Job summary
Job post source
This job is directly from Affirm
Job overview
The Distinguished Software Engineer at Affirm leads the architecture and technical roadmap for critical domains including Purchasing, Credit Underwriting, and Machine Learning Infrastructure, impacting the company's credit and checkout platforms.
Responsibilities and impact
The role involves driving technical vision, leading architectural strategy, ensuring scalable solutions, mentoring senior engineers, collaborating with product and engineering leadership, and fostering a culture of technical excellence.
Compensation and benefits
The position offers a base salary range of $305,000 to $375,000 depending on location, equity rewards, monthly stipends for health, wellness, and tech spending, and comprehensive benefits including 100% subsidized medical coverage for employees and dependents.
Experience and skills
Candidates should have 15+ years of software engineering experience with proven leadership in technical architecture for large-scale systems, strong communication skills, and experience in fintech or retail and machine learning infrastructure is a plus. A bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent is required.
Career development
The role includes mentoring senior technical leaders and shaping the company's long-term system health, offering growth in architectural leadership and influence across multiple domains.
Work environment and culture
Affirm promotes a remote-first work environment with flexibility, inclusive hiring practices, and a culture valuing people first and technical rigor.
Company information
Affirm is a fintech company focused on honest and flexible credit solutions, known for its buy now, pay later platform without hidden fees or compounding interest.
Team overview
The candidate will join the Architecture Group, working closely with domain tech leads and the Head of Architecture, leading cross-functional teams across critical business domains.
Job location and travel
The role is remote-first within the U.S. with occasional office work required for proximal roles, primarily based in California, Washington, New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut.
Application process
Applicants must submit their application online and acknowledge Affirm's Global Candidate Privacy Notice, with accommodations available for candidates with disabilities.
Unique job features
This role is distinguished by its leadership over multiple critical domains including ML infrastructure and credit underwriting, with a focus on scalable, high-impact consumer systems and a transparent pay structure.
Company overview
Affirm is a financial technology company that provides installment loans to consumers at the point of sale, enabling them to make purchases and pay over time. Founded in 2012 by Max Levchin, a co-founder of PayPal, Affirm makes money by charging interest on these loans and partnering with merchants who pay a fee to offer Affirm's financing options. The company is known for its transparent, no-hidden-fee approach and has grown rapidly, going public in January 2021. Affirm's mission is to deliver honest financial products that improve lives.
How to land this job
Position your resume to underscore your leadership in technical architecture, especially for large-scale consumer systems spanning multiple domains like purchasing, credit underwriting, and machine learning infrastructure, as highlighted by Affirm's job description.
Emphasize your experience in driving technical vision, collaborating with cross-functional teams, mentoring senior engineers, and delivering scalable, high-availability systems, while also showcasing any fintech or machine learning infrastructure expertise to align with Affirm's priorities.
Apply through multiple channels including Affirm's corporate careers page, LinkedIn, and other job boards where Affirm posts, to maximize your visibility and application reach for this senior role.
Connect on LinkedIn with members of Affirm's Architecture Group or senior engineers in the Decisions Foundations Engineering Group, using ice breakers such as commenting on recent Affirm innovations in credit technology or asking how the team approaches architectural challenges in fintech.
Optimize your resume for ATS by incorporating keywords from the job description such as 'technical architecture,' 'machine learning infrastructure,' 'credit underwriting,' 'scalable systems,' 'mentoring,' and 'technical leadership,' ensuring these terms appear naturally in your resume's skills and experience sections.
Use Jennie Johnson's Power Apply feature to automate tailored applications across multiple platforms, identify and connect with relevant Affirm contacts on LinkedIn, and optimize your resume for ATS, allowing you to focus your time on preparing for interviews and networking effectively.
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