Senior Software Engineer, Ad Auctions at Roku

<div class="content-intro"><h2 style="font-family: GothamBold,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; color: #662d91;">Teamwork makes the stream work.</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3 style="font-family: GothamBold,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;"><strong>Roku is changing how the world watches TV</strong></h3> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p></div><h3 class="_heading_1ni73_90 _heading3_1ni73_104"><strong class="font-semibold">About the Team</strong></h3> <p class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _paragraph_1ni73_65">The Advertising Performance group focuses on outcomes for all participants in the advertising ecosystem: advertisers, publishers, and Roku. The systems and solutions span multiple disciplines and technologies to perform real-time multi-objective optimization with distributed systems at large scale and low latency. We use machine learning, reinforcement learning, AI, control systems, optimization systems, and auction dynamics to solve a broad set of complex problems. At the core of this is our machine learning, experimentation, and inference platform, which powers the ecosystem and is continuously evolved over time.</p> <h3 class="_heading_1ni73_90 _heading3_1ni73_104"><strong class="font-semibold">About the Role</strong></h3> <p class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _paragraph_1ni73_65">In this role, you will build teams focused on the Ads Auction and Marketplace to optimize yield and gross profit while performing real-time multi-objective optimization across short- and long-term objectives. You will help build control and simulation systems, design and run experiments, and extend the experimentation framework. You will also partner closely with Engineering, Inventory, and Product teams to define the vision and strategy for your group and to build and deliver the roadmap. This role is ideal for a leader who can combine deep technical judgment with strong cross-functional collaboration. You will contribute to systems that directly impact marketplace efficiency, advertiser outcomes, and platform revenue.</p> <h3 class="_heading_1ni73_90 _heading3_1ni73_104"><strong class="font-semibold">What You'll Be Doing</strong></h3> <ul class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _list_1ni73_116 _unorderedList_1ni73_130"> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Lead the design, implementation, and evolution of real-time ads auction systems powering Roku’s CTV advertising across The Roku Channel and the Roku platform</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Own and enhance core auction capabilities including ad pod construction, bid evaluation, ranking, pricing, pacing, budget enforcement, and frequency capping</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Build low-latency, highly reliable distributed services that operate at massive scale and serve billions of ad opportunities with strict latency and uptime requirements</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Design auction logic that balances viewer experience with advertiser performance, publisher yield, and platform revenue</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Develop and optimize SSP-side auction mechanisms and integrate with multiple DSPs, programmatic demand sources, and direct-sold campaigns</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Partner closely with product managers, data science, and ads research teams to translate marketplace and monetization goals into scalable technical solutions</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Drive yield optimization through auction design, demand shaping, floor strategies, and pricing experiments</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Lead experimentation using A/B testing, auction simulations, and offline replay frameworks, and make data-driven decisions using statistical rigor</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Ensure auction correctness, fairness, explainability, and transparency while maintaining compliance with privacy, regulatory, and brand-safety requirements</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Influence the long-term technical roadmap for Roku Ads by proposing architecture improvements, scalability strategies, and performance optimizations</li> </ul> <h3 class="_heading_1ni73_90 _heading3_1ni73_104"><strong class="font-semibold">We're Excited If You Have</strong></h3> <ul class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _list_1ni73_116 _unorderedList_1ni73_130"> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">5+ years of experience building large-scale distributed systems</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">5+ years of experience working with cloud-based platforms and infrastructure</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Deep experience building microservices in Java for container platforms such as Docker or Kubernetes</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Solid understanding of SQL and NoSQL databases</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Hands-on experience with AWS, GCP, or similar cloud services</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Experience with protocols and data formats such as REST, WebSockets, HTTPS, JSON, and Protobuf</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Demonstrated ability to drive timely consensus in design with senior engineering partners</li> <li class="_markdownText_1ni73_69 _listItem_1ni73_151">Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or an equivalent field</li> </ul> <h6 class="_heading_1ni73_90 _heading6_1ni73_111">#LI-MS3</h6><div class="content-conclusion"><p>&nbsp;</p> <h3 style="font-family: GothamBold,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;"><strong>Our Hybrid Work Approach</strong></h3> <p>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.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3 style="font-family: GothamBold,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;"><strong>Benefits</strong></h3> <p>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.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3 style="font-family: GothamBold,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;"><strong>Accommodations</strong></h3> <p>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 <a href="mailto:[email protected]?subject=Job%20Application%20Accommodations">[email protected]</a>.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3 style="font-family: GothamBold,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;"><strong>The Roku Culture</strong></h3> <p>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. </p> <p>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. </p> <p>To learn more about Roku, our global footprint, and how we've grown, visit <a href="https://www.weareroku.com/factsheet">https://www.weareroku.com/factsheet</a>.</p> <p>By providing your information, you acknowledge that you want Roku to contact you about job roles, that you have read Roku's <a href="https://www.weareroku.com/roku-job-applicant-privacy-notice-for-job-applicants">Applicant Privacy Notice</a>, 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 <a href="mailto:[email protected]?subject=Unsubscribe%20Request%20" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p></div>