Senior Software Engineer, MLOps

Forward Financing; United States; On-site; USD 175,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

401k match for US employees

Flexible time-off policy

Parental leave

Job summary

Forward Financing is seeking an experienced software engineer to Design, build, and operate the online feature store and data pipelines that power production ML models. You will work on real-time serving, Postgres schemas, and collaborate with data science and product teams to deliver reliable engineering solutions.

The role emphasizes leadership in feature store infrastructure, mentoring, and implementing scalable, observable systems while supporting a flexible work environment in a growing

Qualifications

• 5+ years of software experience with a focus on backend systems (Python required) and 2-3 years of MLOps experience.
• Strong experience with relational databases (Postgres preferred) including schema design and query optimization.
• Experience building and operating real-time inference systems.
• Understanding of reliability and correctness for ML-serving infrastructure (data freshness, skew, feature consistency).
• Experience in multi-service architectures and Agile software development.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and operate the online feature store for real-time model serving.
• Build and maintain data pipelines (batch and streaming) for features.
• Work on data models and PostgreSQL schemas to support real-time serving at scale.
• Lead feature store infrastructure improvements for quality, scalability, reliability, and observability.
• Partner with Data Science, Analytics Engineering, Product Management, and App Development teams to translate requirements into production-ready solutions.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to best practices in code reviews and design discussions.

Skills

Python

Backend systems

MLOps

Relational databases

Real-time inference

Multi-service architectures

Agile software development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Data Engineering

Tools

Feast

Tecton

SageMaker Feature Store

MLflow

Airflow

dbt

PostgreSQL

Job description

• Excellent written and verbal communication

Forward Financing is a financial technology company based in Boston, Massachusetts with team members throughout the United States, Dominican Republic, and Canada. The company is on a mission to unlock the capital that fuels small businesses across America. Recognized as a Best Place to Work by Built In Boston and certified as a Great Place To Work®, Forward is investing in its employees, technology, and customer experience – with long-term success in mind every step of the way.

In This Role You Will

• Design, build, and operate the online feature store - the real-time serving layer that delivers ML features to production models with low latency and strong consistency guarantees


• Build and maintain data pipelines (batch and streaming) that compute, validate, and publish features from source systems into the online and offline stores


• Work on the data models and Postgres schemas that back real-time feature serving, optimizing for query performance, freshness, and scale


• Act as a technical leader for feature store infrastructure; help drive enhancements to quality, scalability, reliability, and observability for the systems ML models depend on


• Partner closely with our Data Science, Analytics Engineering, Product Management, and Application Development teams to translate business requirements into production‑grade engineering solutions


• Contribute to mentoring for junior engineers


• Contributing to best practices and raising the bar through thoughtful code reviews and contributions to technical design discussions

Why You Should Apply

• Mission-driven company: Forward is a trusted source of fast, flexible funding for small businesses that have often been underserved by traditional financing options. When you join the team, you will help ensure all small businesses have access to the financial support they need to succeed.


• Flexibility is a top priority: Our employees are empowered to choose where they want to work (whether that’s from home, in the office, or a combination of both).

Role Requirements

• 5+ years of software experience, with a focus on backend systems (Python required) and 2-3 years of MLOps experience


• Strong experience with relational databases (Postgres preferred) - schema design, query optimization, and operating databases under production load


• Experience building and operating real-time inference systems


• Understanding of the unique reliability and correctness demands of ML-serving infrastructure (data freshness, training/serving skew, feature consistency)


• Experience in mutli-service architectures and design patterns


• Experience in Agile software development


• Typically has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or a related field, or additional relevant experience

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience with feature stores (e.g., Feast, Tecton, SageMaker Feature Store) or building an equivalent system in-house


• Experience with MLOps tooling (e.g., MLflow, Airflow, dbt) and ML model deployment/serving patterns


• Experience designing and implementing complex systems across multiple software applications and/or languages


• Excellent written and verbal communication


• Ability to influence others


• Demonstrated project management skills

Compensation

Annual Salary: $175,000 - $220,000 USD

Annual Bonus: You have the potential to earn an additional 10% annual bonus.

At Forward Financing, we're committed to fair and transparent compensation. We believe in providing a compensation package that recognizes your skills, experience, and the unique value you bring to our team. We take a market-based approach to pay, regularly reviewing benchmark data to ensure our compensation remains competitive, equitable, and aligned with our performance-driven culture.

Final offers are determined by a variety of factors, including the candidate's qualifications, relevant experience, specific skills, and internal equity. This approach ensures that our compensation is competitive and equitable.

Our Culture: The Forward Compass

The Forward Compass is the standard we hold for ourselves and one another—guiding how we lead, collaborate, and show up every day to move in the same direction.

• Back the Builders: We are wired to fuel customer progress, not just provide support.


• Rooted in People: We create an environment that balances deep connection with the extreme ownership and honesty required to reach our highest potential.


• Flying V: We move through coordinated effort with speed and urgency to achieve what no individual could do alone.


• Always Forward, Never Finished: We pursue growth with a relentless drive that keeps us ahead of the competition.

About Us

Forward Financing is a financial technology company based in Boston, Massachusetts with an operational hub in Santiago, Dominican Republic, on a mission to unlock the capital that fuels small businesses across America. Whether facing challenges accessing traditional financing or simply needing a convenient, flexible solution, Forward is committed to funding more of the millions of small businesses nationwide. Forward offers revenue-based financing – delivering an upfront sum of working capital in exchange for a set amount of the business’s future revenue. By simplifying the requirements, streamlining the process, and using advanced proprietary technology, Forward is often able to deliver approvals within hours and funds that same day – giving more businesses the financial opportunity they need to thrive. Plus, with their dedicated teams and award-winning service, customers get personalized support when they need it most.

Since 2012, Forward has expanded access to capital by providing over $3.5 billion in funding to more than 71,000 small businesses. The company is A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau with an Excellent / 4.7 stars rating on Trustpilot.com. Recognized as a Best Place to Work by Built In Boston and certified as a Great Place To Work®, Forward is dedicated to empowering both its team and the customers they serve, helping them succeed and thrive.

Perks & Benefits

At Forward, our team members are at the heart of our company, and we are committed to taking care of them as people, not just employees. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to: medical, dental, vision, and commuter benefits, a flexible time‑off policy, paid parental leave, 401k match for US employees, wellness reimbursement, volunteering days, annual professional development budget, and charitable donation match.

Workplace flexibility is a top priority at Forward too. Our Employee Choice policy means that almost all of our employees get to decide where they work. As a business, we are focused on impact; we are more concerned with your contributions to the success of the company than where you get your work done. If face‑to‑face time is desired, people managers are empowered to find a cadence that works for their team.

When we aren’t collaborating to drive business and support our customers, we’re finding virtual and in‑person ways to get to know our colleagues, celebrate team wins, and have fun together!

U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Information

Forward Financing is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and is committed to fostering a fair and inclusive culture built on a foundation of high performance and exceptional customer experience. With a laser focus on employee impact, we’re able to reduce biases and ensure the right people are in the right jobs to contribute to our mission. The varied perspectives of our people fuel innovation and make us a stronger team. By embracing what makes each of us unique, we create a supportive environment where people feel valued, accepted, and empowered to thrive.

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