diff --git a/src/app/(payload)/api/youtube/upload/route.ts b/src/app/(payload)/api/youtube/upload/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..485ca54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/(payload)/api/youtube/upload/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+// src/app/(payload)/api/youtube/upload/route.ts
+
+import { getPayload } from 'payload'
+import config from '@payload-config'
+import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server'
+import {
+  enqueueYouTubeUpload,
+  getYouTubeUploadJobStatus,
+} from '@/lib/queue/jobs/youtube-upload-job'
+
+/**
+ * POST /api/youtube/upload
+ *
+ * Erstellt einen YouTube-Upload-Job fuer ein YouTubeContent-Dokument.
+ * Erwartet { contentId } im Request-Body.
+ */
+export async function POST(request: NextRequest): Promise<NextResponse> {
+  try {
+    const payload = await getPayload({ config })
+
+    // Auth pruefen
+    const { user } = await payload.auth({ headers: request.headers })
+    if (!user) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Unauthorized' }, { status: 401 })
+    }
+
+    const body = await request.json()
+    const { contentId } = body
+
+    if (!contentId) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'contentId required' }, { status: 400 })
+    }
+
+    // YouTubeContent laden
+    const content = await payload.findByID({
+      collection: 'youtube-content',
+      id: contentId,
+      depth: 1,
+    })
+
+    if (!content) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Content not found' }, { status: 404 })
+    }
+
+    const doc = content as Record<string, unknown>
+
+    if (!doc.videoFile) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'No video file attached' }, { status: 400 })
+    }
+
+    // Felder sicher extrahieren
+    const channelRaw = doc.channel
+    const channelId = typeof channelRaw === 'object' && channelRaw !== null
+      ? (channelRaw as { id: number }).id
+      : channelRaw as number
+
+    const videoFileRaw = doc.videoFile
+    const mediaId = typeof videoFileRaw === 'object' && videoFileRaw !== null
+      ? (videoFileRaw as { id: number }).id
+      : videoFileRaw as number
+
+    const youtube = doc.youtube as {
+      metadata?: {
+        youtubeTitle?: string
+        youtubeDescription?: string
+        tags?: Array<{ tag?: string }>
+        visibility?: 'public' | 'unlisted' | 'private'
+      }
+    } | undefined
+
+    const tags = (youtube?.metadata?.tags || [])
+      .map((t) => t.tag)
+      .filter((tag): tag is string => Boolean(tag))
+
+    // Upload-Job erstellen
+    const job = await enqueueYouTubeUpload({
+      contentId: contentId as number,
+      channelId,
+      mediaId,
+      metadata: {
+        title: youtube?.metadata?.youtubeTitle || (doc.title as string) || 'Untitled',
+        description: youtube?.metadata?.youtubeDescription || (doc.description as string) || '',
+        tags,
+        visibility: youtube?.metadata?.visibility || 'private',
+      },
+      scheduledPublishAt: (doc.scheduledPublishDate as string) || undefined,
+      triggeredBy: user.id as number,
+    })
+
+    // Status auf upload_scheduled setzen
+    await payload.update({
+      collection: 'youtube-content',
+      id: contentId,
+      data: { status: 'upload_scheduled' },
+    })
+
+    return NextResponse.json({
+      success: true,
+      jobId: job.id,
+      message: 'Upload-Job erstellt',
+    })
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('[YouTube Upload API] Error:', error)
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Internal Server Error' }, { status: 500 })
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * GET /api/youtube/upload?jobId=xxx
+ *
+ * Gibt den Status eines YouTube-Upload-Jobs zurueck.
+ */
+export async function GET(request: NextRequest): Promise<NextResponse> {
+  try {
+    const payload = await getPayload({ config })
+
+    // Auth pruefen
+    const { user } = await payload.auth({ headers: request.headers })
+    if (!user) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Unauthorized' }, { status: 401 })
+    }
+
+    const jobId = request.nextUrl.searchParams.get('jobId')
+    if (!jobId) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'jobId required' }, { status: 400 })
+    }
+
+    const status = await getYouTubeUploadJobStatus(jobId)
+    if (!status) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Job not found' }, { status: 404 })
+    }
+
+    return NextResponse.json(status)
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('[YouTube Upload API] Status check error:', error)
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Internal Server Error' }, { status: 500 })
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/queue/workers/youtube-upload-worker.ts b/src/lib/queue/workers/youtube-upload-worker.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..24b3729
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/queue/workers/youtube-upload-worker.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+/**
+ * YouTube Upload Worker
+ *
+ * Verarbeitet YouTube-Upload-Jobs aus der Queue.
+ * Nutzt den VideoUploadService fuer die eigentliche YouTube-API-Kommunikation.
+ */
+
+import { Worker, Job } from 'bullmq'
+import { getPayload } from 'payload'
+import config from '@payload-config'
+import { QUEUE_NAMES, getQueueRedisConnection } from '../queue-service'
+import type { YouTubeUploadJobData, YouTubeUploadJobResult } from '../jobs/youtube-upload-job'
+import { VideoUploadService } from '../../integrations/youtube/VideoUploadService'
+import { NotificationService } from '../../jobs/NotificationService'
+
+// Worker-Konfiguration
+const CONCURRENCY = parseInt(process.env.QUEUE_YOUTUBE_UPLOAD_CONCURRENCY || '1', 10)
+
+/**
+ * YouTube Upload Job Processor
+ */
+async function processUploadJob(
+  job: Job<YouTubeUploadJobData>,
+): Promise<YouTubeUploadJobResult> {
+  const { contentId, mediaId, metadata, scheduledPublishAt, triggeredBy } = job.data
+
+  console.log(`[YouTubeUploadWorker] Processing job ${job.id} for content ${contentId}`)
+
+  try {
+    const payload = await getPayload({ config })
+    const uploadService = new VideoUploadService(payload)
+
+    const result = await uploadService.uploadVideo({
+      mediaId,
+      metadata,
+      scheduledPublishAt,
+    })
+
+    if (!result.success) {
+      throw new Error(result.error || 'Upload failed')
+    }
+
+    // YouTubeContent mit Video-ID und URL aktualisieren
+    await payload.update({
+      collection: 'youtube-content',
+      id: contentId,
+      data: {
+        youtube: {
+          videoId: result.youtubeVideoId,
+          url: result.youtubeUrl,
+        },
+        status: 'published',
+        actualPublishDate: new Date().toISOString(),
+      },
+    })
+
+    // Benachrichtigung erstellen
+    const notificationService = new NotificationService(payload)
+    await notificationService.createNotification({
+      recipientId: triggeredBy,
+      type: 'video_published',
+      title: `Video "${metadata.title}" erfolgreich hochgeladen`,
+      message: `YouTube-URL: ${result.youtubeUrl}`,
+      link: `/admin/collections/youtube-content/${contentId}`,
+      relatedVideoId: contentId,
+    })
+
+    const jobResult: YouTubeUploadJobResult = {
+      success: true,
+      youtubeVideoId: result.youtubeVideoId,
+      youtubeUrl: result.youtubeUrl,
+      timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+    }
+
+    console.log(`[YouTubeUploadWorker] Job ${job.id} completed: ${result.youtubeUrl}`)
+    return jobResult
+  } catch (error) {
+    const errorMessage = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)
+    console.error(`[YouTubeUploadWorker] Job ${job.id} failed:`, errorMessage)
+
+    // Error werfen damit BullMQ Retry-Logik greift
+    throw error
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * YouTube Upload Worker Instanz
+ */
+let uploadWorker: Worker<YouTubeUploadJobData, YouTubeUploadJobResult> | null = null
+
+/**
+ * Startet den YouTube Upload Worker
+ */
+export function startYouTubeUploadWorker(): Worker<YouTubeUploadJobData, YouTubeUploadJobResult> {
+  if (uploadWorker) {
+    console.warn('[YouTubeUploadWorker] Worker already running')
+    return uploadWorker
+  }
+
+  uploadWorker = new Worker<YouTubeUploadJobData, YouTubeUploadJobResult>(
+    QUEUE_NAMES.YOUTUBE_UPLOAD,
+    processUploadJob,
+    {
+      connection: getQueueRedisConnection(),
+      concurrency: CONCURRENCY,
+      // Uploads dauern laenger - grosszuegigere Stalled-Detection
+      stalledInterval: 120000, // 2 Minuten
+      maxStalledCount: 1,
+      // Laengerer Lock fuer Video-Uploads
+      lockDuration: 300000, // 5 Minuten
+    },
+  )
+
+  // Event Handlers
+  uploadWorker.on('ready', () => {
+    console.log(`[YouTubeUploadWorker] Ready (concurrency: ${CONCURRENCY})`)
+  })
+
+  uploadWorker.on('completed', (job) => {
+    console.log(`[YouTubeUploadWorker] Job ${job.id} completed in ${Date.now() - job.timestamp}ms`)
+  })
+
+  uploadWorker.on('failed', (job, error) => {
+    console.error(
+      `[YouTubeUploadWorker] Job ${job?.id} failed after ${job?.attemptsMade} attempts:`,
+      error.message,
+    )
+  })
+
+  uploadWorker.on('stalled', (jobId) => {
+    console.warn(`[YouTubeUploadWorker] Job ${jobId} stalled`)
+  })
+
+  uploadWorker.on('error', (error) => {
+    console.error('[YouTubeUploadWorker] Error:', error)
+  })
+
+  return uploadWorker
+}
+
+/**
+ * Stoppt den YouTube Upload Worker
+ */
+export async function stopYouTubeUploadWorker(): Promise<void> {
+  if (uploadWorker) {
+    console.log('[YouTubeUploadWorker] Stopping...')
+    await uploadWorker.close()
+    uploadWorker = null
+    console.log('[YouTubeUploadWorker] Stopped')
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Gibt die Worker-Instanz zurueck (falls aktiv)
+ */
+export function getYouTubeUploadWorker(): Worker<YouTubeUploadJobData, YouTubeUploadJobResult> | null {
+  return uploadWorker
+}