Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Growth Platform)

AffirmAffirm·Remote(Remote US)·Work From Anywhere
Software Development

WFA Digital Insight

As the demand for skilled engineers in fintech grows, Affirm stands out with its honest and friendly approach to credit. With the rise of digital payments, professionals with expertise in backend development are in high demand. This role requires a unique blend of technical strategy, collaboration, and leadership, making it an exciting challenge for experienced engineers. Before applying, candidates should be prepared to showcase their technical vision and ability to drive growth initiatives.

Job Description

About the Role

The Growth Platform team at Affirm is seeking a Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Growth Platform) to build shared backend platforms that power incentives, experimentation, personalization, and data-driven decisioning.

Responsibilities

  • Set technical strategy for the team on a year-long time scale, owning backend platforms that power incentives and growth initiatives across Affirm
  • Collaborate with product management, analytics, and partner teams to shape technical direction for incentive systems
  • Define platform abstractions, APIs, and architectural patterns that enable product teams to safely launch, experiment with, and evolve incentive-based experiences
  • Ensure robust monitoring, alerting, playbooks, and on-call practices for business-critical incentive and growth systems
  • Foster a culture of quality and ownership by setting clear design and code review standards

Requirements

  • 8+ years of experience designing, developing, and launching backend systems at scale using languages like Python or Kotlin
  • Extensive track record of developing highly available distributed systems using technologies such as AWS, MySQL, Spark, and Kubernetes
  • Experience building or evolving shared backend platforms that support Rewards, Loyalty, Incentives, Experimentation, or other growth-critical workflows

How to Stand Out

  • Tip: Showcase your experience with cloud-based technologies like AWS and Kubernetes in your resume and cover letter.
  • Highlight your ability to lead complex technical initiatives and drive cross-team alignment.
  • Be prepared to discuss your approach to setting technical strategy and driving growth initiatives.
  • Emphasize your understanding of distributed systems and how you ensure their scalability and reliability.
  • Demonstrate your ability to foster a culture of quality and ownership within a team.

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