Staff Software Engineer

Pacificacontinental; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Pacificacontinental is seeking a Staff Engineer in San Francisco, California. This key role involves leading the technical foundation, collaborating with finance teams, and mentoring junior engineers. The ideal candidate has over 10 years of experience with backend development and cloud platforms.

This position emphasizes problem-solving and innovative thinking, with opportunities to influence cross‑functional initiatives while maintaining a hands-on approach in driving key technical decisions.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience as a Software Engineer in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong expertise in backend development.
• Solid understanding of distributed systems and system design principles.

Responsibilities

• Identify and solve technical challenges impacting growth.
• Architect new solutions and ensure they meet business goals.
• Foster a culture of learning by mentoring junior engineers.
• Drive continuous improvement in our platform and processes.

Skills

Backend development

Cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure)

Programming languages (Java, Python, PHP)

Distributed systems

Problem-solving

Team collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline

Job description

The Staff Engineer is responsible for leading our technical foundation, initially collaborating with the Money - Finance engine teams to drive innovation, with the opportunity to work with other teams as well, taking on a mentoring role, designing scalable systems, and influencing cross‑functional initiatives, in a hands‑on position where they will make key technical decisions and build critical services.

Responsibilities

• Solve Critical Problems: Identify, prioritize, and solve technical challenges impacting growth.
• Lead and Collaborate: Architect new solutions, implement newer patterns/frameworks that other candidates can use and implement, identify potential system‑wide solutions, and guide teams, ensuring solutions meet business goals and technical standards.
• Mentor & Develop: Foster a culture of learning, guiding junior engineers.
• Innovate & Improve: Drive continuous improvement in our platform and processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline such as computer science, software engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience as a Software Engineer in a fast‑paced, high‑growth environment, working with cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure.
• Strong expertise in backend development with proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Java, Python, PHP, or similar, as well as both relational and NoSQL databases.
• Solid understanding of distributed systems and system design principles.
• A can‑do attitude and creative, flexible problem‑solving abilities, with the ability to think critically in ambiguous situations.
• Being a team player, including review, pair programming, collaboration in one task, mentoring or being mentored.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present technical concepts to non‑technical stakeholders.
• Desirable experience with mobile technologies or mobile payment systems, including the fraud and identity aspects of fintech, as well as in building and maintaining large‑scale systems used by millions of users.