Staff Software Engineer

Checkr
Denver; San Francisco, US
On-site

Who this role is best for

Aimed at senior backend engineers with leadership experience who thrive in regulated domains and complex technical architectures.

Best fit for

  • Backend-focused engineers with 10+ years who can lead cross-team technical initiatives.
    — “10+ years of software development experience and 3+ years experience in a project leadership role
  • Architects comfortable designing multi-system workflows in regulated industries.
    — “driving the technical architecture of complex, multi-system workflows
  • Leaders who mentor engineers while shipping high-impact product features.
    — “Provide mentorship to engineers on the team and across the organization

Things to consider

  • Hybrid work model requires 3+ days/week in-office at hub locations.
    — “Individuals are expected to work from the office 3+ days a week
  • Must balance product development with technical debt reduction at scale.
    — “Define and lead technical initiatives to enable growth at scale and address technical debt

How to stand out

  • Demonstrate concrete examples of scaling systems in regulated domains.
    — “Experience building scalable systems with automated testing, observability, and high performance
  • Highlight cross-functional collaboration with non-technical stakeholders.
    — “A proven ability to collaborate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Show ownership of features from design through production release.
    — “A strong sense of ownership from feature design through production release
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · TeamLevel · Mid Level

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

What success looks like

  • technical architecture of complex workflows
  • mentorship to engineers
  • development best practices
Typical background
10+ years of software development experience3+ years in a project leadership role

Skills & requirements

Required

Backend DevelopmentRubyNode.jsJavaScriptReactScalable SystemsAutomated TestingObservabilityHigh PerformanceA/B Testing

Preferred

Product-first MindsetCross-team Influence

Stack & domain

RubyNode.jsJavaScriptReactAutomated TestingObservabilityHigh PerformanceA/b TestingCustomer-centric MindsetProduct-first MindsetCollaborationCommunicationProject ManagementMentoringAi VerificationCriminal History ChecksDriving RecordsEmployment Verifications

About the role

Original posting from Checkr via Greenhouse

About Checkr

Checkr is building the data platform to power safe and fair decisions. Over 140,000 companies and millions of people rely on Checkr for AI verification in the moments that matter most: getting a new job, a new place to live, a car ride, childcare, even a date. Customers include Uber, Pennymac, Airbnb, Doordash, Amazon, and Anthropic.

We’re a team that thrives on solving complex problems with innovative solutions that advance our mission. Checkr is recognized on Forbes Cloud 100 2025 List and is a Y Combinator 2024 Breakthrough Company.

About the team/role

The Screenings & Verifications organization at Checkr develops and delivers the screening and verification products that power informed risk assessments for our customers. Our screening products span criminal history checks, driving records, employment verifications, and more, helping customers place candidates into jobs across a diverse range of industries and markets. Our mandate is to build high-quality products that drive revenue growth and customer satisfaction, across a complex, regulated domain.

As a Staff Engineer in this organization, you'll operate across several product engineering teams, driving the technical architecture of complex, multi-system workflows. You'll define how screening products are structured, how they interact with our candidate-facing systems, how they integrate with vendor data pipelines, and how we build repeatable patterns that accelerate the whole org. You'll set the technical bar and raise it through hands-on work, architecture leadership, and cross-team influence.

What you’ll do

Own development of the product from ideation, design, implementation, to release

Bring a customer-centric, product-first mindset to the table - collaborate with Design, Product, Data, and others to instrument and deploy new product experiments and ship impactful features

Define and lead technical initiatives to enable growth at scale and address technical debt, both within the team and across the organization

Provide mentorship to engineers on the team and across the organization

Spread development best practices through knowledge sharing and documentation

Partner with product and engineering management in quarterly and annual planning activities

Ensure the quality, reliability, and scalability of our services

What you bring

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent practical experience

10+ years of software development experience and 3+ years experience in a project leadership role

Deep expertise in backend development (e.g., Ruby, Node.js, or similar), with working proficiency in frontend technologies such as JavaScript and React to support API development and integrations

Experience building scalable systems with automated testing, observability, and high performance (A/B testing a plus)

A strong sense of ownership from feature design through production release

A proven ability to collaborate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders

Strong communication, project management, and a commitment to mentoring engineers

An A-player mindset with a strong bias for action: you raise the bar, move with urgency, stay resilient through ambiguity, and take ownership to deliver meaningful outcomes

Pay Transparency Disclosure

We use geographic cost of labor as an input to develop ranges for our roles and as such, each location where we hire may have a different range. If this role is remote, we have listed the top to the bottom of the possible range, but we will specify the target range for an exact location when you are selected for a recruiting discussion. For more information on our compensation philosophy, see our website.

On-target Earnings OR Base Salary range (San Francisco, CA)$224,000—$264,000 USDOn-target Earnings OR Base Salary range (Denver, CO)$190,000—$223,000 USDWhat We Offer

A fast-paced and collaborative environment

Learning and development allowance

Competitive cash and equity compensation, and opportunity for advancement

100% medical, dental, and vision coverage

Up to $25K reimbursement for fertility, adoption, and parental planning services

Flexible PTO policy

Monthly wellness stipend

 

At Checkr, we believe an in office work environment strengthens collaboration, drives innovation, and encourages connection. Our hub locations are Denver, CO; San Francisco, CA; Nashville, TN; and Santiago, Chile. Individuals are expected to work from the office 3+ days a week. In-office perks are provided, such as lunch five times a week, a commuter stipend, and an abundance of snacks and beverages. A relocation stipend may be available for those willing to relocate to a Checkr hub location.

Equal Employment Opportunities at Checkr

Checkr is committed to building the best product and company, which requires hiring talented and qualified individuals with a diverse set of perspectives and lived experiences. Checkr believes in hiring people of all backgrounds, including those whose histories are impacted by the justice system in accordance with local, state, and/or federal laws, including the San Francisco’s Fair Chance Ordinance.

Applicant Privacy Policy

If you are a California resident or are located in Alberta or British Columbia, our Applicant Privacy Policy applies to our collection and processing of your personal information when you apply for a role with us or otherwise participate in our recruitment process.

*Legitimate Checkr emails will always include our official domain name after the @ symbol (e.g., name@checkr.com or name@ext.checkr.com).

Source: Checkr careers (Greenhouse)

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