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Job Analysis:
The Staff Software Engineer (Batch Infrastructure) role at Affirm is fundamentally about architecting and leading the development of a highly reliable, scalable, and self-service compute platform that supports critical batch data processing workloads. This platform underpins the data infrastructure driving machine learning, financial engineering, and product teams, meaning the engineer’s work directly impacts core business functions and customer experiences. Key responsibilities include defining the technical vision and roadmap of the batch platform, building scalable data infrastructure and orchestration frameworks, and improving system reliability at a large scale. The candidate must navigate complex cross-team collaborations to ensure the platform meets evolving business needs. Hence, strong ownership and leadership in both technical execution and mentoring are paramount. The job demands a deep expertise in large-scale distributed compute systems, workflow orchestration, and data lake technologies, coupled with hands-on skills in cloud infrastructure (primarily AWS), coding (Python/Kotlin), and database systems. The role also requires the ability to make architectural decisions under uncertainty, balancing competing business requirements and technical constraints. Success in the first year would look like establishing a robust, high-availability batch processing system trusted across teams, enabling them to efficiently scale products and data workloads at tens-of-millions user scale, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the team.
Company Analysis:
Affirm operates at the intersection of financial innovation and technology by delivering honest and transparent credit products that challenge traditional financial models. As a rapid-growth fintech disruptor, Affirm values engineering that directly contributes to customer trust and business integrity—qualities reflected in the batch infrastructure role’s focus on reliable, secure, and scalable compute solutions. The company embraces a remote-first, inclusive culture, emphasizing transparency, people-first benefits, and continuous growth, which suggests that the right candidate must thrive in a flexible but accountable environment where autonomy and collaboration are key. Being a mission-driven company, employees are expected to show passion for reinventing financial services and reinforcing customer-centric principles. The Batch Infrastructure team’s strategic importance means the role likely enjoys significant visibility and cross-functional influence, serving as a technical keystone connecting multiple internal teams. The company’s penchant for innovation and scalability initiatives indicates this role is pivotal to supporting Affirm's expansion roadmap, making this hire both a strategic and growth-oriented investment. A candidate who aligns with Affirm’s values around trust, transparency, and resilience, and who is motivated by solving infrastructure challenges at scale, will be well suited to succeed and grow here.