DEPT® is a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, our 4,000+ specialists deliver growth invention services across Brand & Media, Experience, Commerce, CRM, and Technology & Data. We’re 50|50 tech and marketing, partner-led, and first to move. Clients include Google, Lufthansa, Meta, eBay, and OpenAI. We have been certified B Corp and Climate Neutral since 2021.

This role is part of our Experience & Engineering team based in the Netherlands. We combine our skills in developing future-ready technical solutions with our expertise in creating beautiful designs to deliver exceptional and engaging digital experiences that build lasting relationships with our clients like Gant, Inter Milan, bol.com and Just Eat Takeaway.

JOB PURPOSE

Looking to kick off your engineering career as a backend developer?

During this internship, you'll join our talent program designed to shape you into a productive developer, capable of working in a large team.We'll share all the knowledge we have and provide you with all the attention, feedback, GIFs, and challenges you need to grow into a standout professional.

In short, our goal is to help you reach your full potential.

A backend developer is the engineer that works behind the scenes, ensuring data flows seamlessly from system to system and powering the digital experiences users love. One moment you're connecting APIs with other backend systems like databases and making sure information is exactly where it needs to be. The next you're collaborating with front-end colleagues, helping them bring designs to life.

Be ready to build the robust foundations that make innovation possible.

From day one, you'll be paired with a dedicated mentor for 1-on-1 coaching and join a team of passionate developers always ready to help. You'll be working on real client projects, giving you real life experience. By the end of your internship, you'll have gained valuable knowledge in the field and worked on projects for A-list clients. You will work side by side with other developers and your code will power actual websites.

Take it from us, your resume will be more than ready for a future in the digital industry.

Note: to be eligible for this internship, you are required to be living and studying in the Netherlands.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Dive into exciting projects for clients like BOLIA, Tikkie, Foot Locker, and bol.com.
• Work alongside experienced developers on real projects, learning and contributing directly from day one.
• Use different programming languages such as TypeScript, C#, Java, or Python.
• Move data around integrating different databases, services and CMS. You will make sure the right data is in the right place at the right time.
• Bring designs to life with data on all kinds of different devices in collaboration with front-end colleagues.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Even if you don’t tick every box, that doesn’t mean we’re not a match. If you feel like this role could be right for you, just go for it and apply!

• You are super passionate about technology.
• You have a proactive attitude, are naturally curious, and are aware of the latest trends within our field.
• You have a great portfolio or GitHub you share with your application.
• You have a specific passion and relevant experience with backend frameworks.
• You might already work as a part-time developer.

Hard Requirements

• You are currently enrolled in a Dutch university for the entire duration of the internship
• Availability of 4 days per week, preferably 5, from September 2026 for a duration of 5 months.
• You speak technical English fluently - whether you’re writing, presenting, or just chatting with the team.

WE OFFER

• DEPT® has been named a Great Place To Work in 2023 - in the Netherlands and has been a Certified B Corp® since 2021 -award winning in the best way possible.
• Awesome clients. Whether big, small, local or global — at DEPT® you’ll get the opportunity to work with all of them. And we celebrate all of our successes together!
• A monthly allowance of 450 euros + 50 euro internet allowance.
• Opportunities to develop your skills even further through training and certifications.
• Everything to focus on your health: mindfulness sessions, mental health services, healthy lunches available at the office, and above all: a safe work environment.
• Great fringe benefits; use of OV-bikes, an NS Business Card and many other goodies.

WHY DEPT®?

We are a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, we create what is next by pioneering ideas, acting fast, and moving further because standing still just is not in our DNA.

We are drawn to people who stay curious, move with intent, and never stop inventing. Our culture runs on three values: better together, relentlessly curious, and get sh*t done. It is how we work, how we grow, and how we make things that matter.

At DEPT®, you will find the freedom to explore, the space to collaborate, and the trust to make a real impact for our clients, for each other, and for the world we are helping to build.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION 

At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives.

Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine.

We also encourage you to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us.

Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here.

Mission

Speechify is the easiest way to listen to the world’s information. Articles on the web, documents in the cloud, books on your phone. We absorb it all and let you listen to it at your desk, on the go, at your own speed, and with tools that make learning easier, deeper, and faster.

What streaming services have done for audio entertainment, we’re doing for audio information. And whatever we’re doing seems to be working. We’re #1 in our category, and experiencing exponential growth.

Overview

We're looking for a Senior Software Engineer to join our Core Experiences Team. This team builds and maintains the foundational services and SDKs that power Speechify’s product experience across platforms. It's a critical role for someone who enjoys working at the intersection of product and infrastructure, thinks strategically, and is passionate about designing clear, reliable APIs and simple systems that directly enhance the user experience.

What You’ll Do

• Collaborate with Speechify’s Product Teams to scope projects, find ways to reduce scope to get faster feedback from customers, navigate the integration/UX tradeoffs relevant to different product teams, and deliver solutions via our cross-platform SDK
• Optimize existing functionality to ship things like faster loading and more intelligent parsing by designing more efficient abstractions and improving our algorithms
• Ship cloud functions, lightweight backend services, and jobs using Kotlin

An Ideal Candidate Should Have

• Systems thinking. You know that optimizing a system requires end-to-end design, and you believe simplicity is valuable.
• Speed. You work quickly to generate ideas and options and know how to decide which things can ship now and what things need time
• Focus. We’re a high-growth startup with a busy, remote team. You know how and when to engage or be heads down
• Collaboration. You know how to inspire, play, and negotiate with opinionated designers, marketers, and PMs
• Preferred Tech Stack:
  • Kotlin Multiplatform (Java experience is OK but role is Kotlin Multiplatform) 
  • Prior experience with GCP is a plus

What We Offer

• A fast-growing environment where you can help shape the company and product.
• An entrepreneurial-minded team that supports risk, intuition, and hustle.
• A hands-off management approach so you can focus and do your best work.
• An opportunity to make a big impact in a transformative industry.
• Competitive salaries, a friendly and laid-back atmosphere, and a commitment to building a great asynchronous culture.
• Opportunity to work on a life-changing product that millions of people use.
• Build products that directly impact and support people with learning differences like dyslexia, ADD, low vision, concussions, autism, and more.
• Work in one of the fastest growing sectors of tech, the intersection of artificial intelligence and audio.

Think you’re a good fit for this job? 

Tell us more about yourself and why you're interested in the role when you apply.
And don’t forget to include links to your portfolio and LinkedIn.

Not looking but know someone who would make a great fit? 

Refer them! 

Speechify is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. 

Speechify does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status.