Job Description
As a Senior Build & Server Engineer on the Personal Media team, you’ll work across the two things that keep Plex Media Server running: the C++ codebase at the heart of the product, and the build and release pipeline that gets it out to millions of users on dozens of platforms. You’ll be part of a product team that owns both sides, working alongside not just other server and build engineers but our client engineers too, and pitching in wherever you’re needed. Some days you’ll be in the PMS or FFmpeg code, other days you’ll be improving how we build, package, and ship it.
Plex Media Server runs almost everywhere: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, NAS devices, and more. That reach is only possible because we have a build system, toolchain, and CI pipeline that can target all of them. You’ll help keep that running and modernize it over time (Conan, CMake, GitHub Actions, cross-compilation toolchains), and you’ll also write server code that leans on it, so the two stay in sync instead of blocking each other.
This is an engineering role, but it sits on a product team. The engineers here have a voice in product decisions, so you won’t just be handed a spec to build. We want someone who cares about the product itself, has opinions about where it should go, and isn’t shy about sharing them.
You will be part of a lean team distributed across the globe, working across many timezones. We believe in promoting work/life balance and as such, we try to keep recurring meetings short and sparse, prioritizing asynchronous communication as much as possible.
What you’ll do
- Work in the Plex Media Server C++ codebase alongside our server engineers, building features, fixing bugs, and chipping away at tech debt.
- Keep our build system and toolchain in good shape and help push it forward (Conan, CMake, Clang/MSVC/NDK, cross-compilation), so PMS builds reliably on every platform we support.
- Own our CI/CD pipeline in GitHub Actions, from building and packaging through to artifact management and release automation.
- Improve how we handle builds, releases, and artifacts. That includes build tracking, release notes, and getting our build, test, and release tooling to work better together.
- Work closely with other engineers across the team (build, server, client & QA) so there’s as little friction as possible between writing code and getting a build out.
- Help out with release engineering: cutting and packaging alpha, beta, and public builds, plus the signing and distribution around them (including Apple codesigning and notarization for the macOS builds).
What you bring to the table
- Solid C++ experience in a large, long-lived codebase, plus comfort with SQL/databases and the scripting (Python, shell) to automate the stuff around it.
- Hands-on experience with build systems and dependency management, especially CMake and Conan. You like making complicated builds simpler, not cleverer.
- You’re comfortable owning a CI/CD pipeline from end to end. Experience with GitHub Actions is a plus.
- Familiarity with cross-compilation and platform toolchains (Clang/LLVM, MSVC, Android NDK, musl, or similar). Some exposure to containers or infrastructure-as-code (Docker, Kubernetes, AWS) is a bonus.
- You like working across different areas and with different people, and you’re happy being the person who connects the application code with the infrastructure that ships it.
- You are detail-oriented and focus on delivering seamless, high quality work across platforms.
- You are kind, humble, helpful and enjoy getting stuff done.
- You are intrinsically motivated, able to manage your time, and enjoy working with a distributed team across the globe.
- You believe in asking for help and helping others when they ask, in jumping in wherever you’re useful even when it’s not strictly your job, and in never throwing a problem over the wall.
- You are hungry to have an impact, continuously working to improve our product, process and push the team to be its best.
Who we are
Plex is a global streaming media platform that gives millions of customers around the world the freedom to enjoy all the content they love in one simple, beautiful app. Our vision is to empower real human connections by bringing people and entertainment together. So, we’re on a mission to create a global community for streaming content that people can depend on to easily discover, experience, and share all of the entertainment that matters to them.
What sets us apart
- We are the largest independent streaming platform built by a global team of employees who are fanatically passionate about delivering the highest quality, most unified, and user-friendliest entertainment experience possible.
- We have always been a distributed organization, with people making great things happen in over 20 different countries and 11 time zones.
- We host epic in-person off-sites to bring team members together a few times a year.
- We are passionate about our mission and we work hard, while still providing flexibility around a schedule that works for you.
- We love what we’re building and our user community is an integral part of our development process. We actively engage with customers to understand what is working, what they want more of, and how we can be better.
- We are committed to improving the communities where we live and work with charitable contributions, partnerships, and service.
Remote Work / Onsite Interview
- Plex hires new team members in countries around the world.
- As such, Plex does not sponsor employment visas.
- All of our roles are remote, however some roles may carry specific location-based eligibility requirements. Our hiring team can help answer any questions about location after starting the recruiting process.
- Also, please note, though we largely work asynchronously, as it relates to meetings, those generally occur between UTC 1600 to UTC 1900
- All final interviews will be in-person and onsite
The Plex Values
- Be kind, humble, and helpful.
- Approach problems with curiosity, creativity, and flexibility.
- Put yourself on the customer’s couch.
- Be a good steward. Like a boss!
- Build relationships to ensure healthy debate.
- Foster a global and diverse team spirit.
- Show gratitude and give back.
- Seek balance for yourself and Plex.
Compensation
Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several US and Global geographic markets. The base pay for this position ranges from $100,000/year in our lowest geographic market up to $160,000/year in our highest geographic market. Pay is based on a number of factors including market location, seniority, local currency and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
Benefits
- Monthly Balance Wellness Stipend
- Productivity Stipend
- Flexible paid time off
- Paid parental leave
- Hardware stipend
- Flextime, work from anywhere
- Comprehensive health insurance
- Stock options
- 401k (US employees)
- Plex for the Planet community service opportunities
AI Interview Guidelines at Plex
We want and will encourage you to use AI for your role here at Plex should you join us! That said, AI use will not be accepted during the interview process. If we believe you are using AI during the interview process in the following ways, we will not move forward with you for the role.
- Application Materials
- Using AI to assist in building your resume or cover letter is acceptable. However, we expect the application materials you submit to represent your qualifications and skills accurately. If we determine that these may have been misrepresented, we will not move forward.
- Virtual Interviews
- Our interviews are designed to test your ability to demonstrate skills needed for the role you’re interviewing for. We seek to understand your interpersonal and collaborative abilities, and how that would translate into the job. We ask that you engage in our interviews without reading from or referencing AI-produced answers. If we detect that you are doing so without permission or advance disclosure, we will not move forward.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Plex
At Plex, our vision is to empower real human connection by bringing people and entertainment together. This vision is at the heart of our diversity, equity and inclusion work.
As a fully remote, global company, we take pride in our ability and dedication to building a workforce that represents our global audience. Our virtual work environment is intentionally designed to draw from all backgrounds, creating a sense of belonging and ownership for every employee.
As we create a global community of streaming media, we know we need a team that represents the diversity of our users and a company culture that welcomes people to be their authentic selves, and we’re all in!
Our DEI efforts are focused on the following:
- Building a diverse and global company
- Creating an inclusive culture
Our DEI Foundations:
- Participation, Education and Awareness, Data and Understanding
Does this sound interesting? We’re looking for a Senior Build & Server Engineer who is ready to join us to have a material impact in Plex’s growth and success!
Plex is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and is committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, marital status or any other classification protected by applicable discrimination laws. Should you require an accommodation during our interviewing and hiring process, please let your recruiter know.
