AmazonSoftware Development Engineer, Playback Team
Amazon is hiring a Software Development Engineer, Playback Team. It pays $158k-$214k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Amazon.
Level's read on this job
- Level rates this software engineer role Works on AI ●●●○: the daily work is on AI products, without building the model.
- The posting mentions distributed systems, machine learning and software development among its tools and skills.
- Level classes it as a senior role.
- Amazon has 20,000+ other open roles on Level.
AI in this role
Design and implement machine learning solutions and conversational AI integration for scalable audio ad serving systems.
ABOUT THE TEAM
The Playback team at Audible owns the core playback logic and services, including players, content delivery, security, listening data, metrics and insights, and a unified SDK. This team focuses on optimizing playback quality, performance, and customer experience across platforms, using automated tools for monitoring and analysis. The Playback team also drives Audible's efforts to advance the state of internet audio through faculty collaborations. You will own critical infrastructure supporting audio ads at Audible, you’ll build scalable systems processing billions of ad opportunities annually, delivering world-class advertising experiences to millions of customers.
This role offers hands-on technical ownership of audio ad systems, real-time ad serving pipelines, and conversational AI integration. You'll work with talented engineers solving complex distributed systems challenges while directly impacting a business.
ABOUT YOU
We are seeking a highly skilled and innovative Software Development Engineer to design, architect, and implement machine learning solutions that drive transformative technological advancements. You will combine deep technical expertise with strategic thinking, capable of translating complex business challenges into scalable, intelligent systems.
As a Software Development Engineer, you will...
- Design, develop, and test software components and applications for a leading global provider of audiobooks
- Collaborate with Product, Applied Science, and cross-functional engineering teams to define and deliver innovative advertising products
- Optimize ad serving latency, cost, and business metrics for audio advertising at scale
- Collaborate on an agile engineering team, writing scalable and maintainable code and influencing team decisions
- Collaborate with stakeholders to envision, design, develop, test, and launch customer-centric software solutions
- Utilize technology to tackle challenging problems and deliver high-quality code on schedule
- Demonstrate proficiency in a wide range of data structures and algorithms, applying them effectively
- Independently clarify technical requirements, assess development estimates, and employ diverse design approaches
- Conduct code reviews and provide constructive feedback to team members
- Foster continuous improvement in software quality, customer experience, and product maintainability
- Mentor and lead developers, fostering curiosity and deep technical understanding
ABOUT AUDIBLE
Audible is the leading producer and provider of audio storytelling. We spark listeners' imaginations, offering immersive, cinematic experiences full of inspiration and insight to enrich our customers' daily lives. We are a global company with an entrepreneurial spirit. We are dreamers and inventors who are passionate about the positive impact Audible can make for our customers and our neighbors. This spirit courses throughout Audible, supporting a culture of creativity and inclusion built on our People Principles and our mission to build more equitable communities in the cities we call home.
Basic qualifications
- 3+ years of non-internship design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience programming with at least one software programming language
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent
- 3+ years’ experience of software development and deployment of distributed multi-tier applications
Preferred qualifications
- Experience building complex software systems that have been successfully delivered to customers
- Experience building complex software systems that have been successfully delivered to customers, or experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team
- Full stack proficiency (e.g., Java, C++, Mobile App development - Swift, Kotlin, JS, TS)
- Competency at delegating work in parallel to accelerate delivery - Enthusiasm for promoting high-quality standard in others across: documentation, unit testing, code reviews, test automation, continuous integration and deployment
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, NJ, Newark - 158,100.00 - 213,800.00 USD annually
How we rate this
Software Development Engineer, Playback Team at Amazon rates 65 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Works on AI (AI Level 3 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Works on AI. The daily work is on AI products, without building the model.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39
Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.
Prepare for this job
Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Also common in software engineer jobs at this level
Pay
- This job starts at
- $158k
- Typical software engineer job
- $167k
This posting starts 5% below the typical software engineer job. See software engineer jobs
Questions you could be asked
- Tell me about a project where distributed systems was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where machine learning was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where software development was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where api was part of your work. What did you do?
- Describe a typical day in a role like this one: which parts run through AI directly?
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: Distributed Systems, Machine learning, Software Development, and API. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
- Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
- Show where AI is part of your daily process, not a one-off project. This role expects it to be a running habit.
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