Senior / Lead Software Engineer (AdTech)

TR Ref: CL/TR13601
Location: Barcelona, Spain (hybrid working – 3 days/week in the office).
Type: Permanent staff

The Company:

This highly successful online ad network/exchange offers multi-platform programmatic and tracked AdTech solutions to connect digital advertisers with publishers across the globe.

They are privately owned, well-funded and profitable, with a $40m turnover, but are also part of a $500m group, with offices elsewhere in Europe and the USA. They have recently moved and expanded their offices in central Barcelona, to accommodate their growing team.

Background:

Our client has been working with an external software partner to build a brand new AdTech platform, to replace their existing platform. The core of this is already being used successfully by several customers, with the completed platform anticipated in Q4 2024.

This new platform has been custom built to deliver maximum competitive advantage as they process extremely high volumes (X0,000 requests/second) so code efficiency is essential, as is high availability, to continue and accelerate their growth.

Requirement:

They are now looking for a hands-on Senior / Lead / Principal Software Engineer to further develop this new platform (written mostly in Go), continuously extending it’s functionality and customising to their customer’s specific requirements.

You will be coding every day, but we’re also looking for someone who can build and lead a small team of Developers (full support and leadership mentoring will be provided) and then, hopefully, someone who also has the potential to progress into a CTO role in due course, but remaining a hands-on Software Engineer throughout.

They already have a tech team in the USA (10 FTE), but you will be responsible for building and leading a new software team in Spain – they anticipate this to be 3 FTE initially, then building quickly to 5 FTE, with the possibility of this doubling to 10 FTE thereafter.

Key Responsibilities:

• Working on all parts of their AdTech stack, including ad delivery systems and optimizing at the OS and network levels.
• Steering the technical progress of the new AdTech platform.
• Continuously optimising existing systems to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their various digital ad campaigns.
• Ensure their systems are scalable and reliable to handle more traffic and deliver the most relevant ads without interruption.
• Identifying causes for complex software problems and develop practical, efficient fixes.
• Collaborate cross-functionally (especially with Data Analysts, Product Managers, Marketers and Designers) to align platform development with business objectives.
• Mentor, advice and train others Software Engineers to ensure constant skills and knowledge development.
• Producing and managing KPIs.

Mandatory Skills/Experience:

• At least 5 years’ experience as a Software Developer
• Low level programming skills, with a preference for one of the following: Golang (most ideal language), but able to consider people with Rust, Scala, C, Java, C++ experience, especially if they have Ad Tech experience.
• An understanding of how low level programming impacts computer performance, specifically execution speed and memory usage.
• Able to understand and predict business requirements and provide appropriate technical solutions.
• Proficient English language skills and an effective communicator.
• Positive mindset, passionate and solutions-oriented.

Desired Skills/Experience:

• Understanding of the ad-tech sector, including ad-delivery systems
• Familiar with programmatic advertising, including DSPs, SSPs and Real Time Bidding.
• Experience working in a public cloud environment, ideally Linux ecosystem.

Benefits:

• Hybrid working (40% WFH) and flexible working hours
• Private health insurance
• Monthly meal allowance and free coffee and snacks
• Company MacBook
• Modern, new offices in the centre of Barcelona
• Structured career development plan, progressing into a leadership role and then CTO

This is a remarkable opportunity for an ambitious and highly capable Software Engineer, to step up into a leadership role, whilst remaining a hands-on Developer and with full support and mentoring, with the end goal of taking a seat at the top table, as (still hands-on) CTO!