Software Engineer - Backend at Cardless

Cardless is looking for an experienced backend engineer to join our exceptional team! You’ll play a key role in designing, building, and scaling the systems that power our co-branded credit card platform spanning domains like applications, accounts, transactions, fraud, risk, and rewards.As a software engineer, your responsibilities will include but not be limited to the following:ResponsibilitiesDesign and build scalable, secure, and high-performance backend systems and services that support Cardless’s core financial productsContribute to architectural discussions and decisions to evolve our platform as we growTake ownership of projects from design through production — including requirements gathering, implementation, testing, deployment, and ongoing maintenanceCollaborate cross-functionally with product managers, designers, other engineers, and stakeholders (external partners, risk, compliance) to deliver high-quality features quickly and reliablyIdentify and drive improvements in system reliability, observability, performance, and developer experienceProvide technical guidance and thought partnership to peers across the engineering organizationWhat we look forStrong experience designing and implementing backend systems and services that operate at scale (typically 5+ years of industry experience)Solid understanding of distributed systems, APIs, databases, and infrastructure fundamentalsProficiency with a modern backend language (e.g. Java, Python) and ecosystemTrack record of delivering complex technical projects end-to-end, collaborating effectively with cross-functional partnersDeep, low-level expertise in one or more backend domains (e.g., databases, scaling systems, distributed systems)Passion for building robust, maintainable systems that have real-world impact for customersNice to haveExperience building and maintaining external, public-facing APIsFamiliarity with financial systems, reconciliation workflows, or data integrity challengesExposure to ML pipelines or feature storesWhy CardlessYou’ll join a collaborative, fast-moving team that values craftsmanship, curiosity, and impact. We’re building products that enable leading brands to offer credit in new ways — and we’re just getting started.Note: This role is open to experienced (senior/staff+) engineers onlyThis role has an annual starting salary range of $165,000-$260,000 + equity + benefits (see above). Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skills, experience, and specific work location. BenefitsWe're headquartered in San Francisco, CA, with a beautiful office in the Mission District. We're proud to offer our team excellent benefits:💸 Meaningful Start-up equity🏥 100% health, vision & dental primary coverage➕ 75% health, vision & dental dependent coverage🍱 Catered lunches🚎 $250/month Commuter benefit👶 Parental leave✈️ Team building events & happy hours🌴 Flexible PTO with a minimum of 15 days off per year🖥️ Apple equipment💸 401k planLocationWe're headquartered in San Francisco, CA, with a beautiful office in the Mission District (near Dolores Park). We welcome employees who want to work from this office; we offer additional benefits to those who do (see below), and relocation assistance to those who'd like to.We regularly bring our team together for offsites & trips, about every 2 months, both for fun and for work. We cover all travel & lodging in these cases.