Backend Engineer - Recommendation
About the job
- At least 3 years of experience building high-throughput backend services, with Node.js and TypeScript preferred or the ability to transition quickly from Java, Go, or Kotlin.
- Deep experience with Redis or Valkey data modeling, multi-tier caching hierarchies with time-to-live and invalidation strategies, and binary payload formats such as Protobuf or Avro.
- Ability to operate application programming interfaces at 10,000 or more requests per second under strict latency service-level objectives.
- Experience or capability bridging backend engineering and machine learning by serving model scores, embeddings, or large language model features in live systems.
- Clear communication skills in English and a data-driven, experiment-friendly mindset.
- Develop the recommendation engine powering the homepage, product pages, and outfit pages using Node.js and TypeScript.
- Serve offline-trained machine learning models, including matrix factorization, brand similarity, and image embeddings, at Black Friday scale from Valkey, DynamoDB, and OpenSearch.
- Design personalization logic covering feed assembly, fallback chains, deduplication, diversity, and A/B experimentation.
- Build generative artificial intelligence product features such as a streaming Gemini fashion advisor, focusing on low latency, session state, and token cost control.
- Own reverse extract-transform-load pipelines that move BigQuery model outputs into high-performance hot stores.
- Instrument recommendation coverage, track business metrics through SQS and business intelligence systems, and shape architecture alongside the Tech Lead.
- Knowledge of recommender-system fundamentals, including collaborative filtering, matrix factorization, cold-start handling, and diversity algorithms.
- Experience with streaming generative artificial intelligence or large language model products, including chat user experience, prompt caching, and guardrails.
- Experience with AWS serverless services, including DynamoDB modeling and SQS/SNS, and with OpenSearch k-nearest-neighbor indices.
- Experience with performance profiling using clinic.js and flamegraphs, and load testing using k6.
About the company
ABOUT YOU is an online fashion retailer that offers a wide range of clothing, shoes, and accessories from over 2,000 top brands. The company serves fashion-conscious women who follow the latest trends and styles. It runs on an e-commerce website that provides a seamless shopping experience with a user-friendly interface, easy ordering, and multiple payment options. Revenue comes from selling products directly to consumers, often supported by promotions and discounts. Data analytics power personalized shopping by recommending items based on individual preferences and browsing history. Compared with competitors, ABOUT YOU stands out with its expansive brand selection, data-driven personalized recommendations, frequent promotions, and a focus on a smooth online experience. The company's goal is to help customers discover and buy the latest fashion items efficiently while driving sales through tailored offerings.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Hamburg, Germany
Founded
2013
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- SCAYLE STUDIOS launched 20 July 2026, cutting production time 95% and costs 90%.
- ABOUT YOU's AI workflow already runs 90% of e-commerce production, saving over €8 million annually.
- ORIMEI by Victoria Swarovski launched 29 April 2026, extending ABOUT YOU's celebrity-led exclusive-label strategy.
What critics are saying
- BaFin faulted Zalando's 2025 accounts on 21 July 2026 for ABOUT YOU omission disclosures.
- Zalando plans a squeeze-out merger, removing ABOUT YOU minority holders and standalone governance by 2027.
- Fast fashion rivals and marketplace giants pressure margins as ABOUT YOU depends on promotions and discounting.
What makes ABOUT YOU unique
- ABOUT YOU built a mobile-first, personalized fashion app with inspiration-led shopping since 2014.
- SCAYLE gives ABOUT YOU enterprise commerce software, now powering brands like Harrods and Bayern.
- Zalando kept ABOUT YOU as a distinct customer-facing brand after completing acquisition on 11 July 2025.
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Benefits
- Flexible Work Hours
- Hybrid Work Options