Remote opportunity at
AffirmSenior Software Engineer, Backend (Consumer Authentication Platform)
Affirm operates a financial product network that enables consumers to pay over time with clear terms and no hidden fees. The Consumer Authentication Platform team is…
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About This Role
Affirm operates a financial product network that enables consumers to pay over time with clear terms and no hidden fees. The Consumer Authentication Platform team is hiring a Senior Software Engineer to design and construct secure, dependable, and user-friendly authentication systems that act as the front door for millions of users interacting with thousands of merchants across multiple regions. This remote position is suited for an experienced backend professional who…
Job Description
Affirm operates a financial product network that enables consumers to pay over time with clear terms and no hidden fees. The Consumer Authentication Platform team is hiring a Senior Software Engineer to design and construct secure, dependable, and user-friendly authentication systems that act as the front door for millions of users interacting with thousands of merchants across multiple regions.
This remote position is suited for an experienced backend professional who enjoys handling complex technical challenges at scale. The engineer in this role will own the delivery of critical platform features including sign-up and sign-in flows, account recovery, multi-factor authentication, identity federation, and session management. Collaborating closely with Product, Security, Fraud, Compliance, and Data Science groups, the successful candidate will balance security requirements, business growth, regulatory demands, and frictionless user experiences.
The ideal practitioner will lead significant technical initiatives, define architectural evolution, and establish high standards for quality, testing, and operational reliability. Responsibilities encompass writing robust code, guiding peers through mentorship and design reviews, and managing production issues. Candidates must be comfortable operating in a remote-first work environment and residing in specific Canadian provinces.
Responsibilities
- Own technical design and end-to-end delivery of authentication platform capabilities from architecture through rollout and operation
- Build secure and highly available distributed systems supporting sign-in, account recovery, step-up challenges, session management, and authorization
- Collaborate with product management, Security, Fraud, Compliance, design, and analytics teams to translate requirements into pragmatic technical designs
- Proactively identify and resolve technical, process, security, and reliability issues while balancing risk, friction, and delivery speed
- Monitor service metrics, handle escalations, and participate in on-call and operational upkeep efforts
- Establish code review and design standards to foster a culture of quality, security, and engineering ownership
- Mentor other engineers through design reviews, hands-on collaboration, and actionable feedback
- Investigate and resolve complex production incidents while implementing systemic improvements to prevent future occurrences
Requirements
- Have at least four years of experience designing, developing, and launching backend systems at scale using Python, Kotlin, Java, or another comparable modern programming language
- Demonstrate a track record of developing highly available distributed systems using AWS, MySQL, Kubernetes, relational databases, event-driven architectures, and RPC or API frameworks
- Possess experience creating technical delivery plans for significant features or system components featuring secure and extensible designs
- Show proficiency in making significant modifications safely within large codebases using testing strategies, migration plans, and controlled rollouts
- Demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills for cross-functional and global team collaboration
- Reside in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, or Saskatchewan
Qualifications
- Hold either a bachelor's degree in a related field or possess equivalent practical experience
- Demonstrate familiarity with standards and protocols including OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, WebAuthn/passkeys, FIDO2, JWTs, and public-key cryptography
- Possess knowledge of security and assurance frameworks such as the NIST Digital Identity Guidelines or PCI DSS
- Bring experience designing session-management, token-issuance, account-recovery, or multi-factor authentication systems
- Show familiarity with risk-based or adaptive authentication and the interaction between identity, security, compliance, and fraud controls
Core Skills
Benefits
- 100% subsidized medical coverage, dental, and vision for employees and their dependents
- Monthly spending stipends to support tech setups and health and wellness choices
- Flexible time off and generous holiday calendars
- Employee stock purchase plan to buy company stock at a discount
- Remote-first work arrangement with flexibility built in
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this position remote?
Yes, this role is remote-first. However, it is open exclusively to candidates residing in 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?
The annual Canadian base pay range is $153,000 to $213,000 CAD, which forms part of a total compensation package including equity rewards and stipends.
What technical experience is required?
Candidates must have four or more years of experience designing, developing, and launching large-scale backend systems in languages like Python, Kotlin, or Java, alongside experience with distributed systems technologies such as AWS, MySQL, and Kubernetes.
What employment type is this?
The posting specifies that this is a full-time employment opportunity.
Sample Interview Questions
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