Backend Engineer (Python, SQL)

About the Company

Affirm is a leading financial technology company dedicated to reinventing credit and providing consumers with transparent, honest, and friendly financial products. Our mission is to make financial services more accessible and straightforward by offering buy now, pay later solutions without hidden fees or compounding interest. With a customer-centric approach, Affirm empowers consumers to make informed financial decisions while maintaining trust and integrity. Our innovative platform leverages cutting-edge technology to deliver seamless, reliable, and secure financial experiences. As a remote-first organization, Affirm values diversity, inclusion, and collaboration, fostering a dynamic environment where talent from all backgrounds can thrive.

About the Role

We are seeking a highly experienced Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Ledger) to join our engineering team. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining Affirm's core ledger systems that serve as the backbone of our financial infrastructure. You will set the technical strategy for your team, ensuring the development of highly available, scalable, and reliable systems that handle critical accounting data and financial transactions. Your expertise will help ensure data integrity, compliance, and accuracy across all financial reporting processes. Collaboration with cross-functional teams such as Finance, Accounting, and Capital Markets will be essential to align technical solutions with business needs. As a leader, you will foster a culture of quality, ownership, and continuous improvement, mentoring team members and advocating best practices in software development and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in designing, developing, and launching backend systems at scale
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or Kotlin
• Extensive experience with distributed systems and high-availability architectures
• Hands-on knowledge of cloud technologies, including AWS, Kubernetes, and related services
• Strong understanding of relational databases, particularly MySQL, and data processing frameworks like Spark
• Experience building and managing data pipelines, ETL systems, and financial transaction processing
• Solid financial acumen with experience handling accounting data and ensuring high precision and reliability
• Proven track record of delivering major system features, components, or deprecations with clear technical and operational plans
• Excellent coding standards, documentation, and communication skills
• Ability to thrive in ambiguous environments and adapt to evolving technical challenges
• Experience mentoring and developing engineering talent, fostering a culture of ownership and quality
• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the technical strategy for the ledger engineering team aligned with business goals
• Design, develop, and maintain core ledger systems that ensure data accuracy, integrity, and compliance
• Collaborate with product management, design, and analytics teams throughout the development lifecycle to deliver scalable solutions
• Establish and advocate for operational best practices, including monitoring, incident response, and disaster recovery plans
• Implement and uphold high standards for code quality, system reliability, and security
• Lead efforts to optimize data processing pipelines and ETL workflows for performance and accuracy
• Mentor team members, provide constructive feedback, and promote professional growth
• Participate in cross-team initiatives to improve overall system architecture and operational efficiency
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations and audit requirements through robust system design and documentation

Benefits

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage, with Affirm covering all premiums for employees and dependents
• Generous stipends for technology, food, lifestyle needs, and family formation expenses through Flexible Spending Wallets
• Competitive vacation and holiday schedules to support work-life balance
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) enabling employees to buy Affirm shares at a discount
• Remote-first work environment, allowing flexibility to work from almost anywhere within the country
• Inclusive hiring practices with accommodations available for candidates with disabilities
• Supportive and collaborative company culture promoting diversity and inclusion

Equal Opportunity

Affirm is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. We consider qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.