Remote opportunity at
AffirmStaff Software Engineer, Backend (Search)
Affirm is seeking a Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Search) for a remote position. The company operates as a financial services provider offering clear and predictable payment…
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About This Role
Affirm is seeking a Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Search) for a remote position. The company operates as a financial services provider offering clear and predictable payment solutions with transparent terms. This newly formed team will take charge of recommendations and search functionality, aiming to enhance customer experiences, increase merchant value, and improve monetization while establishing the groundwork for an agentic platform. This role is ideal for an experienced software engineer…
Job Description
Affirm is seeking a Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Search) for a remote position. The company operates as a financial services provider offering clear and predictable payment solutions with transparent terms. This newly formed team will take charge of recommendations and search functionality, aiming to enhance customer experiences, increase merchant value, and improve monetization while establishing the groundwork for an agentic platform.
This role is ideal for an experienced software engineer who thrives in ambiguous environments and can operate across both low-level language details and large-scale architectural design. The successful candidate will set technical strategy on a yearly horizon, act as a technical force multiplier, and maintain operational reliability. Responsibilities also include fostering high code quality standards, mentoring engineering talent, and partnering with product management, design, and analytics groups throughout the development lifecycle.
The position is open to remote candidates residing in specific Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan. New hires may be required to attend an in-person onboarding experience. Affirm provides a compensation package that includes base salary, equity awards, monthly wellness and technology stipends, and fully subsidized medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their dependents.
Responsibilities
- Define technical strategy for the team on an annual time horizon and align it with critical business initiatives.
- Collaborate with product management, design, and analytics stakeholders across the product development lifecycle.
- Act as a force multiplier by establishing and advocating for effective technical solutions and operational procedures.
- Manage operational availability through monitoring systems, triage rotations, testing procedures, alerting, and playbooks.
- Promote a culture of high code quality and ownership by setting standards for design and code reviews.
- Develop team talent by offering mentorship, guidance, and leading through practical example.
Requirements
- Bring 8 or more years of professional background in designing, developing, and launching backend systems at scale using languages such as Python or Kotlin.
- Demonstrate an extensive history of building highly available distributed systems using AWS, MySQL, Spark, and Kubernetes.
- Possess at least 2 years of practical experience working within search systems or related recommendation engines.
- Show experience in delivering major features, system components, or deprecating existing functionality through structured technical and execution plans.
- Reside in one of the eligible Canadian provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, or Saskatchewan.
Qualifications
- Have experience building consumer experiences using UI frameworks like React.
Core Skills
Benefits
- 100% subsidized medical coverage for employees and their dependents
- Dental and vision insurance coverage
- Monthly spending stipends for technology, health, and wellness
- Flexible time off and holiday calendars
- Employee stock purchase plan to acquire company stock at a discount
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this position remote?
Yes, this is a remote-first role. However, it is restricted to candidates residing in specific Canadian provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, or Saskatchewan.
What is the salary range for this role?
For candidates based in Canada, the annual base pay range is CAD $181,000 to $241,000. Affirm notes that employees typically start at the lower end of the range.
What level of experience is required?
Applicants must have 8 or more years of experience designing and launching scalable backend systems using Python or Kotlin, along with at least 2 years of specific experience in search or recommendation engines.
What benefits are included?
Affirm provides fully subsidized medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, monthly tech and wellness stipends, flexible time off, and an employee stock purchase plan.
Sample Interview Questions
AI-generated questions tailored to this specific role — a preview of the full practice set.