Senior Software Engineer, Ads Auction Platform
RokuJobsCloseBy Editorial Insights
Roku seeks a Senior Software Engineer for the Ads Auction Platform in Manchester to design and run real-time, low-latency auction systems that balance advertiser value, publisher yield, and platform revenue across the CTV ecosystem. You will build core auction capabilities, SSP integrations, and scalable services, partnering with product, data science, and research to translate requirements into robust solutions. Ideal candidates have distributed backend experience at scale, Java, cloud familiarity, containerization, and knowledge of auctions, pacing, and frequency controls, plus a track record with A/B testing and observability. To apply, tailor your resume to show concrete impact, highlight architecture and reliability work, and prepare to discuss privacy considerations and cross-functional collaboration.
Teamwork makes the stream work.
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 Advertising Performance group focuses on performance for all participants in the Advertising ecosystem - Advertisers, Publishers and Roku. The systems and solutions span across different disciplines and technologies to perform realtime multi-objective optimization with distributed systems at large scale and low latencies. We use Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, AI, Control and Optimization Systems and Auction Dynamics to solve a large set of complex problems. At the core of this is our Machine Learning, Experimentation and Inference Platform that powers the entire landscape which we continuously evolve over time.
About the Role
In this role, you will contribute to the Ads Auction and Marketplace systems that optimize yield, gross profit, and real-time multi-objective outcomes across short- and long-term goals. You will work on core auction capabilities, low-latency services, and scalable integrations that support Roku’s CTV advertising platform. You will partner closely with Engineering, Inventory, Product, and Data Science teams to translate business objectives into robust technical solutions. You will help design, implement, and evaluate auction improvements through experimentation and performance analysis. This is a strong fit for an engineer who enjoys distributed systems, real-time decisioning, and measurable impact in a high-scale marketplace.
What You'll Be Doing
- Contribute to the design and implementation of real-time ads auction systems for Roku’s CTV advertising platform
- Build and improve auction features including ad pod construction, bid evaluation, ranking, pricing, pacing, and frequency capping
- Develop low-latency, reliable services that handle high-scale ad serving with strict performance and uptime requirements
- Implement auction logic that balances advertiser performance, publisher yield, and platform revenue
- Work on SSP-side auction integration with DSPs, programmatic demand sources, and direct-sold campaigns
- Collaborate with product managers, data scientists, and researchers to translate requirements into scalable solutions
- Support yield optimization through auction enhancements, pricing experiments, and demand optimization features
- Participate in A/B testing and experimentation, analyze results, and help implement data-driven improvements
- Help ensure auction correctness and compliance with privacy, regulatory, and brand-safety requirements
- Contribute to technical discussions around architecture, scalability, and performance optimization
We're Excited If You Have
- Experience building distributed backend services at scale
- Strong coding skills in Java and familiarity with service-oriented architectures
- Experience with low-latency systems and real-time decisioning workflows
- Familiarity with cloud platforms and containerized deployments
- Working knowledge of ad tech concepts such as auctions, pacing, and frequency controls
- Experience collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders across product and data teams
- Comfort with experimentation frameworks and A/B testing analysis
- Strong problem-solving skills and a focus on reliability, observability, and maintainability
#LI-MS3
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.
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