Staff Software Engineer - Product Foundations

Plaid2 weeks ago

Location

San Francisco

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 220,000 – 350,000

Level

Staff

Role

Staff Software Engineer

Posted

Feb 28, 2026

Full TimeStaff

The role

Summary

Plaid is seeking a Staff Software Engineer for their Network Foundations team, focusing on building robust data infrastructure that powers financial data connectivity for leading fintech companies. The role involves designing scalable backend systems that enable querying and managing complex financial user data at global scale, with a critical focus on data accuracy, compliance, and performance.

What you'll do

Backend Data Systems Design: Design and build scalable backend data systems for querying comprehensive financial user data, developing graph-based infrastructure for identity resolution and entity mapping

High-Impact Project Leadership: Lead critical projects from conception to execution, delivering APIs and datasets that support fraud detection, credit decisioning, and financial insights

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with data science, machine learning, legal, and product teams to support feature development and analytics

Technical Best Practices: Establish and maintain best practices for data quality, performance, reliability, and system explainability

Technical Leadership: Contribute to the team's technical roadmap, mentor engineers, and help cultivate a culture of technical excellence

What we look for

Technical

Backend System DesignExtensive experience designing and maintaining distributed systems at scale

Programming LanguagesProficiency in Go, Python, or similar backend programming languages

Data PlatformsExpertise with data platforms like Redshift, Kafka, Airflow, DBT, or equivalent technologies

Education

Technical DegreeBachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical field preferred

Experience

Professional ExperienceMinimum 8+ years of software engineering experience, with a strong focus on backend system design and data infrastructure

Data ModelingProven experience with data modeling and understanding of data lifecycle challenges

Skills

Required skills

Distributed SystemsDeep understanding of designing and scaling distributed backend systems

Backend ProgrammingStrong programming skills in Go, Python, or similar backend languages

Data InfrastructureExpertise in building and maintaining complex data platforms and workflows

Nice to have

Graph DatabasesExperience with graph databases and graph-based data modeling

ML InfrastructureKnowledge of machine learning infrastructure, feature stores, and batch/stream data processing

Compliance ExpertiseUnderstanding of data privacy, access restrictions, and legal compliance in data systems

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 220,000 – 350,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Equity

Stock options for employees, providing potential long-term financial upside

Diversity Commitment

Strong commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workplace

Career Growth

Opportunities for mentorship, technical leadership, and professional development

Interview process

1
Initial Screening — Phone or video call with recruiting team to discuss background and role fit
2
Technical Interview — In-depth technical interviews focusing on system design, backend architecture, and problem-solving skills
3
System Design Challenge — Comprehensive evaluation of candidate's ability to design scalable, efficient data infrastructure
4
Team Fit Interview — Discussion with potential team members to assess collaboration and cultural alignment
5
Final Executive Interview — Meeting with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision and candidate's potential impact