Software Engineer - Backend

About the role

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: Responsibilities Design and build scalable, secure, and high-performance backend systems and services that support Cardless’s core financial products Contribute to architectural discussions and decisions to evolve our platform as we grow Take ownership of projects from design through production — including requirements gathering, implementation, testing, deployment, and ongoing maintenance Collaborate cross-functionally with product managers, designers, other engineers, and stakeholders (external partners, risk, compliance) to deliver high-quality features quickly and reliably Identify and drive improvements in system reliability, observability, performance, and developer experience Provide technical guidance and thought partnership to peers across the engineering organization What we look for Strong 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 fundamentals Proficiency with a modern backend language (e.g. Java, Python) and ecosystem Track record of delivering complex technical projects end-to-end, collaborating effectively with cross-functional partners Deep, 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 customers Nice to have Experience building and maintaining external, public-facing APIs Familiarity with financial systems, reconciliation workflows, or data integrity challenges Exposure to ML pipelines or feature stores Why Cardless You’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. Compensation Note: This role is open to experienced engineers only This role has an annual starting salary range of $165,000-$260,000 + equity + benefits (see below). Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skills, experience, and specific work location. Benefits We're headquartered in San Francisco, CA, with a beautiful office in the Financial 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 plan Location San Francisco, CA — our office is in the Jackson Square district. This role is 5 days a week in office.