Senior Software Engineer, Backend (Continuous Delivery)

About the Role

As a senior engineer, you will be responsible for leading the development and improvement of platforms, workflows, and guardrails that help engineers move from idea to production faster, with better safety, consistency, and developer experience. Your expertise will be crucial in solving one of Affirm's most important engineering challenges: scaling developer productivity in an era where the software development lifecycle is increasingly AI-enhanced.

The team works on the path between a developer's laptop and production, including developer environments, test automation, code standards, CI/CD, and release engineering. Your role will involve collaboration with various stakeholders, including product management, design, and analytics, to ensure that technical constraints and risks are properly considered in decision-making processes.

What You Will Do

• Own and deliver quarterly goals for your team, guiding engineers through ambiguity to solve open-ended problems.
• Collaborate with product management, design, and analytics to participate in ideation, articulate technical constraints, and partner on decision-making.
• Proactively identify project, process, technology, or business issues, advocate for them, and lead in solving them.
• Support the operations and availability of your team's artifacts by creating and monitoring metrics, escalating when needed, and supporting 'keep the lights on' and on-call efforts.
• Foster a culture of quality and ownership on your team by setting or improving code review and design standards.
• Help develop talent on your team by providing feedback and guidance, and leading by example.
• Participate in and contribute to the broader engineering community through tech talks and writing.
• Ensure that all solutions are scalable, secure, and compliant with regulatory requirements.
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends and emerging technologies, applying this knowledge to improve current systems and processes.

What We Are Looking For

• 4+ years of experience designing, developing, and launching backend systems at scale using languages like Python or Kotlin.
• A track record of developing highly available distributed systems using technologies like AWS, MySQL, and Kubernetes.
• Experience building or evolving CI/CD, deployment, or release automation systems that reduce manual toil and improve rollout predictability, recovery, and auditability.
• Comfort working on shared developer infrastructure and defining clear platform interfaces, templates, or guardrails.
• Experience defining a technical plan for the delivery of a significant feature or system component with an elegant, simple, and well-documented design.
• Strong understanding of software development principles, patterns, and best practices.
• Ability to work effectively in a remote environment, with excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Nice to Have

• Experience with AI-enhanced software development lifecycle tools and technologies.
• Knowledge of containerization using Docker and container orchestration using Kubernetes.
• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and version control systems like Git.
• Experience with cloud-based platforms and services, particularly AWS.

Benefits and Perks

• Competitive salary and equity package.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Flexible PTO policy and remote work stipend.
• Access to professional development opportunities and training programs.
• Participation in Affirm's 401(k) plan.
• A dynamic, supportive work environment with a team of experienced professionals.
• Opportunities for career growth and advancement within the company.
• Recognition and reward programs for outstanding performance and contributions.

• Highlight Your CI/CD Experience: Make sure your resume and portfolio demonstrate your expertise in continuous integration and delivery, including any experience with automation tools and pipelines.
• Prepare for Technical Interviews: Review common backend system design questions and practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms.
• Showcase Your Collaboration Skills: Emphasize your ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams, including product management and design, to drive technical decisions.
• Stay Up-to-Date with Industry Trends: Show a keen interest in the latest technologies and trends in software development, especially those related to AI-enhanced development lifecycles.
• Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Approach: Be ready to walk through your process for identifying and solving complex engineering challenges, highlighting your analytical and creative thinking skills.
• Be Ready to Discuss Your Leadership Style: As a senior engineer, you'll be expected to lead and mentor junior engineers. Prepare examples of how you've led teams or projects in the past and your approach to fostering a culture of quality and ownership.