Staff Software Engineer - Instant Access

Plaid2 weeks ago

Location

New York City Office

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 207,600 – 306,600

Level

Staff

Role

Staff Software Engineer

Posted

Jun 10, 2026

Full TimeStaff

The role

Summary

Plaid is seeking a Staff Software Engineer for their Instant Access team, focusing on building autonomous AI systems that power financial institution integrations. The role involves developing cutting-edge AI technologies to automatically create, repair, and improve long-tail extractors, with a hands-on approach to technical leadership and system architecture.

What you'll do

Technical Architecture: Define technical direction and architecture for autonomous AI systems creating, repairing, and improving financial institution integrations

Observability Systems: Create advanced observability, monitoring, and debugging platforms to provide deep visibility into AI-powered system behaviors and decisions

Code Generation: Build LLM-powered code generation pipelines that write, validate, and ship production code with minimal human intervention

System Evaluation: Design comprehensive evaluation frameworks to measure correctness, reliability, and safety of non-deterministic systems at scale

Self-Healing Infrastructure: Architect infrastructure capable of detecting, diagnosing, and repairing itself within 24 hours

Safety Architecture: Develop multi-layer safety architectures to ensure AI systems take correct actions in production and degrade safely under uncertainty

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with engineering and product leaders to identify high-leverage automation opportunities and transform them into production systems

Technical Leadership: Raise the technical bar across the organization through mentorship, design reviews, and hands-on leadership

What we look for

Technical

Backend SystemsStrong software engineering experience with deep focus on backend and/or platform systems

AI SystemsExperience with production generative AI systems and autonomous technologies

Automation TechnologiesFamiliarity with web automation, scraping, and extraction systems like Playwright or Stagehand

Education

Computer ScienceAdvanced degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical field preferred

Experience

Technical LeadershipProven track record of technical leadership in building complex, scalable software systems

AI/ML ImplementationDemonstrated experience in implementing AI and machine learning technologies in production environments

Skills

Required skills

System ArchitectureAdvanced skills in designing complex, scalable software architectures

AI System DesignExpertise in creating autonomous systems with robust safety and evaluation mechanisms

Problem SolvingStrong ability to balance divergent and convergent thinking in technical problem-solving

Nice to have

Generative AIExperience with large language models and generative AI technologies

Financial TechnologyBackground or interest in fintech and financial data integration systems

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 207,600 – 306,600 (annual)

Benefits

Medical Insurance

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) Plan

Retirement savings plan with potential company matching

Equity Compensation

Stock options or equity grants as part of total compensation package

Hybrid Work Model

Flexible work arrangement with options for office and remote work

Interview process

1
Initial Screening — Phone or video call with recruiting team to discuss background and role fit
2
Technical Interview — Deep-dive technical interview focusing on system design, AI technologies, and problem-solving skills
3
Systems Design Challenge — Architectural design assessment related to autonomous AI systems and financial technology
4
Leadership and Culture Interview — Assessment of technical leadership capabilities and alignment with Plaid's mission
5
Final Executive Interview — Conversation with senior leadership to evaluate overall fit and potential impact