Senior Software Engineer, Backend (Card Loan Platform)

Affirm; San Diego (CA); Remote; USD 173,000 - 255,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% subsidized medical coverage

Monthly tech stipend

Employee stock purchase plan (ESPP)

Flexible time off

Job summary

Affirm is seeking an engineering leader to drive technical strategy and execute on large-scale system design. You will build robust APIs and data models for micro-service and event-driven architectures while aligning with product and business goals.

You will mentor junior engineers, lead design reviews, and promote best practices across teams, contributing to a remote-first, nationwide workflow.

Qualifications

• This role requires 5+ years in software engineering or similar, with system design expertise.
• Strong leadership and communication skills are essential.
• Proficiency in modern languages Python or Kotlin and RESTful APIs.
• Experience with cloud platforms and containerization is required.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience is acceptable.

Responsibilities

• Drive technical strategy by planning and executing projects aligned with goals.
• Lead end-to-end system design of large-scale, high-availability services.
• Collaborate across Product, Analytics, Design, Legal, and Accounting to define requirements.
• Ensure health and performance by analyzing issues and optimizing code for robustness.
• Mentor engineers and champion best practices through code reviews.

Skills

System design

Leadership

Communication

Analytical thinking

Python

Kotlin

Cloud platforms

Docker

Kubernetes

REST APIs

SQL/NoSQL

Bachelor’s degree

Education

Bachelor's degree (related field)

Tools

AWS

Azure

Google Cloud

Docker

Kubernetes

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.