API Engineer

• Own the design and implementation of high-scale backend systems and APIs that power DistroKid’s core platform
• Architect and evolve distributed systems on AWS to handle high throughput, reliability, and performance
• Work across backend, infrastructure, and DevOps boundaries from API design to deployment and system operations
• Design and integrate with enterprise-grade systems and external platforms to support high-scale workflows
• Guide technical design decisions for elaborate systems (data models, service boundaries, scaling strategies, failure handling)
• Write production code and remain actively involved in building and improving systems
• Improve system observability, reliability, and performance at scale
• Partner closely with product and engineering teams to translate business needs into robust technical solutions, * Not a narrow specialization (e.g., only APIs or only infra)
• We are specifically looking for engineers who operate at the intersection of backend systems, architecture, and infrastructure.

Why This Role

• Work on real-world scale problems: high-volume ingestion, global distribution, and elaborate financial flows
• Own and shape systems that directly impact millions of creators worldwide
• High amount of technical ownership and accountability
• Opportunity to shape architecture at scale, not just contribute to it

• 10+ years of experience building and scaling backend systems in production environments
• Solid, recent hands-on coding experience (this is not a pure design/management role)
• Deep experience with AWS (compute, storage, networking, scaling, etc.)
• Demonstrated experience designing and operating high-scale distributed systems
• Extensive experience with API design and system architecture in involved environments
• Experience working across infrastructure and application layers (DevOps, deployment, reliability, etc.)
• Experience with enterprise integration platforms (e.g., AWS API Gateway, Azure API Management, MuleSoft, Apigee, Kong, or similar) or building/operating large-scale integration layers
• Aptitude to own systems end-to-end from architecture to implementation to production operation
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and making critical technical judgements., * Experience with high-throughput systems, event-driven architectures, or data pipelines
• Background in platform or infrastructure engineering
• Experience in high-growth or scaling product environments

Salary: Senior to Staff level; Varies by region - details below

Sponsorship: Not available. We cannot sponsor visas, work permits, or extensions in any country (including student visas or similar programs).

UK salary range: £100,000 - £140,000 GBP

EU salary range: €90,000 - €130,000 EUR

USA Tier 1: $160,000 - $180,000 USD (SF Bay Area Metro, Seattle, NYC Metro)

USA Tier 2: $150,000 - $175,000 USD (Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, LA, Miami, Philadelphia Metro, Portland, DC, Sacramento, San Diego)

As an API Engineer at DistroKid, you will be instrumental in building and scaling the API infrastructure that powers our integrations, partnerships, and emerging AI. You will own the design, development, and evolution of APIs that connect millions of musicians to streaming platforms, third-party services, and cutting-edge AI tools.

DistroKid is a fully remote company with an employee-first culture and robust benefits.