Backend Engineer - Run & Grow

SumUp; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

L&D budget €2,000 per year

VSOP program stake in SumUp

25 days paid leave + service-based day

30 days sabbatical after 3 years

Meal support - tax-free vouchers

On-site health & life insurance

Multisport card

Referral bonus

Job summary

SumUp is seeking a backend engineer to design, build, and operate production-grade services in Go, with a focus on APIs, data contracts, and distributed systems. You’ll implement event-driven workflows using Kafka and collaborate across Product, Data, and Compliance to deliver scalable fintech solutions.

You’ll own designs end-to-end, improve reliability, and contribute to a security-conscious, auditable environment while working with a global SumUp team from our Sofia office and beyond.

Qualifications

• Strong backend engineering background with Go or a similar typed language
• APIs and distributed systems design with clear contracts and versioning
• Fluent in relational and analytical databases (PostgreSQL, Snowflake)
• Kafka-based event-driven systems and data streaming experience
• Experience with auditable, high-trust fintech or payments domains
• Proficient testing, observability, and incident response practices
• Ability to own problems end-to-end and communicate trade-offs clearly

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and operate production-grade backend services, APIs, and integrations (Go)
• Develop event-driven workflows using Kafka and asynchronous processing
• Define service boundaries, data models, and API contracts for cross-team use
• Support merchant acquisition, identity, marketing tech, operations, risk, and compliance
• Own work end-to-end from discovery through deployment and monitoring
• Improve reliability via observability, security, and incident response
• Collaborate with Product, Data, Ops, Compliance, Risk, Sales, Marketing to turn requirements into solutions
• Review code and designs, share knowledge, and mentor engineers

Skills

Go backend

APIs & contracts

Relational DBs

Kafka

Event-driven

Auditable fintech

Testing & Observability

Ownership & collaboration

Communication

Tools

PostgreSQL

Snowflake

Job description

About the Run & Grow:

Run & Grow is where SumUp builds the platforms and capabilities that help merchants discover, join, use, and continue growing with our products. The tribe brings together engineering, product, design, and revenue operations teams around two connected goals: helping SumUp serve and retain merchants, and accelerating acquisition, activation, and engagement.

Our work sits at the heart of SumUp’s growth engine. We turn complex challenges across merchant acquisition, identity, marketing technology, commercial systems, operations, risk, and compliance into reliable products and services that other teams can build on. The systems we create help SumUp move faster, make better decisions, and deliver a simpler experience to millions of small businesses.

Joining Run & Grow means working on high-impact engineering problems with a broad view of the business. You’ll collaborate across disciplines and teams, shape the foundations behind important merchant journeys, and help create a more connected, scalable way for SumUp to run and grow.

What you’ll do:

• Design, build, and operate production-grade backend services, APIs, and integrations, primarily using Go.
• Build event-driven workflows and distributed systems using technologies such as Kafka and asynchronous processing.
• Define clear service boundaries, data models, schemas, and API contracts that other teams can use confidently.
• Build capabilities supporting merchant acquisition, identity, marketing technology, operations, risk, and compliance.
• Own technical work end to end, from discovery and system design through implementation, testing, deployment, and production follow-up.
• Modernise existing services and improve reliability through observability, security, failure handling, and incident response.
• Collaborate with Product, Data, Operations, Compliance, Risk, Sales, Marketing, and other engineering teams to turn complex requirements into practical solutions.
• Review code and designs, make pragmatic technical trade-offs, share knowledge, and mentor engineers around you

You’ll be great for this role if you:

• Bring a strong backend engineering background in Go, or are a typed-language generalist ready to ramp up quickly
• Have designed APIs and distributed systems with clear contracts, versioning, and integration patterns
• Are fluent in relational and analytical databases (PostgreSQL, Snowflake) and comfortable making the right choice for the right use case
• Have built Kafka-based, event-driven systems and understand event sourcing and CDC patterns
• Have experience in auditable, high-trust systems where every decision must be traceable fintech, payments, or similar domains
• Have experience with testing, observability, and incident response practices and treat them as first-class concerns, not afterthoughts
• Take ownership of ambiguous problems and turn them into clear, scalable, and maintainable solutions.
• Communicate clearly, collaborate effectively, and explain technical concepts and trade-offs to different audiences.
• Value pragmatic engineering, continuous improvement, mentoring, and reliable production operations.

Why you should join SumUp:

• Opportunity to work with SumUppers globally on large-scale fintech products used by millions of businesses worldwide, from our Sofia office. This involves an office-first setup
• We take learning and experimentation seriously with Hack Days every second Friday, and entire global Hack Weeks.
• Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: Be part of a workplace that values and promotes diversity, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone's perspectives are respected and embraced
• A dedicated annual L&D budget of €2,000 for attending conferences and/or advancing your career through further education
• Enrolment onto our VSOP program: You will own a stake in SumUp’s future success
• Generous time off: 25 days of paid leave, plus one extra day per year of service (up to 35), along with public holidays and special leave options
• 30 Days Sabbatical: Enjoy the unique opportunity to take a well-deserved break with our 30 days sabbatical benefit after completing 3 years of employment with SumUp
• Meal support: benefit from a tax-free food voucher program plus flexibility via our Re:Benefits platform
• Easy commute: free shuttle buses connecting directly to Joliot-Curie metro station
• Peace of mind: additional health insurance and life insurance
• Stay active: on-site yoga and a co-sponsored Multisport card offering access to hundreds of sports facilities
• Referral Bonus: Earn additional rewards by referring talented individuals to join the SumUp team

SumUp is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that proudly pursues and hires a diverse workforce. SumUp does not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, colour, religion or religious belief, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age or any other basis protected by applicable laws or prohibited by Company policy. SumUp also strives for a healthy and safe workplace and strictly prohibits harassment of any kind.

About us:

Be empowered to do more that matters.

At SumUp, we're on a mission to empower small businesses across the globe by providing simple and affordable tools that allow them to thrive. Today, over 4 million businesses in 36 markets rely on SumUp as their financial partner to manage payments, finance and customer relationships.

Our commitment to small businesses is reflected in our diverse team of over 3,000 SumUppers from over 90 nationalities, united by global collaboration and an innovative mindset. Our core values lay the foundation for who we are and what we stand for, shaping our work culture and driving our success. We foster inclusivity and a continuous learning culture, providing a safe space for personal and professional growth. Our differences make us unique and strong as we strive to create an environment where everyone belongs and feels supported, no matter how they identify.

SumUp is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, actively seeking and embracing diversity in our workforce. We don't make hiring or employment decisions based on race, colour, religion or religious belief, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age or any other basis protected by applicable laws or prohibited by company policy. Our commitment extends beyond recruitment to creating a safe and respectful workplace where harassment of any form is strictly prohibited.

Explore career opportunities with us and join a team driven by collaboration, innovation, and a shared vision of creating a world where everyone can build a thriving business. Discover more about our vibrant and inclusive work culture and how we work on our careers website, and follow our journey on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Job Application Tip

We recognise that candidates feel they need to meet 100% of the job criteria in order to apply for a job. Please note that this is only a guide. If you don’t tick every box, it’s ok too because it means you have room to learn and develop your career at SumUp.