Software Engineer Search

Amsterdam – Reach 91% of all Dutch people with your work! We are a team of Search Engineers that develop & maintain a collection of backend services that power the search applications behind some of the biggest Dutch and Belgian Media brands: AD, nu.nl, HLN, Volkskrant, De Morgen and more. The team also provides embedding pipelines and APIs for Generative AI applications for journalists on top of the editorial archive (more than 20 million published articles).

What will you be doing?

You will be working on a search engine that serves both journalists and customers of DPG Media, across all media offerings. In this role, you will be responsible for the full lifecycle of our search back-end, from maintenance, extension and improving operational resiliency to driving quality improvements through A/B testing and implementing RAG solutions for our editorial domain. Your main responsibilities include:

• Maintain and extend our search back-end and APIs.

• Develop and maintain new indexing pipelines and APIs for RAG solutions for the editorial domain.

• The entire team is responsible for the operations of our services. This includes actively monitoring different applications and their infrastructure as well as intervening to solve operational problems whenever they arise.

• Support operational excellence through practices like code review and pair programming.

• Design, develop, run and evaluate online AB-tests to improve the quality of the search results.

• Keep up with developments in the field of Information Retrieval (e.g. semantic search).

Who are we?
We are a cross-functional, agile development team with a home base is the Amsterdam office (Mediavaert), conveniently located near editorial teams and other digital teams that work on the platform. We are embedded in the larger Publishing Services Area that consists of individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds. We work in a hybrid model, with approximately two days in the office each week, and the rest of the time working remotely. 

What makes you the ideal candidate?
We are looking for a driven and technically skilled Software Engineer. You are someone who enjoys problem-solving, is passionate about technology, and thrives in a collaborative environment. Additionally, you possess:

Must haves

• 2+ years of experience working on backend applications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, STEM, or a related field (or equivalent experience)

• Strong proficiency in at least one programming language, preferably Python

• Hands-on experience with containerization technologies (Docker) and databases 

• Strong interest in search, NLP and machine learning

Nice-to-haves

• Hands-on experience with OpenSearch/ElasticSearch

• Hands-on experience with NLP and machine learning in a production environment

• Interest in prompt engineering, RAGs, and GenAI in general.

Core Tech Stack

• Python (FastAPI)

• OpenSearch

• PostgreSQL

• AWS (SQS, SNS, S3, ECR, RDS, CloudWatch)

• Kubernetes \ Docker \ ArgoCD

• Terraform

• Github Actions

At DPG Media, we embrace diverse talent. We encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply for this role. We believe that the differences between our colleagues lead to surprising insights and innovative solutions, which is something that perfectly aligns with our company’s values. We’re excited to learn about who you are and what skills and experience you bring to the table.

What do we offer you?

With us, you’ll get an inspiring work environment that’s constantly evolving. Colleagues who think in terms of possibilities, see the glass as half full, and we give you the chance to develop yourself every day. We do this, among other things, through our DPG Campus / DPG Academy. This gives you every opportunity to bring out the best in yourself and be a true media maker!

💰 A salary that matches your work experience, between €3.432 and €7.000
📝 A 36-hour workweek (depending on contract type)
💰 8% holiday pay and 4% personal choice budget
💰 Annual profit sharing based on DPG Media’s performance
🎓 Opportunities for development, both on the job and online through our DPG Academy
🎉 Opportunity to customize your own cultural holidays!
🏢A stunning new office in Amsterdam (Mediavaert). From (spontaneous) after-work drinks to team outings and our legendary staff party—you’ll feel right at home here!

More reasons to want to work at DPG Media (NL)
At DPG Media, we work for more than 90 strong news brands, magazines, TV shows, radio stations, and online services such as Qmusic, NU.nl, Tweakers, Libelle, VTM, and more. We reach over 90% of the Dutch population and 8 out of 10 Flemings every month. We offer you a professional work environment where we highly value freedom. We give you all the space to work on your future by offering workshops and training. Feel free to be an entrepreneur, a learner, and a team player with us, and most importantly, feel free to be yourself. At DPG Media, everyone is welcome. So, apply, regardless of your background. Over 5,500 smart colleagues are eager to welcome you into a team, whether it’s a project team, a pub quiz team, or a sports team. Discover what we have to offer. And, while you’re at it, you can also find us on LinkedIn and X.

Applying, and then?
Are you ready to get started? Apply now! You’ll receive a response to your application within 10 working days, letting you know whether you’re in the first selection round. If you are, we’ll contact you by phone to schedule an appointment at our office in Amsterdam. Want to know more? Contact Leonie via email: leonie.lugtenberg@dpgmedia.nl

We like to do our own recruitment and do not wish to collaborate with agencies to fill this role