Software Development Engineer, Playback Team

Audible; Newark (NJ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Audible is seeking a Software Development Engineer to design, architect, and implement ML-powered solutions for advertising and playback infrastructure. You will work with Product, Applied Science, and cross-functional teams to deliver scalable software that improves ad quality and user experience.

This role offers hands-on ownership of audio ad systems, real-time pipelines, and collaboration on agile teams, with an emphasis on robust code, performance, and mentorship.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of design or architecture experience on new or existing systems.
• Experience programming with at least one software programming language.
• Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent.
• 3+ years’ experience deploying distributed multi-tier applications.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and test software components for a leading global provider of audiobooks.
• Collaborate with Product, Applied Science, and cross-functional engineering teams to define and deliver innovative advertising products.
• Optimize ad serving latency, cost, and business metrics for audio advertising at scale.
• Collaborate on an agile engineering team, writing scalable and maintainable code and influencing team decisions.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to envision, design, develop, test, and launch customer-centric software solutions.
• Utilize technology to tackle challenging problems and deliver high-quality code on schedule.
• Demonstrate proficiency in a wide range of data structures and algorithms, applying them effectively.
• Independently clarify technical requirements, assess development estimates, and employ diverse design approaches.
• Conduct code reviews and provide constructive feedback to team members.
• Foster continuous improvement in software quality, customer experience, and product maintainability.
• Mentor and lead developers, fostering curiosity and deep technical understanding.

Skills

System design

Software architecture

Programming languages

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent

Job description

At Audible, we believe stories have the power to transform lives. It's why we work with some of the world's leading creators to produce and share audio storytelling with our millions of global listeners. We are dreamers and inventors who come from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences to empower and inspire each other. Imagine your future with us.

About the team

The Playback team at Audible owns the core playback logic and services, including players, content delivery, security, listening data, metrics and insights, and a unified SDK. This team focuses on optimizing playback quality, performance, and customer experience across platforms, using automated tools for monitoring and analysis. The Playback team also drives Audible's efforts to advance the state of internet audio through faculty collaborations. You will own critical infrastructure supporting audio ads at Audible, you’ll build scalable systems processing billions of ad opportunities annually, delivering world-class advertising experiences to millions of customers.

This role offers hands-on technical ownership of audio ad systems, real-time ad serving pipelines, and conversational AI integration. You'll work with talented engineers solving complex distributed systems challenges while directly impacting a business.

About you

We are seeking a highly skilled and innovative Software Development Engineer to design, architect, and implement machine learning solutions that drive transformative technological advancements. You will combine deep technical expertise with strategic thinking, capable of translating complex business challenges into scalable, intelligent systems.

As a Software Development Engineer, you will…

• Design, develop, and test software components and applications for a leading global provider of audiobooks
• Collaborate with Product, Applied Science, and cross-functional engineering teams to define and deliver innovative advertising products
• Optimize ad serving latency, cost, and business metrics for audio advertising at scale
• Collaborate on an agile engineering team, writing scalable and maintainable code and influencing team decisions
• Collaborate with stakeholders to envision, design, develop, test, and launch customer-centric software solutions
• Utilize technology to tackle challenging problems and deliver high-quality code on schedule
• Demonstrate proficiency in a wide range of data structures and algorithms, applying them effectively
• Independently clarify technical requirements, assess development estimates, and employ diverse design approaches
• Conduct code reviews and provide constructive feedback to team members
• Foster continuous improvement in software quality, customer experience, and product maintainability
• Mentor and lead developers, fostering curiosity and deep technical understanding

About Audible

Audible is the leading producer and provider of audio storytelling. We spark listeners' imaginations, offering immersive, cinematic experiences full of inspiration and insight to enrich our customers' daily lives. We are a global company with an entrepreneurial spirit. We are dreamers and inventors who are passionate about the positive impact Audible can make for our customers and our neighbors. This spirit courses throughout Audible, supporting a culture of creativity and inclusion built on our People Principles and our mission to build more equitable communities in the cities we call home.

Requirements

• 2+ years of non-internship design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
• Experience programming with at least one software programming language
• Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent
• 3+ years’ experience of software development and deployment of distributed multi-tier applications