Transparency Verbiage Here]

How will I use AI at Roku?

At Roku, we don't just use AI, we work with it. AI agents and smart tools help power drafts, analysis, and repetitive workflows, while our people bring direction, judgment, and accountability.

We're looking for curious, adaptable builders who can show how they've used AI or automation to move faster, raise the bar, and scale their impact. We value your AI skills if have built fluency across the agentic engineering toolchain — coding harnesses like Claude Code or Cursor, MCP servers, custom skills, or agent frameworks. And you can describe projects where you shipped real work with these tools. You know how to drive an agent, verify its output, and ramp on an unfamiliar codebase with an agent helping you.

What are the responsibilities of the role?

Software Development

• Design and build APIs and backend services using Scala and Java to support financial automation and data products
• Write clean, maintainable, and efficient code, ensuring adherence to best practices through code reviews

Big Data Engineering

• Design, develop, and maintain data pipelines and ETL workflows using Apache Spark and Apache Airflow
• Optimise data storage, retrieval, and processing systems to ensure reliability, scalability, and performance
• Develop and fine-tune complex queries using Apache Spark for large-scale datasets
• Monitor, troubleshoot, and improve data systems to minimise downtime and maximise efficiency

Collaboration & Mentorship

• Partner with analytics, software engineering, and other teams to deliver integrated, high-quality solutions
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers, promoting best practices in software and data engineering

What experience would help someone be successful in this role at Roku?

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• 8+ years of experience in software and/or data engineering with expertise in big data technologies such as Apache Spark and Apache Airflow
• Advanced SQL skills, with expertise in query optimisation for large datasets
• Expertise in developing APIs and robust backend services, with strong programming skills in Python, Java, and/or Scala
• Exceptional problem-solving abilities and the capacity to work independently or collaboratively
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong sense of ownership in driving projects from inception to user adoption
• Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure, and containerisation tools like Docker and Kubernetes (preferred)
• Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and infrastructure-as-code tools such as Jenkins and Terraform (preferred)
• Experience with building agentic AI systems to automate decision-making and enhance analytics workflows (preferred)
• Experience in AdTech and advertising data platforms (preferred)

What's Roku's approach to hybrid working?

Roku fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment where teams generally work in the office Monday through Thursday. Fridays are generally flexible for remote work, except for employees whose specific roles or assigned office location require five days' a week attendance.

What are some of the 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 [e-mail].

What should I know about Roku's culture?

Roku is a great place for people who want to work in a fast-paced environment where everyone is focused on the company's success rather than their own. We try to surround ourselves with people who are great at their jobs, who are easy to work with, and who keep their egos in check. We appreciate a sense of humor. We believe a fewer number of very talented folks can do more for less cost than a larger number of less talented teams. We're independent thinkers with big ideas who act boldly, move fast and accomplish extraordinary things through collaboration and trust. In short, at Roku you'll be part of a company that's changing how the world watches TV.

We have a unique culture that we are proud of. We think of ourselves primarily as problem-solvers, which itself is a two-part idea. We come up with the solution, but the solution isn't real until it is built and delivered to the customer. That penchant for action gives us a pragmatic approach to innovation, one that has served us well since 2002.

To learn more about Roku, our global footprint, and how we've grown, visit https://www.weareroku.com/factsheet.