SoundCloud

Backend Engineer - Media Streaming

β€’
Berlin, GermanyΒ·United Kingdom
β€’
3 months ago
Estimated salary
€5,342 – €7,845per month

Auto-estimated from similar roles, location, experience & market data. Actual pay may vary.

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Description

SoundCloud is hiring a Backend Engineer for its Media Streaming team, which operates a global-scale media streaming platform handling petabytes of data and gigabytes per second of traffic. You will build, scale, and maintain backend APIs and services serving millions of users, collaborating with Android, iOS, web, and full-stack engineers on end-to-end media experiences. The role includes debugging complex cross-system issues, participating in architecture and roadmap discussions, and joining the on-call rotation. It requires 4+ years building large-scale backend or distributed systems, proficiency in Go, and hands-on experience with Terraform and cloud-native environments such as AWS or GCP. It can be based in Berlin or London.

Requirements

  • 4+ years of experience building and operating large-scale backend or distributed systems
  • Proficiency in Go
  • Hands-on experience with infrastructure as code (IaC) using Terraform
  • Experience with cloud-native environments such as AWS or GCP
  • Experience with microservices, SQL/NoSQL databases, and container technologies
  • Care for the craft of software engineering: continuous delivery, defensive programming, automated testing, clean code
  • Strong sense of ownership and comfort navigating ambiguity

Languages

English
C2 Β· Fluent
A1A2B1B2C1C2

Experience Level

InternEntry LevelMid-levelSeniorLeadExecutive

Benefits

Creativity and Wellness benefit (e.g. gym membership, photography course, or book)
Employee Equity Plan
Generous professional development allowance
Flexible vacation and public holiday policy with up to 35 days of PTO annually
Various snacks, goodies, and two free lunches weekly at the office

πŸ’° Net Salary Calculator

Tax class 1, no church tax
Gross Salary
€79,116/year
€6,593/month
Total Deductions
€31,538
40% effective rate
Net Salary (Take Home)
€3,964/mo
€47,578/year

Deduction Breakdown

πŸ›οΈ Income Tax€15,376
🏦 Pension Insurance€7,357
πŸ₯ Health Insurance€6,103
🫢 Care Insurance€1,674
πŸ“‹ Unemployment Insurance€1,028

🏠 Cost of Living in Berlin

Monthly Essentials

Rent (1BR)
€1231
Groceries
€280
Transport
€75
Utilities
€220
Internet
€40

Lifestyle & Entertainment

Eating Out
€13
Gym/Month
€45
Coffee
€4
Beer (0.5L)
€4
Cinema
€12
Monthly Net Salary:€3,964
Comfortable Living:€1,897
Monthly Savings:€2,067 (52%)
πŸ’°

Strong savings potential: You could save €2,067 monthly, which is €24,804 per year.

πŸ’‘ These estimates are based on average costs in Berlin. Actual expenses vary based on lifestyle, neighborhood, and personal choices. "Comfortable living" includes rent, utilities, groceries, transport, and reasonable dining/entertainment.

Eligible for the EU Blue Card

A salary of €79,122 meets the EU Blue Card minimum of €45,300 (2026).

The EU Blue Card is a residence permit for highly qualified non-EU workers. It offers a fast track to permanent residency and allows family reunification.

Processing
4-12 weeks
Visa fee
€100
Requirements
University degree + Job offer

Also eligible: EU Blue Card (Shortage Occupation) (€41,042+)

Documents needed

Valid passport
Recognised university degree
Employment contract or binding job offer
Proof of salary meeting threshold
Health insurance coverage
Biometric passport photo
Explore visa & relocation guides

πŸ“ Life in Berlin

πŸ‘₯
Population
3.6M
⭐
Quality of Life
8.0
πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§
English Friendly
9.0
πŸ’»
Tech Scene
9.0
🌍
International
10.0
πŸš‡
Public Transport
9.0
🚴
Bikeability
9.0
🌬️
Air Quality
6.0
🌳
Green Spaces
7.0
πŸš—
Car Free
8.0
ℹ️

About Berlin

  • β€’Creative and tech hub
  • β€’Diverse neighborhoods
  • β€’Excellent public transport
🌀️

Climate

  • β€’Continental climate
  • β€’Cold winters
  • β€’Mild summers
  • β€’Four distinct seasons
❄️Jan: 0Β°Cβ˜€οΈJul: 19Β°CπŸ“…Avg: 10Β°C
β˜€οΈ1625 sunshine hours/year
πŸ›‘οΈ

Safety

  • β€’Generally safe
  • β€’Higher petty crime than Munich
  • β€’Some areas less safe at night
Overall:7.0
πŸ₯

Healthcare

  • β€’Good hospital network
  • β€’CharitΓ© is world-renowned
  • β€’Wait times can vary
Quality: 9.0Access: 8.0
🎭

Culture

  • β€’World-class museums
  • β€’Vibrant art scene
  • β€’Rich history
10.0
πŸŽ‰

Nightlife

  • β€’Famous club scene
  • β€’Diverse nightlife
  • β€’24/7 culture
10.0
🏞️

Recreation

  • β€’Many parks
  • β€’Lakes
  • β€’Tiergarten
  • β€’Active outdoor scene
8.0
πŸ’°

Cost of Living

  • β€’More affordable than Munich
  • β€’Prices rising rapidly
  • β€’Still cheaper than many European capitals
🏠 Rent (1BR center):€1231
⚑ Utilities:€220
πŸ›’ Groceries:€280
🍽️ Dining out:€16
SoundCloud
SoundCloud
Also in United Kingdom

The world's largest open audio platform and artist-first music streaming service, hosting 400+ million tracks from 40+ million creators across 190+ countries. Founded in Berlin in 2007, SoundCloud empowers independent and established artists to upload, share, promote, and monetize their music while enabling fans to discover new sounds. The first music company to introduce fan-powered royalties, SoundCloud operates as a two-sided ecosystem purpose-built for both artists and fans, generating €288 million in revenue (2023) and reaching operational profitability for the first time in its 16-year history.

€per month
€2kthis job posts €5k – €8k€20k

Your situation in Germany

The default for anyone single, divorced or widowed.

Only changes the church tax rate β€” 8% in Bavaria and Baden-WΓΌrttemberg, 9% everywhere else.

Childless employees over 23 pay a higher Pflegeversicherung (care insurance) rate.