Lead Engineer

Xero; San Mateo (CA); Hybrid; USD 206,600 - 258,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) match

21 days PTO

Wellbeing leave (10 days)

Job summary

Xero is hiring to shape the technical foundation for money movement, building scalable backend services and guiding architectural decisions that impact millions of subscribers.

You will contribute to production code, tackle fintech challenges at scale, and collaborate with product, security, risk, and operations to deliver measurable business outcomes.

The team focuses on payments orchestration, fraud risk, multi-provider integration, and AI-assisted engineering productivity.

Qualifications

• Deliver highly available, distributed backend systems.
• Strong knowledge of system architecture, API design, SQL/NoSQL.
• Proficient in C#, Java, Golang, or C++, and AWS.
• Hands-on with production code, POCs, and deep dives.
• Leadership: set direction, mentor engineers, foster inclusion.
• Break down complex problems into actionable solutions and drive agile delivery.
• Partner with Product, Design, and cross-functional teams.
• Advocate AI tooling to accelerate development.

Responsibilities

• Design and build payment platform capabilities (orchestration, risk & fraud, multi-provider).
• Develop a global bill payment product for SMB cash flow.
• Develop core high-throughput platform services.
• Integrate AI capabilities to accelerate productivity and workflows.

Skills

Distributed backend systems

System architecture

Backend languages (C#, Java, Golang, C

AWS / cloud-native

Hands-on production code

Leadership & mentoring

Problem decomposition

Cross-functional collaboration

AI tooling adoption

Job description

The role / impact

In this role, you will help shape the technical foundation for money movement capabilities while unlocking new product lines globally. You will guide the design and development of reliable, scalable, performant, and secure services for the platform, ensuring operational excellence and direct business outcomes.

This is a rare chance to join an early‑stage initiative, make foundational architectural decisions, and have a visible impact on the future of small businesses. By contributing directly to production code and proof‑of‑concepts, you will solve complex financial technology challenges at a massive scale.

The team / how they connect

The Payments Platform team is the engine powering money movement across the entire ecosystem, collaborating closely with product, security, risk, and operations. We are a highly collaborative collective that values technical excellence, inclusion, and continuous innovation. Together, we work cross‑functionally to translate complex business needs into resilient engineering solutions that support millions of subscribers.

The team is currently working on / Initially, you will focus on

• Designing and building out payment platform capabilities, such as orchestration, risks & fraud, multi‑providers, to accelerate various payment products development and improve operational posture
• Building out a global bill payment product to streamline how small businesses manage their cash flow
• Developing core high‑throughput platform services
• Integrating and championing artificial intelligence capabilities to accelerate engineering productivity and enhance developer workflows

Where and how you can work

We support a hybrid working model that blends the flexibility of working from home with the collaboration of being in the office. You will spend time connecting with your team in our modern office spaces on designated boost days, balancing focused independent work with in‑person connection.

Here are some of the things we are looking for

• You bring a proven track record of delivering highly available, distributed backend systems and designing high‑throughput services under real‑world constraints
• A deep understanding of system architecture, API design, and both SQL and NoSQL databases is essential
• Your background includes proficiency in modern backend stacks such as C#, Java, Golang, or C++, alongside cloud‑native platforms like AWS
• You are passionate about staying hands‑on contributing directly to production code, proof‑of‑concepts, and technical deep dives.
• You possess strong leadership capabilities, with a passion for setting technical direction, mentoring engineers, and fostering an inclusive culture
• You demonstrate strong ability in breaking down complex problems into clear, actionable solutions while driving agile execution to deliver results.
• You are a strong partner to Product, Design, and other cross‑functional teams to translate complex business needs into resilient engineering solutions.
• You are a champion of advanced usage in AI tools and practices across the team to accelerate development workflows.

Apply even if your experience isn't a perfect match! At Xero, we hire based on your skills, passion, and the unique perspective you can bring to enhance our culture and team.

Compensation & Total Rewards

At Xero, we value the impact and skills you bring to the team. We don’t just hire for a role; we invest in people. We believe in a Total Package philosophy - which means your value isn't just a single number on a paycheck. While base salary is a core component, we look at your compensation through a holistic lens that includes equity, performance incentives, and world‑class benefits.

The expected base salary range for this role in:

• California: $206,600 - $258,200 USD

Individual pay is determined by various factors, including geography, level of experience, and the specific skills you bring to the role.

In addition to base pay, Xero’s roles are eligible for the following forms of variable compensation:

• Variable Pay: Permanent employees are eligible to participate in our annual bonus and equity (RSU) programs. You may also be eligible for performance‑based cash or equity (RSUs) incentives depending on your role level, and company performance.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401(k) match, and 21 days PTO, 10 days of Wellbeing leave, 5 days of Xtra Leave, 1 volunteer day, 12 paid holidays, paid parental leave. Further information included on our Xero Perks page.

Xero uses AI to help screen applications based on job‑related qualifications. These tools assist our recruiters but do not make automated hiring decisions. A human recruiter reviews all candidates before any hiring action is taken.