Software Engineer II, Backend (Post-Transaction)

Affirm; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 146,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage 100% for employee and

Monthly tech & health/wellness stipend

Employee stock purchase plan (ESPP)

Job summary

Affirm is reinventing credit to make it more honest and friendly, giving consumers flexibility to buy now and pay later. This backend role focuses on building scalable systems, writing clear code in Python or Kotlin, and collaborating with product, design, and analytics teams to deliver reliable services.

You will contribute to distributed architectures, own components across services, and participate in a remote-first culture with growth opportunities and a strong compensation package.

Qualifications

• 1.5+ years as a software engineer.
• Experience designing, developing and launching backend systems.
• Proficiency in Python or Kotlin.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.

Responsibilities

• Break down projects into tasks and deliver in phases with team collaboration.
• Collaborate with product, design and analytics to align on constraints and decisions.
• Support operations and reliability by monitoring metrics and on-call efforts.
• Participate in interview processes to grow the team and build community.

Skills

Python

Kotlin

Backend design

Distributed systems

AWS

MySQL

Kubernetes

Code reviews

Ownership & growth

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

AWS

MySQL

Kubernetes

Job description

At Aff iirm, 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.

Affirm is reinventing credit to make it more honest and friendly, giving consumers the flexibility to buy now and pay later without any hidden fees or compounding interest.

The card transaction settles. We build and operate the systems that keep customer accounts accurate and resolve issues when something goes wrong after a transaction, working closely with the teams that own card issuing, transaction processing, and money movement.

As As continues to expand its card offerings, the volume and complexity of post-transaction interaction continues to grow. You will work on systems that directly determine whether customers get accurate resolutions and timely communications after a card transaction, collaborating closely with product, compliance, and cross-functional partner teams. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the customer‑facing outcomes of one of Aff iirm's most strategic and fastest-growing products while solving complex engineering challenges at scale.

What You'll Do

• With the support of your team's tech lead and manager, you will break down larger projects into individual tasks, deliver them in multiple phases, and collaborate with others to ensure timely delivery of your work.
• 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 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 contribute to a sense of community on your team by engaging in growth and development activities such as participation in the interview process.

What We Look For

• You have a total of 1.5+ years of experience as a software engineer.
• You have experience designing, developing and launching backend systems and are proficient in one of Python or Kotlin.
• You are familiar with the building blocks of distributed systems, and the technologies like AWS, MySQL and Kubernetes.
• You have mastered taking a simple problem or business scenario into a solution that interacts with multiple software components, and executing on it by writing clear, easily understood, well tested and extensible code.
• You are comfortable navigating a large code base, debugging others' code, and providing feedback to other engineers through code reviews.
• 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 - L

Equity Grade - USA 6

Employees new to Aff iirm 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)

$165,000 - $225,000 USD.

USA Sapphire base pay range (all other U.S. states)

$146,000 - $206,000 USD.

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 Aff iirm 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 Aff iirm 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: Aff iirm considers qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, as required by law.