Senior Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Cards)

Posted 16 Hours Ago
Easy Apply
Hiring Remotely in United States
Remote
236K-325K Annually
Senior level
Big Data • Fintech • Mobile • Payments • Financial Services
We create honest financial products that improve lives. Ready to make a difference?
The Role
Lead technical vision and strategy for Affirm’s Cards backend engineering organization. Architect scalable and reliable platforms, guide cross-team initiatives, champion AI adoption and engineering excellence, influence technical roadmaps, and mentor engineers through Staff level. The role requires strong architectural expertise, organizational leadership, project management, communication, and cross-functional collaboration.
Summary Generated by Built In

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.

Skills Required

  • 10+ years of experience working across the stack and driving backend architectural improvements
  • Experience driving change across large engineering organizations
  • Track record leading critical projects across multiple engineering teams and organizational boundaries
  • Extensive experience developing and implementing technical strategy that improves reliability and responsiveness
  • Ownership mindset and ability to influence engineering culture
  • Collaborative partnership across engineering teams and cross-functional stakeholders
  • Experience mentoring and growing engineers up to Staff level
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Equivalent practical experience or a Bachelor's degree in a related field
  • Experience with React Native, JavaScript, or Kotlin

What the Team is Saying

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Affirm
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Affirm Compensation & Benefits Highlights

  • Healthcare Strength — Health insurance is described as comprehensive, with fully paid medical, dental, and vision premiums and low copays in some plans. Mental-health programs are explicitly included as part of the global benefits offering.
  • Parental & Family Support — Parental leave is presented as 18 weeks for birth and non-birth parents with a 4-week full-pay return-to-work transition. Family-forming support such as fertility, egg freezing, adoption assistance, and a dedicated spending wallet is also offered.
  • Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off includes flexible or unlimited PTO and sick time for many roles. The package also features 20 company-wide paid Away Days that add collective rest to the standard leave mix.

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The Company
HQ: San Francisco, CA
2,200 Employees
Year Founded: 2012

What We Do

At Affirm, we help people say yes to the things that matter with flexible, transparent ways to pay over time. No hidden fees, no compound interest, and no fine print—just a smarter way to spend.

Why Work With Us

Who is an Affirmer? /noun/ Someone who believes finance shouldn’t be complicated. We come from a diverse set of backgrounds and we’re driven by the desire to improve lives through honest financial products. We define success by challenging one another to bring our best ideas to every single project—and we have fun while doing it.

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Affirm Offices

Remote Workspace

Employees work remotely.

Affirm is a remote-first company! Our employees can work anywhere in the U.S. but if an office is more your style, we have office locations in San Francisco, Chicago, New York City, and Pittsburgh.

Typical time on-site:
HQSan Francisco, CA
Spain
United Kingdom
Chicago, IL
New York, NY
Toronto, ON
Warsaw, PL
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