Staff Engineer - API & Data
This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Staff Engineer - API & Data based in Germany.
This is a senior technical role at the heart of a global, high-scale data and API platform powering discovery and ticketing experiences across the entertainment industry. You will design and evolve critical backend systems that handle large volumes of real-time cinema data used by leading search, media, and ticketing platforms worldwide. The environment is highly collaborative, engineering-driven, and focused on long-term scalability, reliability, and data quality. You will operate across backend architecture, data modeling, and cloud-native infrastructure while also contributing to frontend features when needed. This role combines deep technical ownership with strategic influence over system design and engineering standards. It is ideal for someone who thrives in fast-moving, product-led teams solving complex distributed systems challenges.
Accountabilities:
- Design, build, and operate high-performance TypeScript-based APIs powering large-scale cinema and discovery products, ensuring reliability, scalability, and low-latency performance.
- Develop and evolve PostgreSQL data models, optimizing schemas, queries, and transactional flows for complex, high-volume datasets.
- Build and maintain cloud-native services on Google Cloud Platform, leveraging tools such as Cloud Run, Pub/Sub, BigQuery, and Event-driven architectures.
- Design and implement robust data ingestion pipelines and event-based systems supporting real-time and batch processing workflows.
- Contribute to fullstack feature development when required, including frontend components using modern React-based ecosystems.
- Lead architectural decisions through RFCs, code reviews, and technical design discussions while mentoring and guiding other engineers.
Requirements:
- 6+ years of experience building production-grade backend systems, with strong expertise in TypeScript and Node.js.
- Advanced PostgreSQL experience, including schema design, query optimization, performance tuning, and data modeling for complex domains.
- Strong experience with Google Cloud Platform or equivalent cloud environments, including distributed and event-driven systems.
- Solid understanding of system design principles, including scalability, observability, testing, security, and performance optimization.
- Fullstack mindset with the ability to contribute across backend and frontend layers; React and modern frontend tooling experience is a plus.
- Strong communication skills with experience influencing technical direction, mentoring engineers, and driving engineering best practices.
Benefits:
- Flexible working arrangements (remote, hybrid, or on-site depending on location and team alignment).
- High autonomy and ownership culture, with trust in engineers to make key architectural decisions.
- Modern, continuously evolving tech stack with a strong focus on reducing technical debt.
- Strong emphasis on AI-assisted development and modern engineering workflows.
- RFC-driven engineering culture encouraging thoughtful, documented technical decision-making.
- International, distributed team environment with collaboration across Europe and North America.
