Software Engineer II, Backend (Streaming)

Affirm; Los Angeles (CA); Remote; USD 165,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Tech stipends

Time off

ESPP

Job summary

Affirm is a remote-first company hiring a Software Engineer for the Streaming team. You’ll design, build, and scale backend services using Python or Kotlin, and work with Kafka, Flink, AWS, and Kubernetes to power data platforms.

The role emphasizes ownership, collaboration, and delivering robust, well-tested code while contributing to a strong engineering culture across the team.

Qualifications

• 1.5+ years of software engineering experience.
• Experience designing, developing, and launching backend systems; proficient in Python or Kotlin.
• Familiar with distributed systems and AWS, Kafka, Flink, and Kubernetes.
• Able to write clear, well-tested, extensible code and navigate large codebases.
• Strong communication and ownership mindset; Bachelor's or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Break down projects into tasks and deliver in phases.
• Collaborate with product, design, and analytics to define constraints and decisions.
• Monitor metrics and support on-call efforts to keep services running.
• Contribute to team growth and participate in interviews.

Skills

Backend systems

Python

Kotlin

Distributed systems

AWS

Kafka

Flink

Kubernetes

Code quality

Ownership

Communication

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.

The Streaming team at affirm is responsible for all things data and drives the strategy for event driven architecture, stream processing, data exploration, discovery and validation. We leverage existing open source technologies like Kafka, Flink, Schema registry and also build our own as needed. As a member of our team you would spend time identifying and executing on new use cases of data infrastructure, designing and scaling our existing infrastructure and working closely with other teams to promote the optimal use of data at the company.

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, Kafka, Flink 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 - 6

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 base pay range (CA, WA, NY, NJ, CT) per year: 165,000 - 225,000

USA base pay range (all other U.S. states) per year: 146,000 - 206,000

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.