Senior Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Cards)

Affirm
United States
Remote

Who this role is best for

Geared toward technically proficient engineers with leadership experience, comfortable with defining technical strategy and cross-functional collaboration.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with 10+ years of backend experience and a history of leading large-scale engineering transformations
    — “10+ years of experience working across the stack, driving architectural improvements in the backend.”
  • Engineers who have mentored others to Staff level and influenced technical culture in prior roles
    — “Experience mentoring and growing engineers up to Staff level.”
  • Individuals who have shaped technical strategy that improved system reliability and performance
    — “Extensive experience developing and implementing technical strategy that drove prominent change in reliability and responsiveness.”

Things to consider

  • This role requires a high level of cross-functional communication and stakeholder coordination
    — “Collaborative partnership across engineering teams and cross-functional stakeholders.”
  • While remote, the role includes an in-person onboarding experience
    — “All new hires will be invited to attend an in-person onboarding experience.”

How to stand out

  • Highlight your experience in shaping technical strategy and leading large-scale projects
    — “Experience driving change across large engineering organizations.”
  • Showcase your ability to lead technical excellence while aligning with business goals
    — “Work closely with stakeholders across all teams at Affirm to champion and implement technical excellence in conjunction with business results.”
  • Emphasize your ownership mindset and how you've fostered it in prior teams
    — “You embody an ownership mindset and help influence a similar culture to those around you.”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Company

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • technical direction
  • long-term technical roadmap
  • strategic initiatives
  • technical excellence
Typical background
10+ years of experience in backend development

Skills & requirements

Required

Technical LeadershipArchitectural DesignProject ManagementCross-functional CollaborationAI Integration

Preferred

React NativeKotlinJavaScript

Stack & domain

AIBackendFull-stackReact NativeJavaScriptKotlin

About the role

Original posting from Affirm via Greenhouse

At Affirm, we exist for the moments that matter—giving people a clear, predictable way to pay over time, with no hidden fees, no surprises, and no tradeoffs on what matters most.

We are reinventing credit cards entirely. We are working directly with card issuers to change how credit is used throughout the world, creating new types of cards that work for both their everyday lives and large purchases with extremely straightforward, flexible terms. We are looking for a Senior Staff Software Engineer to take on a critical role in defining and leading technical excellence. You’ll partner with other engineering leaders in revolutionizing the way the team works, shaping the culture of engineering across Cards.  

You will lead from the front on AI while holding the bar high on quality.  You’ll collaborate with engineering leaders, create and implement technical strategy across full-stack teams, and coordinate closely with stakeholders to build scalable, reliable, and high-performing solutions. You'll help shape best practices, guide architectural choices, and drive the successful delivery of critical initiatives. 

This role requires a high level of technical ability, leadership and project management skills, strong cross-functional communication, and a customer-first mindset. 

What You'll Do

Lead the vision – Define the technical direction, long-term technical roadmap, and strategic initiatives in Cards.

Be a role model - Lead from the front as an example in using AI to build fast, take initiative, and revolutionize how we work.

Stay close to industry leaders in FinTech, learning from what is happening in the market to build our team.

Work closely with stakeholders across all teams at Affirm to champion and implement technical excellence in conjunction with business results 

Create and influence a strong ownership culture across teams, with high accountability and investment for building for scale and efficiency

Architect and contribute to decisions on the right platform, tools, and technologies to support consistency and reliability

Mentor and lead – Guide a strong group of engineers by championing best practices, and helping them grow

What We Look For

10+ years of experience working across the stack, driving architectural improvements in the backend. Bonus points using languages like React Native, Javascript, or Kotlin.

Experience driving change across large engineering organizations

Track record of successfully leading critical projects and leveraging multiple engineering teams across organizational boundaries for company-wide results

Extensive experience developing and implementing technical strategy that drove prominent change in reliability and responsiveness

You embody an ownership mindset and help influence a similar culture to those around you

Collaborative partnership across engineering teams and cross-functional stakeholders

Experience mentoring and growing engineers up to Staff level

You have strong verbal and written communication skills that can help influence and share critical decisions with stakeholders

This position requires either equivalent practical experience or a Bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Base Pay Grade - R

Equity Grade - 15

Employees new to Affirm typically come in at the start of the pay range. Affirm focuses on providing a simple and transparent pay structure which is based on a variety of factors, including location, experience and job-related skills.

Base pay is part of a total compensation package that may include equity rewards, monthly stipends for health, wellness and tech spending, and benefits (including 100% subsidized medical coverage, dental and vision for you and your dependents.)

USA base pay range (CA, WA, NY, NJ, CT) per year: $265,000 - $325,000

USA base pay range (all other U.S. states) per year: $236,000 - $296,000

#LI-Remote

Remote-first with flexibility built in

Affirm is proud to be a remote-first company. Most roles can be done from almost anywhere within the country of employment. Some positions may occasionally require in-person work at an Affirm office, and a few are office-based due to the nature of the work. All new hires will be invited to attend an in-person onboarding experience.

Benefits designed for you

Our benefits reflect our commitment to care, transparency, and flexibility. Here are a few highlights:

Health coverage at no cost: We cover 100% of premiums for employees and their dependents.

Spending stipends: Monthly stipends support your tech setup, and the ability to choose health and wellness options that are right for you.

Time off to recharge: Flexible time off and generous holiday calendars help you rest when you need to.

Own a piece of what you build: Our employee stock purchase plan (ESPP) lets you buy Affirm stock at a discount.

We’re committed to providing an inclusive interview process, including accommodations for candidates with disabilities. If you need support, we’re happy to help.

For positions based in San Francisco or Los Angeles: Affirm considers qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, as required by law.

By clicking "Submit Application," you acknowledge that you have read Affirm's Global Candidate Privacy Notice and consent to the use of your personal information as described.

Source: Affirm careers (Greenhouse)

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