Senior Software Engineer, Backend (Card Loan Platform)

Affirm; Madison (WI); Remote; USD 173,000 - 233,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage 100% for employees and

Tech/equipment stipends

Flexible time off

Employee stock purchase plan

Job summary

Affirm is seeking a senior software engineer to drive technical strategy and lead end-to-end system design for large-scale, highly available services. You will build robust APIs and data models for micro-service architectures while collaborating across Product, Analytics, Design, Legal, and Accounting to shape the card loan attribution lifecycle.

The role emphasizes mentoring, code reviews, and championing best practices, with remote-first flexibility in the US.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in software development or engineering with system design knowledge.
• Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• Proficient in Python, Kotlin, and modern cloud platforms.
• Experience with AWS/Azure/Google Cloud and containers (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Knowledge of SQL/NoSQL databases, web frameworks, and RESTful APIs.

Responsibilities

• Drive technical strategy by planning, prioritizing, and executing projects aligned with goals.
• Lead end-to-end system design of large-scale, high-availability services with robust APIs.
• Collaborate across Product, Analytics, Design, Legal, and Accounting to define requirements.
• Ensure health and performance by diagnosing issues and driving scalable solutions.
• Mentor engineers, lead design reviews, and promote best practices.

Skills

System design

Leadership

Communication

Analytical thinking

Python

Kotlin

AWS

Azure

Google Cloud

Docker

Kubernetes

RESTful APIs

SQL

NoSQL

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

SQL

NoSQL

Web frameworks

REST API development

Job description

What You’ll Do

• Drive technical strategy by leading the planning, prioritization, and execution of projects, ensuring alignment with product, technical, and business goals.
• Lead the end-to-end system design and development of large-scale, high-availability services. This includes building robust APIs and data models for our micro-service and event-driven architectures.
• Collaborate across functions with partners in Product, Analytics, Design, Legal, and Accounting and to define requirements and execute our card loan attribution and lifecycle strategy.
• Ensure system health and performance by analyzing and troubleshooting complex technical issues, optimizing existing code, and driving solutions that focus on long-term robustness and scalability.
• Mentor and grow the team by guiding junior engineers, leading technical discussions and design reviews, and championing best practices through code review.

What We Look For

• 5+ years of experience in software development or engineering, with a deep understanding of system design and architecture.
• Motivated leader, inspiring team growth and fostering a culture of continuous learning
• Excellent communicator, adept at sharing complex ideas with diverse audiences.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with a creative and solution-oriented mindset.
• Proficiency in modern programming languages such as Python, Kotlin, or similar.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Knowledge of database systems (SQL, NoSQL), web frameworks, and RESTful API development.
• This position requires either equivalent practical experience or a Bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Base Pay Grade - N

Equity Grade - USA 9

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 equity rewards, monthly stipends for health, wellness and tech spending, and benefits (including 100% subsidized medical coverage, dental and vision for you and your dependents.)

USA Pacific base pay range (CA, WA, NY, NJ, CT): $195,000 - $255,000

USA Sapphire base pay range (all other U.S. states): $173,000 - $233,000

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.