Senior Software Engineer

Mal; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Mal is pioneering the future of ethical banking as the world’s first AI-powered, Sharia-compliant neobank. We seek a Senior Software Engineer to join a high-caliber team building the next generation of digital banking, grounded in Islamic principles and world-class engineering standards.

You will lead end-to-end solution design for core domains like Growth, Payments, Cards, Accounts, or Customers, mentoring engineers, and setting the bar for secure, scalable code across the stack in a

Qualifications

• Proven track record delivering complex software in banking/fintech.
• Lead cross-functional engineering teams from concept to production.
• Architect, implement, and optimize solutions independent of tech stack.
• Deliver secure, reliable, auditable code with strong customer impact.
• Excellent communication across technical and non-technical teams.
• Expert in at least one coding language.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end solution design for a core domain (Growth, Payments, Cards, Accounts, or Customers).
• Collaborate with product, compliance, and design to translate requirements into scalable solutions.
• Set the bar for code quality, security, and maintainability across the lifecycle.
• Mentor engineers and foster a culture of excellence and ethics.
• Drive architectural decisions aligned with Islamic financial principles.
• Tackle complex technical and business challenges proactively.
• Engage with stakeholders across product and business while doing backend-focused work.

Skills

Leadership

Architecture & design

Problem solving

Communication

Coding proficiency

Tools

Cloud platforms

DevOps practices

CI/CD

Job description

Job Description

Mal is pioneering the future of ethical banking as the world’s first AI-powered, Sharia-compliant neobank. Our mission is to deliver modern, trustworthy, and truly inclusive financial services to Muslims worldwide—combining cutting-edge technology with unwavering ethical values. As a Senior Software Engineer at Mal, you will join a high-caliber team dedicated to building the next generation of digital banking, grounded in Islamic principles and world-class engineering standards.

We are organising around business domains, empowering engineers to own end-to-end problem solving in areas such as Growth, Payments & Core Banking, Cards & Accounts, and Customer domains. We are seeking leaders, not coders—engineers with deep banking experience who are passionate about creating impactful, high-quality solutions that transform how communities experience finance.

Key Responsibilities

• Expect to work with different coding languages, different parts of the repo, and even different stacks. No such a thing as I'm mobile, front or back. We are looking for software engineers who can solve business problems, no matter what
• Lead end-to-end solution design and delivery for a core business domain (Growth, Payments, Cards, Accounts, or Customers)
• Collaborate directly with product, compliance, and design stakeholders to translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions
• Set the bar for code quality, security, and maintainability throughout the software development lifecycle
• Mentor, coach, and guide engineers within your domain to foster a culture of excellence and ethical responsibility
• Drive architectural decisions, ensuring solutions are robust, compliant, and aligned with Islamic financial principles
• Identify and resolve complex technical and business challenges proactively
• Most of the time you will be interacting with multiple different stakeholders and doing work that most would consider "product" or "business" work
• Expect to spend most of your time working on the backend as we adopt backend-driven development

Must-Have Qualifications

• Proven track record delivering complex software solutions in banking or fintech domains
• Deep understanding of banking products, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices
• Demonstrated leadership in cross-functional engineering teams, driving projects from concept to production
• Ability to architect, implement, and optimize solutions independent of tech stack or programming language
• Commitment to delivering secure, reliable, and auditable code
• Strong problem-solving skills with a focus on business outcomes and customer impact
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate across technical and non-technical teams
• Expert in at least one coding language, no matter which

Nice to Have

• Experience in Islamic banking, finance, or Sharia-compliant products
• Exposure to AI/ML-driven financial services or digital banking platforms
• Familiarity with cloud-native architectures and DevOps practices
• Track record of scaling products in a high-growth startup environment
• Contributions to open source or fintech communities

60-Day Deliverables

• Establish technical direction and delivery plan for your assigned business domain
• Conduct in-depth analysis of existing systems, identifying and addressing key gaps
• Deliver at least one major feature or capability aligned with Mal's business priorities
• Mentor and onboard new engineers, raising the team's technical and ethical standards
• Ensure all domain solutions meet regulatory, security, and Sharia compliance requirements