GOC | Python Backend Engineer

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world-class partnerships – all united by our pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth. 

WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working.

For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

As part of the Global Operations Centre (GOC), you will work closely with teams across the United States, Europe, and Asia to deliver high-impact solutions in a collaborative, multicultural environment. We are seeking a talented and experienced Backend Engineer to join our Data & Technology Solutions team. You will be instrumental in designing, developing, and maintaining the robust and scalable backend systems that power our cutting-edge marketing technologies, including the WPP Open AI platform. If you have a passion for building high-performance APIs, working with large datasets, and contributing to the future of AdTech, we want to hear from you. 

You are: 

• A proficient backend developer with a strong understanding of software architecture, design patterns, and distributed systems. 
• Solution-oriented, capable of translating complex business requirements into technical designs and scalable implementations. 
• Passionate about code quality, testing, and maintaining secure, reliable, and performant applications. 
• A collaborative team player, eager to work alongside fellow engineers, data scientists, and product owners. 
• Continuously learning, staying current with the latest backend technologies and best practices to drive innovation. 

What you will do:

• Design, develop, and implement high-performance, scalable, and resilient backend services and APIs (REST, gRPC) that support our various data products and AI platforms. 
• Write clean, maintainable, and efficient code in [e.g., Python (mandatory), Node.js] using best practices and appropriate design patterns. 
• Collaborate with architects and senior engineers to define system architecture, data models, and integration strategies. 
• Integrate with internal and external data sources, AI/ML services, and third-party APIs relevant to the AdTech ecosystem. 

• Optimize existing backend services for maximum speed, scalability, and stability, handling large volumes of data and traffic inherent in the AdTech domain. 
• Implement robust monitoring, logging, and alerting solutions to proactively identify and address system issues. 
• Participate in performance tuning, troubleshooting, and debugging of complex backend systems. 
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of our deployment processes, CI/CD pipelines, and cloud infrastructure interactions. 

• Conduct thorough code reviews, ensuring adherence to coding standards, security best practices, and architectural guidelines. 
• Develop comprehensive unit, integration, and end-to-end tests to guarantee the quality and reliability of backend components. 
• Contribute to technical documentation, including API specifications, architectural diagrams, and system runbooks. 
• Actively participate in the agile development process, including sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives. 

If this opportunity looks right for you, we are looking for candidates who have:  

• 3+ years of professional experience in backend software development. 
• Strong proficiency in Python 
• Extensive experience designing and building RESTful APIs.  
• Solid understanding of database systems, both relational (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL (e.g., Neo4j, MongoDB, DynamoDB). 
• Experience with cloud platforms GCP and developing cloud-native applications. 
• Familiarity with containerization technologies (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes). 
• Knowledge of message queues/event streaming platforms (e.g., Kafka, RabbitMQ, SQS/SNS) is highly desirable. 
• Experience with microservices architecture and distributed system design. 
• Proficiency with version control systems, particularly Git. 
• Strong problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and attention to detail. 
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively within cross-functional teams. 
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.