Distinguished Software Engineer

Summary

Join Affirm's Architecture Group as a senior member, reporting to the Head of Architecture. You will own the architecture, technical roadmap, and delivery outcomes for the Decisions Foundations Engineering Group, encompassing Purchasing, Credit Underwriting, and Machine Learning domains. Shape Affirm's broader technical direction, driving innovation and architectural coherence. Serve as the accountable technical leader for these three critical domains: Purchasing (optimizing consumer checkout experience), Credit Underwriting (managing credit risk and driving conversion), and Machine Learning Infrastructure (supporting credit and fraud models). Lead architectural strategy, champion scalable solutions, define design and code quality standards, partner with Product and Engineering leadership, guide cross-functional teams, and mentor senior technical leaders. Foster a culture of rigor, curiosity, and technical excellence.

Requirements

• Proven success leading technical architecture for large-scale consumer systems, ideally across multiple domains or product lines
• Deep experience guiding engineering strategy and delivery at both high-growth startups and mature technology companies
• Ability to distill complex technical problems and trade-offs into clear decisions that influence product and platform evolution
• Effective communicator, capable of engaging both engineers and executives to drive alignment and clarity
• Track record of mentoring senior engineers and developing the next generation of technical leaders
• Extensive experience building and operating large-scale, highly available systems
• 15+ years of software engineering experience, with prior experience in technical leadership roles
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent practical experience

Responsibilities

• Drive the long-term technical vision for Affirm’s Purchasing, Credit Underwriting, and ML infrastructure domains
• Lead architectural strategy and roadmap definition in collaboration with domain tech leads and the broader Architecture Group
• Champion scalable, performant, and user-centric solutions across Affirm’s engineering organization
• Define and uphold standards for design and code quality through reviews, mentoring, and hands-on architectural guidance
• Partner with Product and Engineering leadership to influence product direction and ensure strong alignment between business goals and system architecture
• Guide cross-functional teams to deliver end-to-end solutions across service boundaries and external dependencies
• Mentor and support a team of senior technical leaders, helping them grow as architects and stewards of Affirm’s long-term systems health
• Foster a culture of rigor, curiosity, and technical excellence across engineering

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in Fintech or retail (consumer and merchant-facing systems) is a plus
• Experience with Machine Learning infrastructure (e.g. feature stores, training pipelines, low-latency inference) is a plus
• JVM experience at scale is a plus

Benefits

• Health care coverage - Affirm covers all premiums for all levels of coverage for you and your dependents
• Flexible Spending Wallets - generous stipends for spending on Technology, Food, various Lifestyle needs, and family forming expenses
• Time off - competitive vacation and holiday schedules allowing you to take time off to rest and recharge
• ESPP - An employee stock purchase plan enabling you to buy shares of Affirm at a discount