Staff Software Engineer - Money Movement

Plaid2 weeks ago

Location

San Francisco

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 200,000 – 280,000

Level

Staff

Role

Staff Software Engineer

Posted

Feb 26, 2026

Full TimeStaff

The role

Summary

Plaid is seeking a Staff Software Engineer to lead the technical direction of their Money Movement team, focusing on building a robust multi-rail payment platform. The ideal candidate will drive architectural improvements, collaborate across teams, and develop scalable financial infrastructure systems that enable seamless money transfers for millions of users.

What you'll do

Technical Leadership: Define and drive the technical architecture of Plaid's Payments Transfer systems with a focus on scalability and long-term growth

System Design: Lead the development of transfer customer onboarding, billing, bookkeeping, payments processing, and reconciliation systems

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with product, design, operations, partnerships, and legal teams to align technical solutions with business objectives

System Optimization: Proactively identify and implement improvements in system quality, reliability, and performance

Hands-On Engineering: Actively write and review technical designs, code, and lead major technical initiatives and feature developments

Team Development: Mentor engineering team members and contribute to building a strong, inclusive team culture

What we look for

Technical

Payment Systems ExperienceMinimum 3-5 years working on payments, billing, invoicing, or financial infrastructure systems

Scalable System DesignProven track record of building high-throughput, high-reliability payment processing systems

Distributed SystemsStrong proficiency in distributed system design, architecture, performance optimization, and reliability engineering

Education

Computer ScienceBachelor's or equivalent degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical field preferred

Experience

Engineering Best PracticesExperience setting and maintaining robust engineering standards including testing, code review, CI/CD, and on-call practices

Financial TechnologyDemonstrated ability to work with complex financial transaction flows and infrastructure

Skills

Required skills

Distributed SystemsExpertise in designing and implementing scalable distributed systems for financial infrastructure

Payment SystemsDeep understanding of payment processing, billing, and financial transaction architectures

System ReliabilityProven ability to build high-throughput, high-reliability financial systems

Nice to have

Payment RailsExperience with modern payment rails like ACH, real-time bank payments, and open banking architectures

Financial TechnologyBackground in fintech infrastructure and multi-rail payment systems

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 200,000 – 280,000 (annual)

Benefits

Health Insurance

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

Equity

Stock options and potential equity compensation

Professional Development

Continuous learning opportunities, conference attendance, and skill development programs

Flexible Work

Potential remote or hybrid work arrangements

Wellness Programs

Mental health resources, fitness stipends, and wellness initiatives

Interview process

1
Initial Screening — Phone or video call with recruiting team to discuss background and experience
2
Technical Phone Interview — Deep dive into technical skills, system design, and problem-solving capabilities
3
Onsite/Virtual Interviews — Multiple rounds including system design, coding, behavioral, and leadership assessment
4
Final Interview — Meeting with senior leadership to assess team and cultural fit