Software Engineer II, Backend (The Repayment UX)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Software Engineer II, Backend (The Repayment UX)

Company: Affirm

Location: Remote Spain

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Backend Engineering / Fintech Operations

Date Posted: May 26, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (1.5+ years)

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Focus on backend development within the Repayment UX team, contributing to critical financial user journeys that manage over $30B in loans annually.

• Develop and maintain robust, scalable APIs and backend services using languages like Python or Kotlin, ensuring high availability and reliability.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Product, Design, Analytics) in an agile, fast-paced environment to ideate, design, and implement innovative solutions.

• Drive the full software development lifecycle, from breaking down complex projects into actionable tasks to deploying and monitoring code in production.

• Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, ownership, and technical excellence within a remote-first, European-based engineering team.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Software Engineer II, Backend," the responsibilities and required experience (1.5+ years) suggest a role that bridges junior and mid-level expectations, often referred to as a "Software Engineer I" or "Associate Software Engineer" in other organizations. The emphasis on owning and operating at scale, alongside direct impact on user financial journeys, positions this as a crucial, albeit early-to-mid-career, role within Affirm's engineering structure.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and launch scalable backend APIs and services that power Affirm's user repayment experiences, ensuring reliability and performance.

• Write clean, well-tested, and extensible code in Python or Kotlin, adhering to best practices for maintainability and future development.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Designers, and Analysts to translate business requirements into technical specifications and deliver impactful features.

• Participate actively in the agile development process, including sprint planning, code reviews, and retrospectives, contributing to a two-week release cadence.

• Own the operational aspects of your team's services, including creating and monitoring key performance metrics, escalating issues, and supporting "keep the lights on" activities and on-call rotations.

• Debug and troubleshoot complex issues across various software components, providing swift and effective resolutions to maintain system stability.

• Contribute to the growth and development of the engineering team by participating in the interview process and mentoring junior engineers.

• Drive innovation within the Repayment UX domain by identifying opportunities for process optimization, automation, and feature enhancement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on full-cycle ownership, from ideation to operational support. This is typical for growing fintech companies where engineers are expected to not only build but also maintain and optimize the systems they create, especially in areas critical to revenue and customer trust like repayment UX.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field is typically expected for this level of role in the tech industry. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: A minimum of 1.5 years of professional software engineering experience is required, with a demonstrated ability to deliver solutions at scale.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in backend development, with a strong command of at least one modern programming language such as Python or Kotlin.

• Experience designing, developing, and launching robust APIs that can handle significant load and complexity.

• Familiarity with declarative UI frameworks like React or Vue.js, demonstrating an understanding of the full-stack development lifecycle.

• Demonstrated ability to take a business problem from conception to a fully functional, well-tested solution involving multiple software components.

• Proficiency in writing clear, maintainable, and extensible code.

• Experience with code review processes, including providing constructive feedback and effectively debugging others' code.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to navigate and understand large, complex codebases.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, essential for effective collaboration within a global, remote engineering team.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the fintech industry or with consumer finance products.

• Familiarity with cloud platforms like AWS, GCP, or Azure.

• Understanding of microservices architecture and best practices.

• Experience with database technologies (e.g., SQL, NoSQL).

• Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and automated testing frameworks.

• Experience working in an agile, fast-paced startup or high-growth tech environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for experience with both backend languages (Python/Kotlin) and frontend frameworks (React/Vue) suggests that while the role is backend-focused, a full-stack understanding is highly valued for effective collaboration and problem-solving within the team. The emphasis on "shipping web apps" implies a need for engineers who can connect backend logic to user-facing interfaces.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase at least one significant backend project demonstrating API design and implementation, ideally with examples of scalability and performance optimization.

• Include examples of code written in Python or Kotlin, highlighting code quality, test coverage, and extensibility.

• If possible, demonstrate experience with frontend frameworks like React or Vue through a project that integrates with backend services.

Process Documentation:

• Prepare to discuss your approach to breaking down large projects into manageable tasks and phases.

• Be ready to articulate your process for collaborating with product, design, and analytics teams, including how you contribute to technical decisions and manage risks.

• Be prepared to explain your methods for monitoring system health, creating metrics, and responding to operational incidents.

• Demonstrate your understanding of the software development lifecycle, including ideation, development, testing, deployment, and ongoing maintenance.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a backend-focused role with a strong emphasis on user experience and operational reliability, a portfolio should highlight not just coding proficiency but also the ability to architect and manage complex systems. Demonstrating an understanding of how backend services integrate with frontend components and contribute to the overall user journey is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: €71,000 - €101,000 per year. This range is based on Affirm's provided pay grade (L) for Spain. New employees typically start at the lower end of the range, with adjustments based on location, experience, and job-specific skills.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Affirm covers 100% of premiums for medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their dependents.

• Flexible Spending Wallets: Generous stipends are provided for technology, food, lifestyle needs, and family-forming expenses.

• Wellness & Time Off: Includes "Away Days" for wellness and competitive vacation/holiday schedules for rest and recharge.

• Learning & Development: Access to programs and resources for professional growth.

• Parental Benefits: Supportive policies for new parents.

• Equity Rewards: Eligibility for stock options or grants from Affirm Holdings, Inc. (parent company).

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP): Opportunity to purchase Affirm stock at a discount.

• Creative Tax Benefits: Subject to applicable law and company policy.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are assumed to be 40 hours per week, aligning with full-time employment. Affirm operates on a remote-first model with flexibility, but team coordination across European time zones is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to Spain (€). The benefits package is notably generous, especially the 100% subsidized medical coverage for dependents, which is a significant differentiator. The mention of "creative tax benefits" suggests potential for tax optimization strategies relevant to employees in Spain.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech, Consumer Credit, Financial Services. Affirm operates in a rapidly evolving sector, focusing on providing transparent and consumer-friendly credit options.

Company Size: Affirm is a public company (NASDAQ: AFRM) with a significant global presence, indicating a medium-to-large enterprise size. This scale suggests established processes but also opportunities for impact within specialized teams.

Founded: Founded in 2012, Affirm has a decade of experience in the "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) market, establishing itself as a key player and innovator.

Team Structure:

• The Repayment UX Engineering team is located entirely in Europe within the same time zone, fostering strong internal collaboration.

• Although geographically distributed, the team is "culturally rooted in Silicon Valley," implying an agile, product-driven, and data-informed approach.

Methodology:

• Agile and fast-paced development with code shipped to production almost every two-week sprint.

• Rigorous measurement of impact on user behavior, highlighting a data-driven decision-making process.

• Emphasis on ownership, curiosity, and a builder's mindset, encouraging engineers to take initiative and drive projects forward.

• Focus on building and operating solutions at scale, managing significant financial transactions and user bases.

Company Website: https://www.affirm.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Affirm's culture appears to blend the innovation and speed of a Silicon Valley startup with the operational rigor and scale required for a public fintech company. The emphasis on remote work within a specific time zone cluster (Europe) aims to balance flexibility with effective team collaboration.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Software Engineer II (Backend), indicating a mid-level position. With 1.5+ years of experience, the candidate is expected to contribute independently to projects, collaborate effectively with peers, and begin taking ownership of system components. The role emphasizes building and operating at scale, suggesting a trajectory towards more complex backend challenges.

Reporting Structure: The candidate will report to a manager and work closely with a Tech Lead within the Repayment UX Engineering team. Collaboration extends to Product Management, Design, and Analytics, forming a cross-functional pod structure common in agile tech environments.

Operations Impact: The Repayment UX team directly influences the financial health of millions of users and manages a substantial volume of loan repayments ($30B+ annually). Engineers in this role have a tangible impact on customer experience, financial transparency, and the company's bottom line by ensuring the reliability and ease of use of repayment processes.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in backend development, API design, and specific languages like Python or Kotlin, potentially exploring distributed systems and microservices architecture.

• Domain Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge in consumer finance, credit, and user repayment journeys, becoming a subject matter expert in the fintech space.

• Leadership Potential: Progress to Senior Engineer roles, Tech Lead positions, or management roles by demonstrating technical leadership, mentorship capabilities, and project ownership.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain experience working across different functions (product, design, analytics), enhancing strategic thinking and business acumen.

• Remote Work Mastery: Hone skills in effective communication, collaboration, and self-management within a remote-first environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The clear path from "1.5+ years" to "Software Engineer II" suggests a structured growth framework. The emphasis on operating at scale and improving financial lives provides a strong sense of purpose and impact, which is a key driver for career satisfaction in the tech industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Affirm is a remote-first company. While the team is based in Europe, the role is explicitly "Remote Spain," indicating that the majority of work will be performed remotely, with no requirement for a physical office presence for this specific position.

Office Location(s): The primary work location is "Remote Spain." Affirm also notes that "The majority of our roles can be located anywhere in Poland," but for this specific role, the focus is on Spain. This suggests that while the company has a strong presence and operational hub in Europe, this particular position is designated for candidates residing within Spain.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Flexibility: Employees have the autonomy to work from their home office, offering significant flexibility in managing their workspace and daily schedule.

• Collaborative Tools: Expect to utilize a suite of digital collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Confluence, Jira) to stay connected with team members across different locations.

• Technology Stipends: Flexible Spending Wallets are provided, which can be used to equip a home office with necessary technology and enhance productivity.

• Team Synchronization: While remote, the team operates within the same European time zone, facilitating real-time communication and synchronous collaboration sessions.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, typically 40 hours per week. While remote, adherence to European working hours is expected for team synchronization and collaboration. Affirm emphasizes flexibility, allowing individuals to manage their work schedules effectively around core collaboration times.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Remote Spain" designation is specific, implying that candidates must be legally authorized to work and reside in Spain. Affirm's remote-first approach is a key selling point, offering significant autonomy, but the need for team synchronization within a European time zone is a practical consideration for collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will likely conduct an initial call to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in the role and

Affirm.

• Technical Assessments: Expect one or more rounds of technical interviews. This may include:

  • Coding Challenges: Live coding exercises focusing on data structures, algorithms, and problem-solving in Python or Kotlin.
  • System Design: Discussions around designing scalable backend systems, APIs, and handling specific scenarios relevant to the Repayment UX domain.
  • Behavioral Interviews: Questions assessing your experience with teamwork, communication, ownership, and how you handle challenges, using the STAR method.

• Team/Manager Interviews: Meetings with potential team members and the hiring manager to evaluate technical depth, collaboration style, and alignment with team goals.

• Final Round: Potentially a final interview with a senior leader or executive to discuss strategic alignment and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Select Projects: Choose 2-3 impactful projects that best showcase your backend development skills, API design, and problem-solving abilities.

• Context is Key: For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the technologies used, the challenges faced, your solutions, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Code Quality Matters: Ensure any code samples are clean, well-commented, and demonstrate best practices. If possible, link to a public GitHub repository.

• Demonstrate Full-Stack Awareness: Even for a backend role, showing how your backend work integrates with frontend components or impacts the user experience is beneficial.

• Prepare to Discuss: Be ready to walk through your portfolio projects in detail, answering technical questions and discussing trade-offs.

Challenge Preparation:

• Practice LeetCode-style Problems: Focus on common data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, recursion).

• Study API Design Principles: Familiarize yourself with RESTful principles, common HTTP methods, status codes, and best practices for designing efficient and secure APIs.

• Review System Design Concepts: Understand concepts like scalability, availability, latency, microservices, caching, load balancing, and database choices.

• Prepare Behavioral Responses: Think of specific examples from your past experience that demonstrate ownership, collaboration, problem-solving, and learning from mistakes. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

• Research Affirm: Understand Affirm's business model, products, and recent news. Be prepared to discuss why you are interested in contributing to the Repayment UX team.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's focus on backend development within a specific UX domain (Repayment), interviewers will likely probe for practical application of skills, ability to handle complexity, and a user-centric mindset even in backend work. Portfolio projects that demonstrate impact on user experience or operational efficiency will be highly valued.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Backend Languages: Python and Kotlin are explicitly mentioned as primary languages for API development.

• API Development: Experience with designing and developing APIs at scale, likely involving RESTful principles.

• Web Frameworks (Frontend Context): Familiarity with declarative UI frameworks like React or Vue.js is required, indicating potential for full-stack understanding or collaboration with frontend engineers.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Monitoring & Metrics: Creating and monitoring key performance metrics is a core responsibility, suggesting use of monitoring tools (e.g., Datadog, Prometheus, Grafana) and a strong emphasis on data-driven operations.

• Data Analysis: Collaboration with the Analytics team implies use of data analysis tools and methodologies to understand user behavior and measure feature impact.

CRM & Automation:

• Version Control: Git is a standard for code management, likely used with platforms like GitHub or GitLab.

• Project Management: Tools like Jira are commonly used in agile environments for task tracking and sprint management.

• Cloud Infrastructure: While not explicitly stated, Affirm likely utilizes a cloud provider such as AWS, GCP, or Azure for its backend services, requiring familiarity with cloud concepts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack emphasizes modern backend development practices, with a clear preference for Python and Kotlin. The inclusion of frontend framework familiarity suggests a team that values a holistic understanding of the product development lifecycle, even for backend-focused roles. Proficiency in monitoring and metrics is crucial for operational excellence.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Honesty & Friendliness: As per Affirm's mission, these values likely permeate the engineering culture, emphasizing transparency in code, clear communication, and a supportive team environment.

• Ownership: Engineers are expected to take full responsibility for their work, from development to operation, reflecting a builder's mindset.

• Reliability & Transparency: Critical for a fintech company, especially in repayment processes. This translates to writing robust code, clear documentation, and open communication about system status.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Rigorous measurement of user behavior and feature impact is highlighted, indicating a culture that values empirical evidence.

• Continuous Improvement: The agile methodology and focus on shipping code frequently suggest a commitment to iterative development and ongoing optimization.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close collaboration with Product, Design, and Analytics teams is a cornerstone of the development process.

• Agile & Iterative: Work is organized in two-week sprints, fostering rapid feedback loops and adaptability.

• Remote-First Communication: Emphasis on strong verbal and written communication skills to bridge geographical distances and ensure clarity in a remote setting.

• Peer Support: An expectation to support peers and engage in growth and development activities, including participation in interviews.

📝 Enhancement Note: Affirm's culture appears to foster a blend of autonomy and collaboration, driven by data and a commitment to user success. The emphasis on "Silicon Valley roots" within a European team suggests a dynamic, results-oriented environment that values innovation and execution.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Operating at Scale: Managing repayment processes for over $30B annually presents significant challenges in terms of performance, reliability, and security.

• Balancing Speed and Stability: The fast-paced, two-week sprint cycle requires engineers to deliver quickly while maintaining high standards for code quality and system stability.

• Complex Financial Domain: Navigating the intricacies of consumer finance, regulatory compliance, and user financial well-being requires careful design and execution.

• Remote Collaboration: Effectively collaborating and building strong team cohesion in a fully remote environment requires proactive communication and intentional relationship-building.

• Evolving Fintech Landscape: Staying abreast of new technologies, market trends, and competitive pressures in the rapidly changing fintech industry.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialization in Fintech Backend: Deep dive into the unique challenges and solutions within financial technology, particularly in credit and repayment systems.

• Scalability and Performance Engineering: Gain hands-on experience optimizing systems for high throughput and low latency in a production environment.

• Cross-functional Skill Development: Enhance abilities in system design, API architecture, and understanding user experience principles from a backend perspective.

• Mentorship and Leadership: Opportunities to mentor junior engineers and contribute to technical decision-making, paving the way for future leadership roles.

• Exposure to Modern Tech Stacks: Work with cutting-edge languages (Python, Kotlin) and cloud technologies in a dynamic engineering organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a high-growth fintech company operating at scale. The growth opportunities are directly tied to overcoming these challenges, offering substantial professional development for ambitious engineers.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Technical Depth: "Describe a complex backend system you designed or significantly contributed to. What were the trade-offs you considered, and how did you ensure scalability and reliability?" (Focus on Python/Kotlin, API design, and operational aspects).

• Problem-Solving: "Imagine a scenario where users are reporting intermittent failures when trying to make a repayment. How would you diagnose and resolve this issue, considering potential issues across the stack?" (Demonstrate debugging methodology, monitoring tools, and cross-functional communication).

• Collaboration & Ownership: "Tell me about a time you disagreed with a product or design decision. How did you approach the situation, and what was the outcome?" (Highlight communication skills, ability to articulate technical constraints, and a collaborative approach to finding solutions).

Company & Culture Questions:

• Motivation: "Why are you interested in Affirm, and specifically the Repayment UX team? What excites you about our mission?" (Research Affirm's mission, values, and recent achievements. Connect your interests to their work in fintech and consumer finance).

• Teamwork: "Describe your ideal team environment. How do you contribute to a positive and productive team culture, especially in a remote setting?" (Emphasize collaboration, communication, and proactive engagement).

• Growth Mindset: "How do you stay current with new technologies and development practices? Can you give an example of a new skill or technology you've learned recently and applied?" (Showcase proactivity in learning and self-improvement).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the business problem solved and the quantifiable impact achieved (e.g., improved performance by X%, reduced errors by Y%, enabled Z new functionality).

• Technical Narrative: Walk through the architecture, key technical decisions, and challenges. Be prepared to dive deep into code implementation details for your chosen projects.

• Demonstrate API Design: If applicable, clearly explain your API design choices, including endpoints, request/response structures, and error handling strategies.

• Operational Awareness: Discuss how you considered monitoring, logging, and error handling during the development process, even if not explicitly a production system.

• Conciseness and Clarity: Practice delivering your presentation concisely, allowing ample time for Q&A. Tailor the technical depth to your audience.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily focus on demonstrating proficiency in backend development with Python/Kotlin, understanding of API design, and a pragmatic approach to problem-solving within a complex financial domain. Behavioral questions will assess your ability to thrive in Affirm's remote-first, agile, and ownership-driven culture.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Software Engineer II, Backend position:

• Submit your application through the Affirm careers portal via the provided Greenhouse link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your experience with Python/Kotlin, API development, and any relevant fintech or consumer-facing product experience. Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 strong backend projects that showcase your coding skills, API design, and problem-solving abilities. Be ready to discuss them in detail.

• Practice Technical Interviews: Review common data structures, algorithms, API design principles, and system design concepts. Practice live coding exercises.

• Research Affirm: Understand Affirm's mission, values, products, and the specific function of the Repayment UX team. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers.

• Articulate Your Growth: Be ready to discuss your career aspirations and how this role aligns with your professional development goals.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.