Senior Software Engineer, Identity

OhioX; United States; Remote; USD 167,000 - 242,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual wellness allowance

401(k) with company match

Employee stock purchase plan (ESPP)

Comprehensive health coverage

Job summary

Upstart is hiring a Senior Software Engineer for the Identity team. You will build secure, scalable backend services powering login, account management, authentication, and authorization.

You will own projects from design to delivery, partnering with Product and Security to deliver secure customer experiences across Upstart products. The role emphasizes backend work with optional frontend exposure and requires building robust, secure systems while accelerating delivery with AI-assisted tools

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience plus 4 years of software engineering experience.
• Experience designing, building, testing, and maintaining production backend software or services.
• Experience owning software engineering projects through multiple stages of the development lifecycle.
• Experience designing or integrating APIs, services, or other components within distributed production systems.
• Experience applying software engineering practices including code review, automated testing, debugging, and production support.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and operate backend systems powering login, account management, authentication, and authorization across Upstart products.
• Own engineering projects from problem definition through design, implementation, testing, deployment, and improvement.
• Balance security needs with customer experience and reduce unnecessary friction.
• Collaborate with Product, Information Security, and engineering teams to deliver secure capabilities and guide product direction.
• Identify opportunities to improve reliability, maintainability, and security of interconnected systems.

Skills

Backend development

API design

Security practices

Distributed systems

QA/Testing

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience

Tools

Cursor

Claude Code

Job description

About Upstart

At Upstart, we’re united by a mission that matters: to radically reduce the cost and complexity of borrowing for all Americans. Every day, we bring creativity, experimentation, and advanced AI to reshape access to credit, helping millions move forward financially with clarity and confidence.

As the leading AI lending marketplace, we partner with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit through technology that’s both radically intelligent and deeply human. Our platform runs over one million predictions per borrower using more than 3,000 signals, powering smarter, fairer decisions for millions of customers. But the numbers only hint at the impact. Every idea, every voice, and every contribution moves us closer to a world where credit never stands between people and their financial progress.

We’re proudly digital-first, giving most Upstarters the flexibility to do their best work from wherever they thrive, alongside teammates across 80+ cities in the US and Canada. Digital-first doesn’t mean distant. We’re intentional about in-person connection through team onsites, planning sessions, and moments that spark creativity and trust. And whether you choose to work primarily from home or collaborate in-person from one of our offices in Columbus, Austin, the Bay Area, or New York City, you’ll have the support to work in the way that works best for you.

If you’re energized by tackling meaningful problems, excited to innovate with purpose, and motivated by work that truly matters, we’d love to hear from you.

The Team

Upstart’s Identity team builds the systems that help borrowers and lending partners securely access and manage their accounts across Upstart products. The team works at the intersection of product and security, reducing friction in the customer experience while protecting identity and customer data.

As a Senior Software Engineer on the Identity team, you will build secure, reliable backend systems that power login, account management, authentication, and authorization experiences. You’ll own meaningful projects from design through delivery, partner across Product, Information Security, and Application Security, and help evolve how Upstart builds secure customer experiences at scale. This role is primarily backend focused; frontend experience is helpful but not required.

How you'll make an impact

• Design, build, and operate backend systems that power secure login, account management, authentication, and authorization experiences across Upstart products.
• Own engineering projects from problem definition and technical design through implementation, testing, deployment, and ongoing improvement.
• Balance security requirements with customer experience, making thoughtful technical decisions that protect customer data while reducing unnecessary friction.
• Partner with Product, Information Security, Application Security, and engineering teams across Upstart to deliver secure capabilities and influence product direction.
• Identify opportunities to improve the reliability, maintainability, and security of interconnected systems and help establish effective engineering practices across the Identity domain.
• Use AI-assisted development tools such as Cursor and Claude Code to accelerate learning and delivery while applying engineering judgment and validating the resulting work.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience, plus 4 years of software engineering experience.
• Experience designing, building, testing, and maintaining production backend software or services.
• Experience owning software engineering projects through multiple stages of the development lifecycle, from technical design through production delivery.
• Experience designing or integrating APIs, services, or other components within distributed or interconnected production systems.
• Experience applying software engineering practices including code review, automated testing, debugging, and production support.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of identity and access management concepts and standards such as OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, or SAML.
• Experience working in a medium-to-large engineering organization or with systems spanning multiple engineering teams.
• Experience contributing to frontend development in addition to backend systems.
• Experience using AI-assisted development tools such as Cursor, Claude Code, or similar tools in software engineering workflows.
• Ability to learn unfamiliar technical domains, communicate technical decisions and outcomes clearly, and develop deep expertise over time.

Position location

This role is available in the following locations: Remote

Travel requirements

As a digital first company, the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. The majority of our employees can live and work anywhere in the U.S but are encouraged to to still spend high quality time in-person collaborating via regular onsites. The in-person sessions’ cadence varies depending on the team and role; most teams meet once or twice per quarter for 2-4 consecutive days at a time.

At Upstart, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. The anticipated base salary for this position is expected to be within the below range. Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic location–with our “digital first” philosophy, Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

In addition, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and generous benefits packages (including medical, dental, vision, and 401k).

United States | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range $166,900 — $242,400 USD

What you'll love

At Upstart, our benefits for full-time employees are designed to support your health, financial well-being, family, and personal growth. Here’s what you can expect:

• Competitive compensation, including base pay, bonus opportunities, and annual equity grants that vest quarterly
• Retirement benefits to help you plan for the future, including a 401(k) or Group Retirement Savings Plan with a company match of $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 annually (USD in the US, CAD in Canada)
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible employees (US only)
• Comprehensive health coverage designed to support you and your family, including medical, dental, vision, and wellness resources for US and supplemental health coverage for Canada.
• Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans (US only)
• Income protection benefits, including life insurance and disability coverage for added financial security
• Paid time off, sick leave, and company holidays, in line with local requirements
• Paid family and parental leave to support caregiving and major life moments (duration varies by country)
• Family-centered benefits to support fertility, parenthood, and caregiving needs
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering mental health support and life-centered resources
• Financial wellness resources, including access to financial planning tools and a financial concierge service (US Only)
• Annual wellness allowance to support your physical and emotional well-being and personal development, based on what matters most to you
• Annual productivity allowance to invest in relevant tools and resources you need to do your best work, no matter where you work from
• Connection and community through team events, all-company updates, and employee resource groups (ERGs)
• Onsite perks, including catered lunches and fully stocked micro-kitchens when working from one of our offices in the Bay Area, Austin, Columbus, and New York City

For roles based in Canada, please note that we are not currently able to hire in Quebec.

Upstart is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. Just as we are dedicated to improving access to affordable credit for all, we are committed to inclusive and fair hiring practices.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please email [e-mail]

https://www.upstart.com/candidate_privacy_policy