Staff Software Engineer - Platforms

Checkout.com; City of Westminster; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A fintech company in the City of Westminster is seeking a Staff Engineer to provide technical leadership in designing and building their marketplaces platform. You will drive the long-term strategy, mentor teams, and ensure robust solutions at scale. Ideal candidates have extensive backend engineering experience, preferably in fintech, along with expertise in cloud-native architectures like AWS. Excellent communication skills and a strategic mindset are essential for successful collaboration across teams.

Benefits

Flexible hybrid working model

Ownership and impact from day one

Supportive team culture

Qualifications

• Eight or more years of backend engineering experience, with at least two years as a Staff or Principal Engineer.
• Experience from a regulated environment, preferably fintech.
• Strong knowledge of cloud-native architectures (AWS) and proficiency in either .NET or Java.

Responsibilities

• Drive the long-term technical strategy for the Platforms pillar.
• Coach and mentor engineering teams.
• Design, build, and evolve core platform and marketplace capabilities.
• Lead technical discussions and architectural decisions.

Skills

Backend engineering experience

Technical leadership

API-first design

Cloud-native architecture knowledge

Communication skills

Job description

As a Staff Engineer in our Platforms team, you will provide expert technical leadership in designing and building our marketplaces platform. This is a pivotal role where you will define the standards for our distributed architecture and collaborate with Product and Engineering leaders to shape our technical and product roadmap. You'll be at the heart of Checkout.com's multi-product journey, and a key contributor to the foundation of our new product offerings.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Drive the long-term technical strategy for the Platforms pillar, ensuring our solutions are built for global scale.
• Coach and mentor engineering teams, providing the technical leadership needed to solve complex distributed systems challenges.
• Design, build, and evolve our core platform and marketplace capabilities with a relentless focus on robustness and extensibility.
• Lead critical technical discussions and architectural decisions, ensuring we build for the future.
• Partner with Product Managers, Designers, Backend and Frontend Engineers, and other teams to translate complex business needs into elegant technical solutions.
• Proactively identify opportunities to elevate our engineering standards, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Champion best practices in code, architecture, and operational readiness across the organization.

Qualifications

• Eight or more years of backend engineering experience, with at least two years as a Staff or Principal Engineer.
• Experience from a regulated environment, with a strong preference for a background in fintech.
• Deep knowledge of cloud-native architectures (AWS) and highly skilled in either .NET or Java.
• Expertise in API-first design, event-driven systems, service orchestration, and defining clean, clear contract boundaries.
• A strategic thinker who thrives on cross-functional collaboration to achieve outstanding results.
• A bias for simplicity and pragmatism, driven to ship quickly without compromising on quality.
• A proven track record of coaching and mentoring engineers to help them grow and succeed.
• The ability to define and execute a long-term technical vision, looking beyond immediate needs to anticipate future challenges.
• An instinct for taking initiative and owning outcomes from start to finish, holding yourself accountable to customers and colleagues.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Nice to Haves

• Prior experience building B2B2B solutions, where you've developed elegant products for businesses that serve other businesses.

We're Checkout.com - you might not know our name, but companies like eBay, ASOS, Klarna, Uber Eats, and Sony do. That moment when you check out online? We make it happen.

Checkout.com is where the world checks out. Our global network powers billions of transactions every year, making money move without making a fuss. We spent years perfecting a service most people will never notice. Because when digital payments just work, businesses grow, customers stay, and no one stops to think about why. With 19 offices spanning six continents, we feel at home everywhere - but London is our HQ. Wherever our people work their magic, they're fast‑moving, performance‑obsessed, and driven by being better every day.

We create the conditions for high performers to thrive—through real ownership, fewer blockers, and work that makes a difference from day one. Here, you'll move fast, take on meaningful challenges, and be recognized for the impact you deliver. It's a place where ambition gets met with opportunity—and where your growth is in your hands. We work as one team, and we back each other to succeed. So whatever your background or identity, if you're ready to grow and make a difference, you'll be right at home here. It's important we set you up for success and make our process as accessible as possible. So let us know in your application, or tell your recruiter directly, if you need anything to make your experience or working environment more comfortable.

Life at Checkout.com

We understand that work is just one part of your life. Our hybrid working model offers flexibility, with three days per week in the office to support collaboration and connection. Curious about what it's like to be part of our team? Visit our Careers Page to learn more about our culture, open roles, and what drives us. For a closer look at daily life at Checkout.com, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.