Every dataset at Spotify, from the data behind creator royalties to the signals powering recommendations, is registered, published and traced through systems our team builds. We're the source of truth for what data exists at Spotify, where it lives, who owns it, and how it flows from one pipeline to the next.

These systems sit on the critical path of the platform. Data teams use them every day to publish and find data, and other platform teams build on them for access, retention, governance and incident response. That means our work is judged on correctness and reliability, because every system built on top of ours is only as good as the metadata we provide.

This is a backend role focused on data management, working on the problems at the core of any large data platform: running a data catalog that stays accurate at scale, capturing lineage across batch and streaming workloads, managing schemas as they evolve, and guaranteeing that consumers only read complete data. We build on open standards like OpenLineage and Apache Iceberg, and define the internal standards for naming, storage and metadata that the rest of Spotify builds against. As the platform takes on new storage technologies and new kinds of data assets, those standards and the systems behind them have to evolve with it, and you'll help decide how.

What You'll Do

Build and Evolve Core Services: Design, build and operate the backend services and APIs behind our data catalog, lineage and publishing systems, and evolve them as the platform adopts new storage technologies and new kinds of data. Hold them to a high bar for correctness, performance and reliability.

Build Data Pipelines: Develop and run the batch and streaming pipelines that keep our metadata current, processing platform events and audit logs to capture how data is created and changed, and turning lineage and metadata into data products other teams build on.

Own Projects End to End: Turn what the teams using our platform need into technical designs, drive them through delivery and rollout, and own the results once they're in production.

Keep the Platform Healthy: Take part in on-call for critical services, build in observability and quality checks by default, and use automation, including AI tooling, to reduce toil for the team and our users.

Who You Are

You have solid experience building and running backend services and APIs in production with Java, and you care about API design, versioning and backward compatibility.

You're comfortable with SQL and have worked with data pipelines or a cloud data warehouse such as BigQuery, Snowflake or Databricks. Hands-on experience with batch or streaming frameworks like Beam, Flink or Spark is a plus.

You have a working understanding of data engineering concepts such as orchestration, metadata management, data quality, governance and lineage.

You break problems down into clear, shippable steps, reasoning through tradeoffs and risks and converging on clear recommendations.

You own the quality of what you ship, including code written with AI assistance, and you care about operating it well after launch.

You are a strong communicator and collaborator who enjoys working across teams, and you're comfortable in a dynamic platform environment where many engineers depend on what you build and priorities evolve with the business.

Where You'll Be

This role is based in Stockholm or London.
We offer you the flexibility to work where you work best! There will be some in person meetings, but still allows for flexibility to work from home.

Spotify is an equal opportunity employer. You are welcome at Spotify for who you are, no matter where you come from, what you look like, or what’s playing in your headphones. Our platform is for everyone, and so is our workplace. The more voices we have represented and amplified in our business, the more we will all thrive, contribute, and be forward-thinking! So bring us your personal experience, your perspectives, and your background. It’s in our differences that we will find the power to keep revolutionizing the way the world listens.

At Spotify, we are passionate about inclusivity and making sure our entire recruitment process is accessible to everyone. We have ways to request reasonable accommodations during the interview process and help assist in what you need. If you need accommodations at any stage of the application or interview process, please let us know - we’re here to support you in any way we can.

About the company

Spotify runs an audio streaming service where listeners find music, podcasts, and audiobooks through one account on phones, computers, and connected devices. Its Discover Weekly playlist recommends songs based on listening habits, alongside playlists made by editors and artists. Listeners stream on demand, save favorites, share playlists, and download eligible content for offline listening through paid plans. The business earns subscription fees from Premium members and advertising revenue from its free service, while separate creator tools support publishing, audience measurement, and promotion. Spotify was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden.

Company Size

5,001-10,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Stockholms kommun, Sweden

Founded

2006

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

Growth funds investment: August 2026 results showed Spotify's subscribers rose 9% and quarterly operating profit reached €655 million.
Artist promotion adds revenue: Spotify's Marquee and Showcase campaigns target audiences using actual listening behavior.
Spotify supports remote careers: most roles allow home or office work, within approved countries and team requirements.

What critics are saying

Suppliers constrain Spotify's leverage: three major labels and Merlin cover 72% of record-label streams under licenses requiring renewal.
Podcast jobs face restructuring: Spotify cut about 15 podcast employees in March 2026, including staff at The Ringer.
Synthetic artists strain listener trust: Spotify's August 2026 announcement acknowledged confusion and planned labels for AI-generated artist identities.

What makes Spotify unique

Spotify spans competing hardware brands: its Connect directory lists over 2,000 devices from more than 200 brands.
Artists influence Spotify's recommendations commercially: Discovery Mode prioritizes selected songs in exchange for commissions on resulting streams.
Spotify's annual recap drives distribution: February 2026 results reported over 630 million Wrapped shares on social media.

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Benefits

Extensive learning opportunities, through our dedicated team, GreenHouse
Global parental leave, six months off - fully paid - for all new parents
Flexible public holidays, swap days off according to your values and beliefs
Flexible share incentives letting you choose how you share in our success
All The Feels, our employee assistance program and self-care hub
Spotify On Tour, join your colleagues on trips to industry festivals and events

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

1 year growth

2 year growth

TechCrunch

Oct 20th, 2026

Spotify launches paid podcast memberships in 34 markets, with creators keeping 90% of revenue

Spotify has launched paid memberships for podcasts, giving creators a way to earn from their biggest fans beyond paywalled bonus episodes. The feature is rolling out to 34 markets, including the US. Creators choose the perks, such as bonus audio or video, fewer ads, early access, or a mix. They keep 90% of membership revenue and can offer multiple tiers and prices. To qualify, shows must be hosted on Spotify for Creators or Megaphone, with at least 100 consumption hours, 100 listeners or viewers, and three published episodes. Memberships will be bought on the web, not through in-app purchases. Launch shows include "The Adam Friedland Show," "Making Sense with Sam Harris," and "Shawn Ryan Show." YMH Studios will bring memberships to 12 shows. The move helps Spotify court creators as it pushes into video to compete with YouTube.

afaqs!

Oct 19th, 2026

Nouran Hassan joins Snap as head of communications for MENA & APAC.

Nouran Hassan joins Snap as head of communications for MENA & APAC. Prior to this, Hassan had been working with Spotify as the head of communications for MENA. 19 Oct 2026 08:33 IST Nouran Hassan has joined Snap as head of communications for MENA & APAC, moving on from Spotify after nearly eight years with the streaming platform. Hassan announced the move on LinkedIn, marking the beginning of a new chapter after her long stint at Spotify. Reflecting on her time at Spotify, she said the experience left her with "incredible memories, invaluable experiences" and gratitude for the people she worked with during her tenure. At Snap, Hassan will lead communications across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC) markets. She said she is looking forward to working with Snap's teams, exchanging ideas, pushing boundaries and exploring new opportunities. Hassan's move comes as Snap continues to build its presence across international markets, with communications playing a key role in shaping the company's relationships with consumers, creators, advertisers and other stakeholders. In the past, Hassna has worked with Sony Music Entertainment, Viacom and WSF.

Tribune Online

Oct 17th, 2026

Spotify expands audiobook service to Nigeria.

Spotify expands audiobook service to Nigeria. October 17, 2026 Audio streaming platform, Spotify, has expanded its audiobook service to Nigeria as part of a global rollout that will make hundreds of thousands of titles available to listeners in more than 180 markets. Announced on 7th October, the expansion will give users access to more than 350,000 audiobook titles spanning over 120 languages by the end of 2026. According to Spotify's official announcement, the move is expected to help authors and publishers reach new audiences while giving listeners more ways to discover and enjoy books. The company said its audiobook partnerships are non-exclusive, allowing authors and publishers to distribute their works through other platforms while making them available on Spotify. In Nigeria, users can access audiobooks through the Audiobooks+ subscription, which offers 15 hours of listening each month. Spotify lists the service at ₦2,300 monthly after a free trial for eligible subscribers. Users can also purchase selected titles individually, while free samples allow listeners to explore books before deciding to buy them. Audiobooks enable people to listen to books while travelling, exercising or carrying out other activities, offering an alternative to printed and electronic books. Spotify's expansion also creates potential opportunities for Nigerian authors and publishers to reach readers in international markets through digital distribution. The company said its global audiobook audience had continued to grow, with monthly audiobook listeners increasing by nearly 40 per cent over the preceding year and listening hours rising by more than 30 per cent. The expansion reflects Spotify's efforts to extend its platform beyond music and podcasts into other forms of audio entertainment. For Nigerian listeners, the service provides another option for discovering books, while writers and publishers gain an additional channel for distributing their work. The long-term impact will depend on the availability of locally relevant titles, subscription affordability and the level of interest among Nigerian listeners. WATCH TOP VIDEOS FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE TV

Interspace Music

Oct 16th, 2026

Disney Music Group names J.J. Italiano VP of sales and digital.

Disney Music Group names J.J. Italiano VP of sales and digital. Disney Music Group has appointed former Spotify editorial executive J.J. Italiano as vice president of sales and digital, based in Burbank, California. October 16, 2026 Disney Music Group (DMG) has named J.J. Italiano vice president of sales and digital, putting the former Spotify editorial executive in charge of its sales and digital marketing team. Karen Lieberman, DMG's senior vice president of commerce and digital, announced the appointment. Italiano will be based in Burbank, California. Sales and digital responsibilities. Italiano's remit spans DMG's artists, soundtracks and playlists. His responsibilities include: * Streaming and physical sales strategy. * Audience development and digital marketing campaigns. * Expanding global audiences and increasing fan engagement. * Finding growth opportunities across digital platforms and emerging technologies. Experience at Spotify and YouTube Music. Italiano most recently served as head of editorial at Spotify, overseeing global playlists including Today's Top Hits and New Music Friday. He also led initiatives to connect artists with new audiences. His earlier experience includes editorial leadership positions at Spotify and YouTube Music. Before that, he worked in artist management independently and with Deckstar, now YMU. Lieberman and Italiano on the appointment. Lieberman said: "Having worked with JJ on the partner side for years, it's clear he has a genuine passion for artist development and an excitement for reaching and serving fans. These qualities, paired with his robust experience across key platforms, make him an ideal fit for our team, and we're delighted to welcome him to Disney Music Group." Italiano said: "After years of working together as partners, I could not be more excited to work alongside the incredible team at DMG. The kindness, professionalism and integrity of this team are second to none, and I am looking forward to what we can accomplish together. I am extremely grateful to Karen Lieberman and Ken Bunt for this tremendous opportunity, and for welcoming me to the DMG family." Brazil charges a live concert 10 percent of the gross for songwriters. A set with no setlist pays other people's songs. MLennial artists sold over 150,000 headline tickets in first year. October 16, 2026

TechJuice

Oct 15th, 2026

Did Siri finally stops defaulting to Apple Music for Spotify?

Did Siri finally stops defaulting to Apple Music for Spotify? By Abdul Wasay | 3 hours ago | Spotify users on iOS 27 no longer need to say "on Spotify" every time they ask Siri to play something. The company announced on October 13 that Siri can now learn a user's preferred music app and route audio requests there automatically. Previously, iPhone users had to end every voice command with "on Spotify" to avoid Siri defaulting to Apple Music. Spotify has supported Siri commands since iOS 13, but naming the app each time made hands-free listening feel clunky. This gave Apple Music a subtle home-field advantage over rival streaming services for years. Now, Siri picks up on listening habits over time and sends requests to Spotify without being told. The feature works with songs, albums, playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks. Users can also trigger Spotify-specific features through Siri, like playing their AI DJ mix or Discover Weekly playlist. In addition, Siri can resume podcasts, search a user's library, and even create AI-powered Prompted Playlists through voice commands. Playback controls like skipping tracks, adjusting volume, and saving songs also work by voice. However, the upgrade comes with some strict requirements. Users need an iPhone 15 Pro or later running iOS 27 with Apple Intelligence turned on. The standard iPhone 15, iPhone 14, and all older models cannot access the smarter routing. Those users must still say "on Spotify" the old way. Siri must also run in English for the new commands to work at launch. Apple's Siri AI experience currently operates in eight countries: the US, UK, Canada, Australia, India, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Africa. Notably, the feature is not available in the EU. Neither Apple nor Spotify has explained the exclusion. However, it follows a pattern of Apple withholding AI features in Europe, where the European Commission fined Apple €1.8 billion in 2024 over music streaming competition rules. The feature also works across AirPods, Apple Watch, and CarPlay. This makes it especially useful for drivers and listeners who rely on voice commands throughout the day. Notably, this change does not make Spotify the system-wide default music player. Siri simply learns a preference based on repeated use. Spotify recommends starting with a few full commands that include "on Spotify" to help Siri learn faster. Separately, Spotify launched an in-app voice and text search beta in July 2026 for eligible Premium subscribers. That feature lets users discover music, review listening history, and learn about content directly inside the Spotify app. It operates independently from the Siri integration. The update matters for Spotify's 761 million monthly active users worldwide. As of Q1 2026, the platform has 293 million Premium subscribers. Meanwhile, Apple Music remains the only streaming service that works with Siri by default on every iPhone. This iOS 27 change narrows that gap but does not fully close it.

Spotify

Backend Engineer 2 - Data Platform

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