Senior Software Engineer, Backend (Consumer)

Affirm, Inc.; Detroit (MI); Remote; USD 173,000 - 255,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% subsidized medical coverage

Monthly tech spending stipend

Flexible time off

Employee stock purchase plan

Job summary

Affirm, Inc. is seeking a backend engineer on Consumer Engineering to own and deliver quarterly goals, lead engineers, and collaborate across product, design, and analytics. You will identify issues, monitor metrics, and contribute to a culture of quality and ownership.

Remote-first with flexible in-person onboarding within the U.S. helps you grow and ship at scale. You will design and implement highly available systems using Python or Kotlin, AWS, MySQL, and Kubernetes, and drive safe,

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience designing, developing and launching backend systems at scale.
• Experience with Python or Kotlin and building highly available distributed systems.
• Proven ability to own and deliver features with clear plans and safe large changes.
• Strong verbal and written communication for global collaboration.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver quarterly goals for your team and guide engineers through ambiguity.
• Collaborate with product, design and analytics in ideation and planning.
• Identify and lead solving project, process or technology issues.
• Maintain team artifacts with metrics and support on-call efforts.
• Set and uphold code review and design standards across teams.
• Mentor teammates and lead by example.

Skills

Python or Kotlin

AWS

MySQL

Kubernetes

Distributed systems

Code quality

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

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.

Consumer Engineering builds the affirm experience millions of people use to pay over time, honestly and without hidden fees. We own the affirm app, web checkout, and the account tools people use to manage purchases, payments, and savings. Our engineers work closely with product and design to ship fast, test often, and make every interaction simple and transparent.

You will be matched with a role on Consumer Engineering after completing the interview evaluation process. Your recruiter will work closely with you throughout the process to understand your interests and experience to find the strongest role fit.

What You’ll Do

• You will be responsible for owning and delivering quarterly goals for your team, leading engineers on your team through ambiguity to solve open-ended problems, and ensuring that everyone is supported throughout delivery.
• You will support your peers and stakeholders in the product development lifecycle by collaborating with product management, design & analytics by participating in ideation, articulating technical constraints, and partnering on decisions that properly consider risks and trade-offs.
• You will proactively identify project, process, technology or business issues, advocate for them, and lead in solving them.
• You will support the operations and availability of your team’s artifacts by creating and monitoring metrics, escalating when needed, and supporting “keep the lights on” & on-call efforts.
• You will foster a culture of quality and ownership on your team by setting or improving 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 4+ years of experience designing, developing and launching backend systems at scale using languages like Python or Kotlin.
• You have a track record of developing highly available distributed systems using technologies like AWS, MySQL and Kubernetes.
• You have experience defining a technical plan for the delivery of a significant feature or system component with an elegant, simple and extensible design. You write high quality code that is easily understood and used by others.
• You are proficient at making significant changes in a large code base, and have developed a suite of tools and practices that enable you and your team to do so safely.
• Your experience demonstrates that you take ownership of your growth, proactively seeking feedback from your team, your manager, and your stakeholders.
• You have strong verbal and written communication skills that support effective collaboration with our global engineering team.
• 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

• 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.