At Koalafi, we believe in a world where no one has to put an important purchase on hold. That’s why we’re making it easier for more people to pay for big purchases over time.
Retailers across the country rely on us to offer flexible lease-to-own financing to their non-prime consumers, while increasing sales and strengthening customer loyalty. Their 2M+ customers love us because we provide a flexible way for them to make payments and give them an opportunity to improve their credit. Our 200+ Koalafi teammates enjoy inspiring and challenging work that accelerates their careers.
Interested in learning more about how we’re transforming the financing experience and joining our team?
About the role
Koalafi is seeking a hands-on Tech Lead for the Merchant Team to drive the technical direction and execution of the systems that power our merchant experience. This leader will guide a team of engineers responsible for modernizing legacy systems, building scalable services, and delivering the tools that enable merchants to onboard, manage accounts, and grow with Koalafi.
As Tech Lead for the Merchant Team, you’ll shape the systems and team that power Koalafi’s merchant experience. You’ll guide engineers through design and delivery, work closely with product, risk, and operations, and stay hands-on in the codebase. You’ll grow as both a people and technical leader while continuing to code and mentor others.
What you’ll doLead and deliver:
Define and execute the technical roadmap for merchant services and APIs
Architect, build, and modernize backend and frontend systems using React, Golang, and AWS
Guide design reviews and promote best engineering practices within the team
Oversee the gradual migration of legacy .NET systems to modern microservices
Coach and influence:
Mentor engineers through pairing, feedback, and thoughtful one-on-one guidance
Partner with product, operations, and merchant success to align business goals with technical execution
Help shape a high-performing, collaborative engineering culture grounded in ownership and accountability
Innovate and optimize:
Improve system reliability, observability, and scalability for high-volume financial transactions
Integrate AI tools into daily development to streamline code analysis, refactoring, and feature builds while ensuring system reliability
Champion automation, testing, and deployment practices that drive speed and confidence
Collaborate on technical design reviews and ensure architectural consistency across services
5+ years of professional software engineering experience
Experience leading technical efforts or small teams guided by data-driven decisions
Proficiency in React and Golang, with the ability to provide legacy system support in C#/.Net
Strong database skills in schema design and performance optimization (SQL Server, Postgres)
Comfort working across frontend, backend, and serverless technologies (TypeScript, AWS)
Strong understanding of containerized services and event-driven systems
Proven ability to balance technical depth with business impact and clear communication
Bonus: experience in fintech, payments, or e-commerce integrations
Bonus: prior management experience
- Location Requirement: This position requires regular in-person attendance at one of our two office locations (Richmond, VA or Arlington, VA). Candidates must already be located within a commutable distance to either location, as relocation assistance is not available at this time
Why choose Koalafi: A career at Koalafi means opportunities to tackle exciting challenges every single day. We take pride in a culture of innovation, trust, and ownership. You'll get outside your comfort zone, build meaningful relationships, and most of all, take charge of projects that ultimately help people get the things they need most.
Benefits:
At Koalafi, you will have a direct impact on our products and help shape the company’s success. We offer competitive compensation & benefits packages to keep you at your best:
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
- 20 PTO days + 11 paid holidays
- 401(k) retirement with company matching
- Student Loan & Tuition Reimbursement
- Commuter assistance
- Parental leave (maternal + paternal)
- Inclusion and Associate Engagement Programs
Who we are & what we value:
- We focus on what’s most important
- We set clear expectations and deliver
- We embrace challenges to reach our full potential
- We ask, “How can this be better?”
- We move fast together
Top Skills
What We Do
At Koalafi, we understand that big dreams start with simple transactions. That’s why we built the first nationwide platform that makes it possible for merchants to offer all of their customers, whether they have excellent or no credit, a wide range of pay-over-time plans through a single application. With the help of Koalafi’s advanced technology and analytics, delightful experiences, and world-class support, thousands of merchants nationwide have grown their businesses, and more of their customers can finally dream bigger.
