Roku is changing how the world watches TV
Roku is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and we've set our sights on powering every television in the world. Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. Our mission is to be the TV streaming platform that connects the entire TV ecosystem. We connect consumers to the content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers unique capabilities to engage consumers.
From your first day at Roku, you'll make a valuable - and valued - contribution. We're a fast-growing public company where no one is a bystander. We offer you the opportunity to delight millions of TV streamers around the world while gaining meaningful experience across a variety of disciplines.
About the Team:
The Data Foundations team plays a critical role in supporting Roku Ads business intelligence and analytics. The team is responsible for developing and managing foundational datasets designed to serve the operational and analytical needs of the broader organisation. The team's mission is carried out through three focus areas: acting as the interface between data producers and consumers, simplifying data architecture, and creating tools in a standardised way.
About the Role:
We are seeking a talented and experienced Senior Software Engineer with a strong background in big data technologies, including Apache Spark and Apache Airflow. This hybrid role bridges software and data engineering, requiring expertise in designing, building, and maintaining scalable systems for both application development and data processing. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to design and manage robust, production-grade, large-scale data systems. The ideal candidate is a proactive self-starter with a deep understanding of high-scale data services and a commitment to excellence.
What you’ll be doing:
Big Data Engineering:
- Design, develop, and maintain data pipelines and ETL workflows using Apache Spark, Apache Airflow.
- Optimise data storage, retrieval, and processing systems to ensure reliability, scalability, and performance.
- Develop and fine-tune complex queries and data processing jobs for large-scale datasets.
- Monitor, troubleshoot, and improve data systems for minimal downtime and maximum efficiency.
Software Development:
- Write clean, maintainable, and efficient code, ensuring adherence to best practices through code reviews.
Collaboration & Mentorship:
- Partner with data scientists, software engineers, and other teams to deliver integrated, high-quality solutions.
- Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers, promoting best practices in data engineering.
AI-augmented engineering & intelligent data interfaces:
- Apply modern AI-assisted development practices responsibly (for example assisted code review, test generation, and documentation) while maintaining production quality, security, and compliance standards.
- Design and evolve semantic search and retrieval over internal metadata (datasets, lineage, dashboards, runbooks): embeddings, indexing, and guardrailed query interfaces where they improve engineer and analyst productivity.
- Stay current on responsible AI expectations relevant to advertising data: privacy, PII handling, access control, auditability, and human-in-the-loop review for high-risk automation.
We’re excited if you have
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
- 10+ years of experience in software and/or data engineering with expertise in big data technologies such as Apache Spark, Apache Airflow and Trino.
- Strong understanding of SOLID principles and distributed systems architecture.
- Proven experience in distributed data processing, data warehousing, and real-time data pipelines.
- Advanced SQL skills, with expertise in query optimisation for large datasets.
- Exceptional problem-solving abilities and the capacity to work independently or collaboratively.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure, and containerisation tools like Docker and Kubernetes. (preferred)
- Familiarity with additional big data technologies, including Hadoop, Kafka, and Trino. (preferred)
- Strong programming skills in Python, Java, or Scala. (preferred)
- Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and infrastructure-as-code tools (e.g., Terraform). (preferred)
- Expertise in data modelling, schema design, and data visualisation tools. (preferred)
Our Hybrid Work Approach
Roku fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment where teams work in the office Monday through Thursday. Fridays are flexible for remote work except for employees whose roles are required to be in the office five days a week or employees who are in offices with a five day in office policy.
Benefits
Roku is committed to offering a diverse range of benefits as part of our compensation package to support our employees and their families. Our comprehensive benefits include global access to mental health and financial wellness support and resources. Local benefits include statutory and voluntary benefits which may include healthcare (medical, dental, and vision), life, accident, disability, commuter, and retirement options (401(k)/pension). Employees are supported in taking time off, in accordance with local leave policies and other personal needs to support their evolving work and life needs. It's important to note that not every benefit is available in all locations or for every role. For details specific to your location, please consult with your recruiter.
Accommodations
Roku welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and provides reasonable accommodations and adjustments in accordance with applicable law. If you require reasonable accommodation at any point in the hiring process, please direct your inquiries to [email protected].
The Roku Culture
Roku is a great place for people who want to work in a fast-paced environment where everyone is focused on the company's success rather than their own. We try to surround ourselves with people who are great at their jobs, who are easy to work with, and who keep their egos in check. We appreciate a sense of humor. We believe a fewer number of very talented folks can do more for less cost than a larger number of less talented teams. We're independent thinkers with big ideas who act boldly, move fast and accomplish extraordinary things through collaboration and trust. In short, at Roku you'll be part of a company that's changing how the world watches TV.
We have a unique culture that we are proud of. We think of ourselves primarily as problem-solvers, which itself is a two-part idea. We come up with the solution, but the solution isn't real until it is built and delivered to the customer. That penchant for action gives us a pragmatic approach to innovation, one that has served us well since 2002.
To learn more about Roku, our global footprint, and how we've grown, visit https://www.weareroku.com/factsheet.
By providing your information, you acknowledge that you want Roku to contact you about job roles, that you have read Roku's Applicant Privacy Notice, and understand that Roku will use your information as described in that notice. If you do not wish to receive any communications from Roku regarding this role or similar roles in the future, you may unsubscribe at any time by emailing [email protected].
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
- 10+ years of experience in software and/or data engineering with expertise in big data technologies (Apache Spark, Apache Airflow, Trino)
- Strong understanding of SOLID principles and distributed systems architecture
- Proven experience in distributed data processing, data warehousing, and real-time data pipelines
- Advanced SQL skills with expertise in query optimisation for large datasets
- Exceptional problem-solving ability and capacity to work independently or collaboratively
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure)
- Experience with containerisation tools Docker and Kubernetes
- Familiarity with additional big data technologies (Hadoop, Kafka)
- Strong programming skills in Python, Java, or Scala
- Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and infrastructure-as-code tools (e.g., Terraform)
- Expertise in data modelling, schema design, and data visualisation tools
Roku Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Roku and has not been reviewed or approved by Roku.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is positioned as competitive across many roles, with frequent emphasis on strong base and total compensation relative to market expectations. Fair-pay perception appears comparatively stronger than overall satisfaction with the broader rewards package.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is framed as a standout, with sizable employer premium contributions that can reduce employee premiums significantly depending on plan choice. Preventive care and mental-health support are also described as part of the core offering.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off offerings are presented as broad, including paid holidays, PTO, and multiple leave categories such as bereavement and family-related leave. Self-managed or “unlimited” PTO is also described for many salaried roles, supporting flexibility in taking time off.
Roku Insights
What We Do
Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. We connect users to the streaming content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers with unique capabilities to engage consumers. Roku streaming players and Roku TV™ models are available around the world through direct retail sales and licensing arrangements with TV OEMs and service operators.
