Staff Backend Engineer – Platform

Join Apaleo and shape the future of hospitality tech

Apaleo is the world’s most open, API-first property management platform powering the next generation of hospitality operations. Its modular, AI-powered infrastructure lets hoteliers customise their tech stack, automate routine work and deliver seamless, personalised guest experiences, powered by best-in-class apps and autonomous AI agents that adapt to every stay.

If you’re driven by the idea of making hospitality smarter, more human and powered by cutting-edge technology, we’d love to hear from you.

About the role

You’ll join our Platform team as an individual contributor working closely with our Principal Engineer, who leads Platform’s technical direction. Platform owns infrastructure, developer experience and security foundations for the whole engineering org, so this is a high-ownership seat: you’ll take on large, ambiguous, cross-cutting initiatives and drive them from first analysis through to completion, with real autonomy over how you get there.

We don’t run a groomed backlog or sprint planning. We assign a big topic to someone who owns it end to end. If you thrive with structure handed to you, this isn’t the role; if you love spotting the problem worth solving and driving it yourself, you’ll fit right in.

What you’ll be up to

Architecting and developing scalable, reliable and maintainable backend systems.

Self-identifying and scoping problems and initiatives, not just executing assigned tickets: assessing impact, prioritisation and timing independently.

Leading architectural decisions and design discussions with cross-team alignment.

Driving large, ambiguous, cross-cutting initiatives end to end, including coordination with multiple stakeholders.

Mentoring engineers and driving technical excellence.

Building and maintaining internal tools and infrastructure (AWS, Terraform) that empower teams to deliver faster and more reliably.

Owning observability, logging and operational excellence to keep the platform highly available.

Participating in on-call rotations and stepping in as a reliable problem solver during incidents.

Proactively spotting where AI and automation can drive technical improvement.

Some of the challenges waiting for you

Solving horizontal write-scaling for our database (we already scale reads horizontally).

Modernising our CI/CD pipeline for faster, more reliable delivery.

Migrating our infrastructure-as-code fully from CloudFormation to Terraform, including the ability to recreate an Apaleo environment from scratch.

Extracting and reworking common services (like shared schedulers) to get us ready for our next scale level.

What you’ll bring to the team

8+ years of backend development experience, including several years in a staff-level or technical leadership role.

Strong engineering fundamentals that transfer across languages and cloud platforms: we care more about how you think than which stack you’ve used.

A track record of owning large technical initiatives from ambiguity through to completion, ideally on a platform or infrastructure team rather than a pure product team.

Experience designing and scaling distributed systems in cloud-native environments (AWS preferred; strong Azure fundamentals with genuine enthusiasm for the switch work just as well).

Comfortable working with containerised services and infrastructure-as-code (Docker, Terraform; CloudFormation exposure is relevant given our current stack).

Confidence writing your own unit and integration tests: we don’t have a dedicated QA function.

Fluent English.

Nice to have

Direct experience with C# (.NET), PostgreSQL, AWS and ECS/Kubernetes: a great fit, though not a hard requirement if your fundamentals are strong.

Experience setting up infrastructure-as-code from scratch and working with it day to day, ideally with Terraform, including migrating or consolidating from other IaC approaches (like CloudFormation).

Experience with Kafka or other event-driven and streaming systems (Azure Service Bus experience is a good transferable equivalent).

Hands-on use of AI-assisted development tools (GitHub Copilot, Cursor AI, ChatGPT, Amazon CodeWhisperer) and a genuine interest in AI-driven engineering improvement.

Excellent collaboration and communication skills, particularly for introducing new technology, like AI tooling, to other teams.

What we offer

Culture and growth

A diverse and international team: work alongside passionate professionals from over 20 nationalities.

Growth and development: 360° feedback reviews, a dedicated learning budget and an evolving career framework.

Autonomy and ownership: we empower you to take responsibility, make decisions and contribute directly in an environment built on trust and transparency.

Shape the future of hospitality tech: your work drives real impact from day one, at a fast-growing scale-up.

Competitive and fair compensation, guided by benchmarking data to ensure fairness across all roles and teams.

Perks and lifestyle

Flexible and remote work options: office, home or hybrid, based on what works for your role and team.

A fully covered Deutschland Ticket for free public transport across Germany.

Regular team dinners, company meetups, Oktoberfest celebrations, Christmas parties and other offsite events.

30 days of paid holiday to fully disconnect, recharge and return inspired.

An EGYM Wellpass membership giving access to hundreds of gyms, fitness studios and wellness options.

Where you’ll work from

This role is based in Munich, with hybrid working from our office there. We’re also open to remote within Germany, or remote via an Employer of Record for candidates based outside in the EU/ Europe.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and welcoming workplace. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, regardless of race, colour, religion, gender identity or expression, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Your personal data will be handled with the utmost care and in compliance with GDPR and relevant data protection regulations. We celebrate differences and believe that diversity enriches our team and drives innovation.

About the company

Apaleo provides a cloud-based hospitality platform with an open, API-first design that helps hotels and other accommodation providers manage operations and connect with partners. The platform uses a subscription-based SaaS model with pricing per property unit and adds value through services like Apaleo Pay for payments and the Agent Hub to link properties with travel agents. It runs on a microservices, cloud-native, headless MACH architecture, enabling scalable customization and easy integration with third-party apps such as door locks, guest messaging, and revenue management tools. Unlike many competitors, Apaleo focuses on an open ecosystem and seamless integrations, allowing properties to tailor the system to their needs. The company’s goal is to empower hospitality businesses to operate efficiently and grow by using a flexible, interoperable platform that connects core property management with a wide range of external services.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Series B

Total Funding

$31.9M

Headquarters

Munich, Germany

Founded

2017

Get referred to Apaleo

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

On September 15, 2026, Apaleo and IDeaS expanded revenue-controls integration for hotels.
Apaleo’s September 2026 EHL partnership embeds the brand inside hospitality curriculum and recruiting pipelines.
PSG’s €20 million growth equity and the 2026 Copilot launch fund aggressive expansion.

What critics are saying

Oracle, Mews, and Cloudbeds compress Apaleo’s differentiation by bundling similar automation faster.
AI Copilot and MCP increase security and reliability risk; one bad agent action breaks operations.
If large chains standardize on closed suites, Apaleo’s ecosystem story loses enterprise traction by 2027.

What makes Apaleo unique

Apaleo’s open API-first PMS lets hotels assemble custom stacks without brittle middleware.
Agent Hub and MCP server make Apaleo the orchestration layer for hospitality AI.
The platform now serves 2,200+ properties across 30+ countries, including citizenM and Limehome.

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Benefits

Flexible Work Hours
Remote Work Options
Paid Vacation
Wellness Program

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

1 year growth

-1%

2 year growth

-8%

Hotel Business

Sep 15th, 2026

Apaleo, IDeaS deepen integration for revenue management.

Apaleo, IDeaS deepen integration for revenue management. Apaleo and IDeaS, a SAS company, have made available an enhanced integration designed to simplify hotel operations, strengthen revenue performance and improve profitability. The integration enables seamless, two-way data flows between Apaleo's property management system (PMS) and the IDeaS revenue management platform, allowing hotels to execute pricing, inventory, forecasting and revenue optimization strategies using real-time operational and demand data. By automating the exchange of reservation, inventory, pricing and performance data through seamless, two-way data flows, the integration reduces manual processes and provides operators with more accurate inputs for forecasting and pricing decisions. Apaleo shares live reservation and stay data with IDeaS, while IDeaS returns pricing, forecasting and advanced revenue control recommendations, including overbooking, minimum length-of-stay and Last Room Value (LRV) decisions into Apaleo, ensuring revenue decisions are consistently informed by the latest operational and demand signals. The result is a more connected technology stack that improves revenue management and day-to-day operational efficiency, according to the companies. The integration delivers a range of operational and commercial advantages, including: * Real-time, two-way data exchange between Apaleo's API-first PMS and the IDeaS revenue management platform * Automated pricing and forecasting outputs at the room-type, product-type and market-segment level, driven by unified and more accurate data * Reduced manual data entry, improving efficiency and lowering the risk of errors * Improved decision-making through integrated performance and demand insights * Scalable architecture that supports multi-property portfolios and growing hotel groups * Advanced automated controls for overbooking, minimum length of stay (LOS), and LRV (hurdle rate) decisions, supporting stronger RevPAR and occupancy outcomes Customers will be able to access the integration through Apaleo's integration marketplace and IDeaS' partner ecosystem. Uli Pillau, CEO/founder, Apaleo, said: "Partnering with IDeaS strengthens our mission to give hospitality operators the flexibility to build a tech stack that works the way they do. By connecting Apaleo's open platform with IDeaS' market-leading revenue management capabilities, we're enabling hotels to reduce complexity, automate critical processes, and make more confident decisions using consistent, high-quality data. For Apaleo, this integration is in particular an important one considering our close relationship with the founders and management of IDeaS". Klaus Kohlmayr, chief evangelist and development officer, IDeaS, said: "Like IDeaS, Apaleo has been at the forefront of innovation in hospitality technology, and both companies are well positioned to harness leading-edge AI capabilities to deliver even greater value to the industry. We're very excited about what this partnership can achieve." Olga Tolle-Rodrigues, director of global alliances, IDeaS, said, "The hospitality industry is moving beyond simply connecting systems toward creating technology ecosystems that help operators make better commercial decisions. Our expanded relationship with Apaleo is built around that vision. By bringing together open connectivity and advanced revenue expertise, we're bringing powerful, leading-edge capabilities to a broader range of hoteliers - all without adding unnecessary complexity to their daily operations."

LOXE

Jun 21st, 2026

Contactless hotel check-in for Mews, Cloudbeds & Apaleo: how PMS integration actually works.

Contactless hotel check-in for Mews, Cloudbeds & Apaleo: how PMS integration actually works. See how LOXE's contactless check-in software integrates with Mews, Cloudbeds, and Apaleo - real-time API sync, smart lock key delivery, and 48-hour setup. How does contactless check-in integrate with your existing PMS? Contactless hotel check-in software connects to your property management system through a direct API integration - not a data export or manual sync. If you're running Mews, Cloudbeds, or Apaleo, LOXE pulls your reservation data in real time, matches each booking to a guest-facing check-in flow, and pushes status updates back to your PMS automatically. Guests complete ID verification, digital registration, and key delivery from their phone, while your PMS reflects every step as it happens. No double-entry. No front-desk bottleneck. This matters for independent hotels running 20-200 rooms because you probably don't have a dedicated IT team managing middleware or custom connections. A native PMS integration means LOXE reads your existing room types, rate plans, and reservation details, then builds the contactless check-in experience on top of what you already have. Your PMS stays your system of record. LOXE is the guest-facing layer. What data syncs between LOXE and your PMS? The integration is bidirectional. LOXE pulls reservation details from your PMS: guest name, email, stay dates, room type, rate code, and payment status. Once the guest completes their check-in flow, LOXE pushes back verified ID status, a signed digital registration card, room assignment confirmation, and key delivery timestamp. If a guest upgrades through LOXE's pre-arrival upsell engine - early check-in, room upgrade, late checkout, parking - that charge posts directly to the PMS folio. Changes in either system sync within seconds. Cancel a reservation in Mews? LOXE voids the pending check-in link. Reassign a room in Cloudbeds? LOXE updates the key code automatically. For properties using smart locks like Dormakaba Oracode, Salto, or TTLock, key delivery also triggers lock programming - the code or mobile key activates only during the guest's confirmed stay window. No manual lock management required. PMS integration compatibility: LOXE x Mews, Cloudbeds, and Apaleo. | Feature | LOXE x Mews | LOXE x Cloudbeds | LOXE x Apaleo | | Sync Type | Real-time bidirectional API | Real-time bidirectional API | Real-time bidirectional API | | Reservation Pull | Automatic - confirmed bookings in seconds | Automatic - confirmed bookings in seconds | Automatic - confirmed bookings in seconds | | ID Verification | Photo ID + selfie match, encrypted storage | Photo ID + selfie match, encrypted storage | Photo ID + selfie match, encrypted storage | | Key Delivery | Mobile key, digital code, or smart lock (Dormakaba, Salto, TTLock) | Mobile key, digital code, or smart lock (Dormakaba, Salto, TTLock) | Mobile key, digital code, or smart lock (Dormakaba, Salto, TTLock) | LOXE also integrates with Maestro, Opera, and Impala using the same bidirectional model. All integrations include automatic upsell folio posting and go live in under 48 hours with no hardware install. If your PMS isn't listed, the onboarding team maps your API during a pilot phase - most custom connections are production-ready within one week. What does PMS integration setup look like? Setup doesn't require an IT department or a PMS migration. Here's the typical process for a 50-room independent hotel. Step 1 - Connect: You provide API credentials from your PMS dashboard. Mews, Cloudbeds, and Apaleo all offer these in their settings panel. LOXE's onboarding team maps your room types, rate plans, and reservation sources. Step 2 - Configure: Choose your check-in flow - ID verification method, key delivery type (mobile key, digital code, or smart lock), upsell offers, and pre-arrival email timing. Step 3 - Test: LOXE runs a sync test with your live reservations in read-only mode. You'll see real bookings in the LOXE dashboard before anything goes guest-facing. Step 4 - Go live: Activate guest-facing check-in links. Your PMS continues operating exactly as before - LOXE layers on top, not in place of. Most properties complete all four steps in under 48 hours. No hardware ships. No PMS data leaves your existing stack. Frequently asked questions. How does the LOXE-PMS integration work? LOXE connects through a certified API. Reservation data flows automatically - no CSV imports, no manual entry. New bookings, modifications, and cancellations sync within seconds. How much setup effort is required? You provide API credentials and LOXE handles the mapping. No code, no IT contractor, no PMS migration. Most properties go live in under 48 hours. How reliable is the data sync? The bidirectional sync runs continuously. If a reservation changes in Mews, Cloudbeds, or Apaleo, LOXE reflects the update within seconds. If connectivity drops, the system queues changes and syncs once reconnected - no data loss. Do guests see the PMS or LOXE? Guests only see LOXE's branded check-in flow. Your PMS runs in the background as the system of record. The experience feels native, not like a third-party bolt-on. Is the integration compliant with PIPEDA and Quebec's Law 25? Yes. LOXE stores guest data in encrypted Canadian-hosted infrastructure. Data sharing with your PMS is limited to reservation needs - no third-party transfers, no cross-property tracking. Full PIPEDA and Loi 25 compliance is built in. See it with your own PMS. Book a LOXE demo with your actual PMS connected. You'll see your real rooms, real reservations, and real check-in flows on screen - not a generic slideshow. If you're running Mews, Cloudbeds, or Apaleo, the integration is pre-built and ready to demo on your live data. Maestro, Opera, and Impala properties can request a live API mapping during the same call. Most hotels go from first demo to live guest check-ins in under 48 hours. No long-term contract required for the pilot. Your PMS stays exactly where it is - LOXE just makes it guest-facing.

Apaleo

Jun 18th, 2026

Otherwander Soho selects Apaleo to power fully digital pod hotel concept.

Otherwander Soho selects Apaleo to power fully digital pod hotel concept. Anna Fechner Otherwander Soho, the newly opened 566-pod hotel in central London, has selected Apaleo, the API-first property management platform, to power its fully digitised guest journey and highly streamlined operating model. Opened on 1 June 2026 at 92 Dean Street in the heart of Soho, Otherwander Soho has built its technology ecosystem around interoperability, automation and real-time data flow. Rather than placing the property management system (PMS) at the centre of operations, the hotel has adopted a middleware-led architecture in which systems connect through open APIs and data moves across the business in real time. Within that architecture, Apaleo's open platform provides the inventory and guest data layer, helping Otherwander centralise key operational data while giving the brand the flexibility and interoperability to build, adapt and scale its fully digital operating model over time. Using a fully digital guest journey, Otherwander Soho combines sleep-only single and double pods with premium shared facilities, creating a compact, design-led stay for modern urban travellers. Guests check in online and access both the building and their pod using a QR-enabled Wanderpass stored in their mobile wallet, removing the need for a traditional reception desk and creating a frictionless journey from arrival to departure. The decision to work with Apaleo resulted from a four-and-a-half-year technology evaluation process that included traditional hospitality platforms, all-in-one technology suites, and alternative architectural models. Otherwander Soho selected Apaleo because its API-first architecture is best aligned with the company's middleware-led strategy, providing full flexibility to support custom development, create a fully digital guest journey and continuously evolve the technology ecosystem over time. Apaleo's collaborative approach made it a true growth partner for Otherwander's innovation-led greenfield project. Inspired by airlines and e-commerce, Otherwander Soho has created a hospitality model built around how people travel today, prioritising efficiency, flexibility and convenience. Designed with future growth in mind, its unique architecture gives the brand the flexibility to evolve its technology ecosystem and scale the concept into new locations over time. The project also reflects a wider industry shift away from rigid legacy systems towards open, interoperable ecosystems that support continuous innovation. Ulrich Pillau, CEO and Founder of Apaleo, said: "What's particularly interesting about Otherwander Soho is that they evaluated technology through the lens of the operating model they wanted to create. They prioritised openness, interoperability and flexibility because they understood that innovation doesn't come from a single system. It comes from creating an ecosystem where data, applications and workflows can work together. As hospitality becomes increasingly automated and AI-driven, we're seeing more hospitality brands adopt this approach. I would also like to congratulate the entire Otherwander team on bringing such a fantastic concept to life." Sophie Hartley, Director of Technology & Digital Strategy at Otherwander Soho, said: "From the outset, Apaleo GmbH. knew Apaleo GmbH. wanted to create a fully digitised customer journey, but Apaleo GmbH. also wanted a middleware-led architecture where the PMS became part of the ecosystem rather than the centre of it. Apaleo's open APIs were critical because they allowed Apaleo GmbH. to connect systems, centralise data and build a technology ecosystem that can continue to evolve. Beyond the technology itself, Apaleo GmbH. found a true partner in Apaleo. Their openness, flexibility and willingness to listen and collaborate made it possible to build the architecture Apaleo GmbH. had envisioned from day one." Fredrik Korallus, CEO of Otherwander Soho, said: "From the beginning, our objective wasn't simply to do something different. It was to simplify. We wanted to remove friction from the guest journey and eliminate complexity from hotel operations. Too often, hospitality relies on disconnected systems, fragmented data and processes that create unnecessary work for teams and unnecessary frustration for guests. We needed technology partners that shared our vision for a more connected, intuitive way of operating, and Apaleo helped us turn that vision into reality."

Travel Daily Media

Mar 26th, 2026

Apaleo introduces AI Copilot for hospitality efficiency.

Apaleo introduces AI Copilot for hospitality efficiency. Apaleo has unveiled its latest innovation, the Apaleo Copilot, designed to alleviate operational pressures on hospitality teams. Embedded within the Apaleo platform, this AI-driven tool allows staff to execute complex tasks like extending stays, assigning rooms, and resolving overbookings using natural language commands. This development marks a shift towards integrated AI solutions in the hospitality sector, moving away from standalone tools. The Apaleo Copilot is built on an open, API-first architecture, enabling it to adapt to each business's unique processes. Hospitality teams can upload their standard operating procedures, allowing the AI to learn and autonomously execute tasks according to established protocols. This flexibility makes it suitable for a wide range of hospitality businesses, from individual properties to large hotel chains. Ulrich Pillau, CEO and Founder of Apaleo, stated, "Hospitality teams are under constant pressure to move quickly, solve problems, and deliver great guest experiences. The last thing they need is another dashboard. We built Apaleo Copilot to be practical from day one, helping staff complete real tasks in natural language inside the system they already use." The tool addresses the growing need for efficient operations amidst a backdrop where only 2.9% of full-time employees in travel and tourism possess AI skills, according to a study by NYU and BCG. Apaleo Copilot aims to bridge this gap by providing an intuitive interface that non-technical staff can easily navigate. With Apaleo Copilot, hospitality businesses can enhance their operational efficiency, allowing staff to focus on guest-facing roles and higher-value tasks. This innovation is set to transform how hotels manage their operations, paving the way for more autonomous and efficient hospitality services This story was selected and published by a human editor, with content adapted from original press material using AI tools. Spot an error? Report it here.

HITEC

Mar 26th, 2026

TrustYou and Apaleo Present "Magic Moments": Always-Reply, Always-On Guest Communication Powered by AI.

TrustYou and Apaleo Present "Magic Moments": Always-Reply, Always-On Guest Communication Powered by AI. How hotels turn every conversation into revenue, recognition, and loyalty. TrustYou and Apaleo Present AI-Powered Guest Communication Munich / Berlin - TrustYou, the AI-first hospitality platform, and Apaleo, the API-first property management platform, today announced Magic Moments, a joint solution demonstrating how hotels can deliver Always-Reply, Always-On guest communication across the entire guest journey. The solution was presented live on March 3 at ITB Berlin, where TrustYou and Apaleo showcased how AI agents, a unified 360° guest profile, and an open PMS architecture enable continuous, conversational guest journeys - from first booking to repeat stays. Photos and demo screenshots from the ITB presentation are available for media use. From "no-reply" to Always-Reply. For years, hotel communication has been fragmented: booking confirmations from no-reply email addresses, disconnected chat tools, and guests forced to repeat themselves across channels. Magic Moments introduces a new standard: Every guest message receives a reply. Instantly. On any channel. Powered by TrustYou's AI Agents, Customer Experience Platform (CXP), and Customer Data Platform (CDP), and orchestrated through Apaleo's agent-ready PMS platform, hotels can maintain a single, uninterrupted conversation before, during, and after the stay. Three practical use cases for hoteliers. The New Guest - Instant Revenue from the First Booking A new guest books via a market-facing AI agent, such as ChatGPT, connected to the Apaleo ecosystem. Once the reservation is created, Apaleo sends an API event to the TrustYou CDP, automatically initiating pre-stay communication. The guest asks: "I also need a parking space." The AI responds instantly, asks whether the vehicle is electric, and reserves an EV charging spot. Result: incremental revenue, better service, and zero manual effort - enabled by Always-Reply. The Returning Guest - Recognition as the New Loyalty A repeat guest opens the chat on the hotel website. The AI agent identifies the guest, loads the profile from the CDP, and welcomes them by name. Based on previous stays and feedback, the agent suggests the same room, reuses existing registration data, and proactively reserves parking with charging. Booking confirmation is sent via the guest's preferred channel, such as WhatsApp. Result: faster bookings, higher satisfaction, and loyalty driven by recognition - not discounts. WhatsApp Booking - The Easiest Booking Is a Reply The guest simply replies to a previous WhatsApp message: "I'd like to book a room with my partner next weekend in Munich." The agent recognizes the guest, retrieves the 360° profile, and proposes a personalized offer - premium room, breakfast, and parking for €169. "Fantastic, sure." Booking confirmed. Result: no app, no forms, no friction - just conversation. Built for operations and scale. Magic Moments enables hotels to: * Reply instantly to guests across web, email, WhatsApp, and AI marketplaces * Convert conversations into direct bookings and upsells * Preserve guest memory and preferences across stays and channels * Reduce operational complexity through autonomous AI agents The biggest AI disruption in 2026 isn't a feature; it's the Continuous Conversation. By partnering with Apaleo, HITEC Charlotte is turning every booking confirmation and pre-stay message into a 24/7, multilingual dialogue. Together, HITEC Charlotte is moving beyond static notifications to a world where guests get personalized answers on any channel, at any time. Ben Jost, CEO TrustYou At Apaleo, innovation is at the core of what HITEC Charlotte do. By working closely with TrustYou, one of the most advanced technology providers in hospitality, HITEC Charlotte has developed a real use case that brings this ambition to life. This functionality enables CRM and PMS platforms to work seamlessly together, giving its clients a clear step toward the future. Uli Pillau, Apaleo CEO and Co-founder Proven live at ITB Berlin. Magic Moments was showcased on March 3 at ITB Berlin, demonstrating real hotel scenarios and demo guest interactions in action. Event photos and presentation visuals are available upon request. Magic Moments by TrustYou and Apaleo. Always-Reply. Always-On. Because great guest relationships should never end with a booking. Technology TrustYou. Munich80337 Germany Powered by

Apaleo

Staff Backend Engineer - Platform

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