Software Engineer II, Marketplace Optimization

Upstart

. Design, build, and operate scalable backend systems for real-time marketplace decisioning, matching, offer selection, and monetization .

Posted 9/21/2026full-timeRemote • United States, CanadaJuniorMid-Level💰 $142,000 - $196,600 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in designing and operating scalable backend systems with a focus on reliability, availability, and observability. Proficient in modern backend programming languages and experienced in collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive marketplace decisioning and monetization strategies.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Scalable Backend System DesignProduction Services DevelopmentRuby on RailsPythonMachine Learning Collaboration

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Backend Programming LanguagesDistributed SystemsTesting and MonitoringIncident ResponseRoot Cause AnalysisObservabilityCorrectnessMarketplace EconomicsOptimization SystemsExperimentation Platforms

Soft Skills

Problem SolvingCollaborationDecision Making

Tools & Technologies

Generative AI Tools

Industry Keywords

MarketplaceFinancial SystemsRecommendation EnginesMatching EnginesLow-Latency Systems

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Distributed SystemsKotlinPythonRubyRuby on Rails

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Design, build, and operate scalable backend systems for real-time marketplace decisioning, matching, offer selection, and monetization
Build platform capabilities for experimentation with allocation strategies, marketplace economics, and monetization approaches
Develop reliable, observable services balancing availability, latency, correctness, and operational simplicity
Partner with Product, Machine Learning, Pricing Engineering, Data Science, Capital Markets, and Lending Partnerships
Make architectural decisions that simplify systems, reduce coupling, and create reusable marketplace capabilities
Use Generative AI tools for implementation, testing, debugging, documentation, and learning while maintaining ownership of technical decisions, security, code quality, and correctness

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field (or its equivalent) and 2 years of software engineering experience
Experience designing, building, and operating scalable backend or distributed systems in production
Experience developing production services using one or more modern backend programming languages
Experience building and operating business-critical systems with testing, monitoring, incident response, and root cause analysis
Experience designing production systems where reliability, availability, observability, and correctness are critical
Preferred: experience with marketplaces, financial systems, recommendation or matching engines, optimization systems, or experimentation platforms
Preferred: knowledge of low-latency, high-throughput distributed system design and architecture
Preferred: experience partnering with machine learning or data science teams
Preferred: experience with Ruby, Ruby on Rails, Python, or Kotlin
Preferred: ability to navigate ambiguous technical and business problems and evaluate tradeoffs

Benefits

Comp & perks

Competitive compensation, including base pay, bonus opportunities, and annual equity grants that vest quarterly
401(k) or Group Retirement Savings Plan with a company match of $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 annually
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible US employees
Medical, dental, vision, wellness resources, and supplemental health coverage for Canada
Health Savings Account contributions for eligible US plans
Life insurance and disability coverage
Paid time off, sick leave, and company holidays
Paid family and parental leave
Family-centered fertility, parenthood, and caregiving benefits
Employee Assistance Program with mental health support and life-centered resources
Financial planning tools and financial concierge service (US only)
Annual wellness allowance
Annual productivity allowance for relevant tools and resources
Team events, all-company updates, and employee resource groups
Catered lunches and stocked micro-kitchens at specified offices