Senior Software Engineer, Backend – AI Platform

Affirm

. Plan, execute, and own technical decisions and projects within the AI Platform team from design through launch and on-call .

Posted 10/26/2026full-timeRemote • United StatesSenior💰 $173,000 - $233,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in designing and developing scalable backend systems, with a strong focus on AI workloads and infrastructure. Proficient in Python or Kotlin, AWS, MySQL, and Kubernetes, while also possessing the ability to mentor engineers and drive best practices in coding and design.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Backend System DesignPython or Kotlin ProficiencyAWS and Kubernetes ExperienceAI Frameworks and LLMs KnowledgeStrong Communication Skills

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Backend System DevelopmentDistributed Systems DesignHigh-Quality Code WritingOperational Health MonitoringAI Workload Infrastructure

Soft Skills

MentoringCommunication

Tools & Technologies

AWSMySQLKubernetesAI ToolsInference APIs

Certifications & Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Related Field

Industry Keywords

AI WorkloadsTechnical PlansCode Review StandardsOperational MetricsAgentic Workloads

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

AWSDistributed SystemsKotlinKubernetesMySQLPython

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Plan, execute, and own technical decisions and projects within the AI Platform team from design through launch and on-call
Design and build gateway, runtime, and evaluation services that scale AI workloads securely across millions of users and transactions
Build identity, quota, routing, caching, and failover controls for attributable and governable AI spend
Partner with security, infrastructure, and product engineering teams to establish guardrails for agentic workloads and tool access identity
Create and monitor system metrics and own operational health through monitoring, alerting, runbooks, and on-call
Improve code review and design standards through writing and tech talks
Use AI tools and agentic workflows in coding, design review, and operations
Educate, mentor, and grow engineers while driving design, coding, and testing best practices

Requirements

What you’ll need

4+ years of experience designing, developing, and launching backend systems at scale
Experience with Python or Kotlin
Track record developing highly available distributed systems
Experience with AWS, MySQL, and Kubernetes
Practical production experience with LLMs, agents, or AI frameworks, including inference APIs, LLM gateways, MCP, tool calling, evals, or agent runtimes
Understanding of AI usage and infrastructure for AI workloads
Experience defining technical plans and designing significant features or system components
Ability to write high-quality, understandable code
Proficiency making significant changes in a large codebase safely
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Equivalent practical experience or a Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Benefits

Comp & perks

Equity rewards may be included in total compensation
Monthly stipends for health, wellness, and tech spending
100% subsidized medical coverage for employees and dependents
Dental and vision coverage for employees and dependents
Flexible time off
Generous holiday calendars
Employee stock purchase plan (ESPP) with discounted Affirm stock
Remote-first flexibility
Inclusive interview process and disability accommodations
In-person onboarding experience for all new hires