Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Consumer Payments)
Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Consumer Payments)

Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Consumer Payments)

Full-Time 112000 - 144000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead backend development for Affirm's Payment Processing Network, ensuring high availability and performance.
  • Company: Join Affirm, a fintech innovator making credit transparent and user-friendly.
  • Benefits: Enjoy remote work, competitive pay, health coverage, and generous stipends for tech and lifestyle needs.
  • Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team impacting financial health while fostering a culture of quality and ownership.
  • Qualifications: 8+ years in backend systems with expertise in Python or Kotlin; experience in fintech is a plus.
  • Other info: Remote-first company with a commitment to inclusivity and support during the hiring process.

The predicted salary is between 112000 - 144000 £ per year.

Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Consumer Payments)

Remote UK

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.

As part of the Consumer Payments team at Affirm, you\’ll be working on Affirm\’s Payment Processing Network. These systems process billions of dollars in payments each year and are vital components in Affirm\’s platform. We are looking for highly motivated software engineers who are passionate about building high throughput, high availability systems that can grow alongside a high growth business. You will be working alongside multiple partner teams across Europe and the US to support feature development, international expansion as well as moving the dial on key metrics that help us ensure Affirm users are able to pay in the way they want, without harming their financial health.

What You\’ll Do

  1. You will be responsible for setting technical strategy for your team on a year-long time scale, and help your team tie it together with critical, business-impacting projects.
  2. You will collaborate across teams in the product development lifecycle by collaborating with product management, design & analytics to ensure technical sustainability, risks and trade-offs are well understood and managed.
  3. You will act as a force-multiplier for your team through your definition and advocacy of technical solutions and operational processes.
  4. You take ownership of your team’s operations and availability by ensuring you have the right monitoring, triage rotations, playbooks, policies, testing and alerting in place to support “keep the lights on” & on-call efforts.
  5. You will foster a culture of quality and ownership on your team by setting code review and design standards for your team, and advocating for them beyond your team through your writing and tech talks.
  6. You will help develop talent on your team by providing feedback and guidance, and leading by example.

What We Look For

  1. You have 8+ years of experience designing, developing and launching backend systems at scale using languages like Python or Kotlin.
  2. You have an extensive track record of developing highly available distributed systems using technologies like AWS, MySQL, Spark and Kubernetes.
  3. Knowledge of Payment systems and experience working in the financial technology industry.
  4. You have experience delivering major features, system components or deprecating existing functionality in a system through the definition of a technical and execution plan. You write high quality code that is easily understood and used by others.
  5. You thrive in ambiguity, and are comfortable moving from low level language idioms all the way to the architecture of large systems to understand how they work.
  6. Your growth and impact trajectory demonstrates that you have mastered gathering and iterating on feedback from your engineering and cross-functional peers.
  7. You have strong verbal and written communication skills that support effective collaboration with our global engineering team.

Pay Grade – P
Equity Grade – 7
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 monthly stipends for health, wellness and tech spending, and benefits (including 100% subsidized medical coverage, dental and vision for you and your dependents). In addition, the employees may be eligible for equity rewards offered by Affirm Holdings, Inc. (parent company).

GBR base pay range per year: £140,000 – £180,000

Location – Remote UK

Affirm is proud to be a remote-first company! The majority of our roles are remote and you can work almost anywhere within the country of employment. Affirmers in proximal roles have the flexibility to work remotely, but will occasionally be required to work out of their assigned Affirm office. A limited number of roles remain office-based due to the nature of their job responsibilities.

We’re extremely proud to offer competitive benefits that are anchored to our core value of people come first. Some key highlights of our benefits package include:

  • Health care coverage – Affirm covers all premiums for all levels of coverage for you and your dependents.
  • Flexible Spending Wallets – generous stipends for spending on Technology, Food, various Lifestyle needs, and family forming expenses.
  • Time off – competitive vacation and holiday schedules allowing you to take time off to rest and recharge.
  • ESPP – An employee stock purchase plan enabling you to buy shares of Affirm at a discount.

We believe It’s On Us to provide an inclusive interview experience for all, including people with disabilities. We are happy to provide reasonable accommodations to candidates in need of individualized support during the hiring process.

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Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Consumer Payments) employer: Affirm

At Affirm, we pride ourselves on being a remote-first employer that prioritises the well-being and growth of our employees. With competitive benefits including comprehensive health coverage, flexible spending stipends, and generous time off, we foster a supportive work culture that encourages collaboration and innovation. Join us in shaping the future of consumer payments while enjoying the flexibility to work from anywhere in the UK.
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Contact Detail:

Affirm Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Consumer Payments)

Tip Number 1

Familiarise yourself with Affirm's Payment Processing Network and the technologies they use, such as AWS, MySQL, and Kubernetes. Understanding these systems will help you speak confidently about how your experience aligns with their needs during discussions.

Tip Number 2

Showcase your experience in developing high availability systems by preparing specific examples of past projects. Be ready to discuss the challenges you faced and how you overcame them, as this demonstrates your problem-solving skills and technical expertise.

Tip Number 3

Highlight your ability to collaborate across teams by sharing instances where you worked with product management, design, or analytics. This will illustrate your teamwork skills and your understanding of the product development lifecycle, which is crucial for this role.

Tip Number 4

Prepare to discuss your approach to mentoring and developing talent within your team. Affirm values a culture of quality and ownership, so demonstrating your leadership style and how you've fostered growth in others will resonate well with their expectations.

We think you need these skills to ace Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Consumer Payments)

Backend Development
Python
Kotlin
AWS
MySQL
Spark
Kubernetes
Distributed Systems
Payment Systems Knowledge
Technical Strategy Development
Code Review Standards
Operational Processes
Collaboration Skills
Technical Documentation
Feedback Iteration
High Availability Systems

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience with backend systems, particularly using Python or Kotlin. Emphasise any work you've done with payment systems and financial technology to align with Affirm's focus.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for building high throughput, high availability systems. Mention specific projects where you set technical strategies or collaborated across teams, showcasing your leadership and communication skills.

Showcase Relevant Experience: Detail your experience with AWS, MySQL, Spark, and Kubernetes in your application. Provide examples of how you've developed distributed systems and delivered major features, as this will resonate with the role's requirements.

Highlight Soft Skills: Affirm values strong verbal and written communication skills. In your application, include examples of how you've gathered feedback from peers and fostered a culture of quality and ownership within your team.

How to prepare for a job interview at Affirm

Showcase Your Technical Expertise

Be prepared to discuss your experience with backend systems, particularly in Python or Kotlin. Highlight specific projects where you designed and launched scalable systems, and be ready to explain the technical challenges you faced and how you overcame them.

Understand Payment Systems

Since the role focuses on consumer payments, make sure you have a solid understanding of payment processing systems. Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in financial technology and be ready to discuss how your knowledge can contribute to Affirm's mission.

Demonstrate Leadership Skills

As a Staff Software Engineer, you'll need to show that you can lead and mentor others. Prepare examples of how you've fostered a culture of quality and ownership in previous roles, and be ready to discuss your approach to code reviews and team collaboration.

Communicate Effectively

Strong verbal and written communication skills are crucial for this role. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely, especially when discussing complex technical concepts. Be prepared to engage in discussions with cross-functional teams and demonstrate your collaborative spirit.

Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Consumer Payments)
Affirm

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  • Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Consumer Payments)

    Full-Time
    112000 - 144000 £ / year (est.)

    Application deadline: 2027-09-02

  • A

    Affirm

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