Senior Software Engineer, Backend (International)

Affirm; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 120,000 - 168,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage for you and dependents

Monthly tech stipends

ESPP stock purchase plan

Flexible time off and generous holiday

Job summary

Affirm is a remote-first company describing payments across international markets with teams in the UK, Spain and Poland. The Payments International Engineering group builds backend systems enabling payments, and you’ll own quarterly goals, lead engineers, and collaborate with product management, design and analytics to balance risks and trade-offs.

We look for 4+ years in backend design/development (Python or Kotlin), with AWS, MySQL and Kubernetes experience, and a track record of delivering

Qualifications

• 4+ years designing, developing and launching backend systems at scale.
• Experience delivering highly available distributed systems.
• Ability to write high quality code with clear design and trade-offs.

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver quarterly goals for your team and lead engineers through ambiguity.
• Collaborate with product, design, and analytics to align on constraints and decisions.
• Identify and lead resolution of project, tech, or process issues.
• Support operations and on-call efforts, monitor metrics and keep systems reliable.
• Foster quality and ownership with code review standards and technical leadership.
• Develop team members through coaching and example.

Skills

Python

Kotlin

Distributed systems

System design

Ownership

Verbal & written comms

Tools

AWS

Kubernetes

MySQL

Job description

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.

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.

The Payments International Engineering team builds and operates the systems that enable bank and card payments across affirm’s international markets. Based in Europe, with teammates across the UK, Spain and Poland, we give customers familiar, local ways to pay, while building shared capabilities that make expansion into each new country easier.

Our work spans improving existing payment experiences and building the foundations for launches in new countries. We solve challenges across currencies and local customer needs, creating reusable solutions that support affirm’s international ambitions. We work closely with product and engineering teams across affirm, connecting the customer experience with the financial systems behind it.

We own our work from design through to production, combining the pace of international expansion with the reliability, security and operational readiness that payments demand. Testing, monitoring and supporting our systems are integral to how we build. As a growing team, we also shape the architecture, tools and engineering practices that support this growth.

Joining Payments International means helping build the foundations of a global payments platform, with a direct connection between the systems we create and the customers affirm can serve.

What You’ll Do

• You will be responsible for owning and delivering quarterly goals for your team, leading engineers on your team through ambiguity to solve open-ended problems, and ensuring that everyone is supported throughout delivery.
• You will support your peers and stakeholders in the product development lifecycle by collaborating with product management, design & analytics by participating in ideation, articulating technical constraints, and partnering on decisions that properly consider risks and trade-offs.
• You will proactively identify project, process, technology or business issues, advocate for them, and lead in solving them.
• You will support the operations and availability of your team’s artifacts by creating and monitoring metrics, escalating when needed, and supporting “keep the lights on” & on-call efforts.
• You will foster a culture of quality and ownership on your team by setting or improving code review and design standards for your team, and advocating for them beyond your team through your writing and tech talks.
• You will help develop talent on your team by providing feedback and guidance, and leading by example.

What We Look For

• You have 4+ years of experience designing, developing and launching backend systems at scale using languages like Python or Kotlin.
• You have a track record of developing highly available distributed systems using technologies like AWS, MySQL and Kubernetes.
• You have experience defining a technical plan for the delivery of a significant feature or system component with an elegant, simple and extensible design. You write high quality code that is easily understood and used by others.
• You are proficient at making significant changes in a large code base, and have developed a suite of tools and practices that enable you and your team to do so safely.
• Your experience demonstrates that you take ownership of your growth, proactively seeking feedback from your team, your manager, and your stakeholders.
• You have strong verbal and written communication skills that support effective collaboration with our global engineering team.

Base Pay Grade - N

Equity Grade - 5

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 monthly stipends for health, wellness and tech spending, and benefits (including 100% subsidised medical coverage, dental and vision for you and your dependents). In addition, the employees may be eligible for equity rewards offered by affirm Holdings, Inc. (parent company).

GBP base pay range per year: £120,000 - £168,000

Location: Remote UK

Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

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.