Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Card)

Affirm, Inc.; Polska; Remote; PLN 365,000 - 485,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

Equity opportunities

Flexible time off

Remote-first

Job summary

Affirm, Inc. is seeking a lead software engineer to drive EU card architecture and cross-team collaboration. You will own backend systems at scale using Python, Kotlin, AWS, MySQL, and Kubernetes, while also contributing to frontend initiatives.

This role demands strong communication and an ability to navigate ambiguity across a multinational engineering team. Based in Poland, you will join a remote-first environment with flexible in-person onboarding.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software engineering experience.
• Proficient in designing, developing and launching backend systems at scale (Python, Kotlin, AWS, MySQL, Kubernetes).
• Proficient in developing frontend applications.
• Experience delivering major features or components with a clear technical and execution plan.
• Thrives in ambiguity and can span from low-level details to large architecture.
• Growth and impact shown by iterating on feedback from engineering and cross-functional peers.
• Strong verbal and written communication for global collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Set technical strategy for the team on a year-long horizon.
• Lead software engineer for all cards in the EU.
• Collaborate with product management, design & analytics to ensure sustainability and manage risks.
• Advocate for technical solutions and operational processes as a force-multiplier for the team.
• Own team operations, availability, monitoring, playbooks, testing and on-call efforts.
• Set and promote code review and design standards beyond the team.
• Develop talent by giving feedback and guiding team members.

Skills

Backend systems design

Python

Kotlin

AWS

MySQL

Kubernetes

Frontend development

Cross-team collaboration

Tools

Kubernetes

AWS

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.
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. You will be the lead engineer for our EU teams. You will be responsible for architecture across cards and relationships with our EU counterparts. You'll work across stacks and across the company, working both in just-in-time transaction processing that has to take place in milliseconds, along with our ledgering and reconciliation systems in post-transaction processing. This is some of the more difficult, exciting, experimental engineering work in affirm. Join us and our team in Spain and Poland to help us revolutionize payments!

What You'll Do

• You will be responsible for setting technical strategy for your team on a year-long time scale, and help your team tie it together with critical, business-impacting projects.
• You will be the lead software engineer for all cards in the EU.
• You will collaborate across teams in the product development lifecycle by collaborating with product management, design & analytics to ensure technical sustainability, risks and trade-offs are well understood and managed.
• You will act as a force-multiplier for your team through your definition and advocacy of technical solutions and operational processes.
• You take ownership of your team’s operations and availability by ensuring you have the right monitoring, triage rotations, playbooks, policies, testing and alerting in place to support "keep the lights on" & on-call efforts.
• You will foster a culture of quality and ownership on your team by setting 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 a total of 8+ years of experience as a software engineer.
• You are proficient in designing, developing and launching backend systems at scale technologies like Python, Kotlin, AWS, MySQL, and Kubernetes
• You are proficient in developing front end applications.
• You have experience delivering major features, system components or deprecating existing functionality in a system through the definition of a technical and execution plan. You write high quality code that is easily understood and used by others.
• You thrive in ambiguity, and are comfortable moving from low level language idioms all the way to the architecture of large systems to understand how they work.
• Your growth and impact trajectory demonstrates that you have mastered gathering and iterating on feedback from your engineering and cross-functional peers.
• You have strong verbal and written communication skills that support effective collaboration with our global engineering team.

Total rewards

We believe the people building honest financial products at affirm should share in its success. That's why our total rewards are designed to support your health, growth, financial well-being, and future.
In service of our mission, we reward employees through a combination of base pay, equity (from parent company), and comprehensive benefits.

Base Pay Grade - P

365,000 zł - 485,000 zł

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% subsidized 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).
Base pay ranges and placement within those ranges are determined based on several factors, including role, experience, and job-related skills.
In addition to base pay, all employees in this role are eligible to receive equity from the parent company each year. This means as affirm’s parent company grows, employees have the opportunity to share in that growth financially.

Affirm Holdings, Inc. Equity Grade example

• Equity grade: 5
• New hire equity: $48,000-$72,000
• Annual Refresh: $15,000
• Reward equity: $0-$225,000

Affirm also provides flexible spending wallets to all employees for technology and wellbeing related needs, which are reimbursable up to 1390 zł per month.

Benefits

• Competitive paid time off, paid public holidays, and additional paid Away Days to rest and recharge.
• Comprehensive private healthcare through Lux Med's Platinum package.
• A MultiSport card to support your health and well-being.
• Learning and development programs to help you grow professionally.
• Family healthcare support through Maven and parental leave support through Parentaly.
• Mental well-being support through Lyra, including up to 12 confidential counseling or coaching sessions each year for you and your household members.
• Financial well-being support through Northstar, with unlimited access to Certified.
• Financial Advisors and planning tools at no cost to you.
• Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that foster connection and inclusion.
• Eligibility for creative tax benefits, subject to applicable law, role, and company policy.

Location - Remote Poland

The majority of our roles can be located anywhere in Poland.

• This job description is not a contractual document, and is not intended to have binding force.

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

• 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.