At Affirm, we exist for the moments that matter—giving people a clear, predictable way to pay over time, with no hidden fees, no surprises, and no tradeoffs on what matters most.<br><br>The Merchant & Partner Lifecycle (M&PL) team is at the forefront of Affirm’s architectural transformation. We are addressing critical architectural risks by consolidating merchant lifecycle orchestration into a newly cohesive domain.<br><br>You will act as a technical leader responsible for building out the brand new lifecycle-orchestrator service that’s at the heart of multiple connected systems. Your work will deliver immediate availability improvements through system simplification and isolation, and modernize older parts of the codebase.<br><br><strong>What You'll Do<br><br></strong><ul><li>Design & expand the backbone of our platform to scale to hundreds of thousands of merchants from all around the world</li><li>Design and align the scope of work with other teams to deliver cross-team projects</li><li>Mentor other engineers to ensure their development & growth</li><li>Partner with Engineering Manager and Team Lead to drive and execute the long-term vision of the team</li><li>Execute technical strategy for broad or complex requirements with insightful and forward-looking approaches that go beyond the direct team and solve large open-ended problems</li><li>Utilize agentic development tools like Claude Code to automate parts of the development process</li><li>Improve engineering standards, tooling, and processes throughout the organization<br><br></li></ul><strong>What We Look For<br><br></strong><ul><li>5+ years of experience as a backend software engineer</li><li>A strong understanding of Domain-Driven Design, distributed systems, and how architectural decisions affect performance and maintainability</li><li>Proficiency with data models, API design (http and RPC), state machines, event-driven architecture, and database design</li><li>Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Must be proficient in asynchronous communication–written tech specs, ADRs, project plans, etc.</li><li>Experience designing, developing, and launching backend systems (our stack: AWS, gRPC, Snowflake, Kotlin, Python, MySQL, Kubernetes). Java and Kotlin experience are especially helpful.</li><li>Prior experience with monitoring and alerting systems (sentry.io, rollbar, chronosphere, kibana)<br><br></li></ul>This posting is for an existing vacancy.<br><br><strong>Pay Grade - N<br><br></strong><strong>Equity Grade - 6<br><br></strong>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.<br><br>Base pay is part of a total compensation package that may include equity rewards, 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).<br><br>CAN base pay range per year: 153,000 - 213,000<br><br><strong>Remote-first with flexibility built in<br><br></strong>Affirm is proud to be a remote-first company. Most roles can be done from almost anywhere within the country of employment. Some positions may occasionally require in-person work at an Affirm office, and a few are office-based due to the nature of the work. All new hires will be invited to attend an in-person onboarding experience.<br><br><strong>Benefits Designed For You<br><br></strong>Our benefits reflect our commitment to care, transparency, and flexibility. Here are a few highlights:<br><br><ul><li>Health coverage at no cost: We cover 100% of premiums for employees and their dependents.</li><li>Spending stipends: Monthly stipends support your tech setup, and the ability to choose health and wellness options that are right for you.</li><li>Time off to recharge: Flexible time off and generous holiday calendars help you rest when you need to.</li><li>Own a piece of what you build: Our employee stock purchase plan (ESPP) lets you buy Affirm stock at a discount.<br><br></li></ul>We’re committed to providing an inclusive interview process, including accommodations for candidates with disabilities. If you need support, we’re happy to help.<br><br>For positions based in San Francisco or Los Angeles: Affirm considers qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, as required by law.<br><br>By clicking "Submit Application," you acknowledge that you have read Affirm's Global Candidate Privacy Notice and consent to the use of your personal information as described.<br><br>