Staff Software Engineer

Who you are

• Extensive experience, typically 8+ years, building and operating backend or distributed systems at scale
• Must be comfortable working hands-on directly in the codebase. This is a builder archetype position; the individual will spend considerable time designing and building the actual system they work on
• Strong product judgment: the ability to translate ambiguous customer problems into deliverables, make principled tradeoffs between rapid validation and durable architecture, and define measurable outcomes
• [Nice to have] Strong opinions, conviction, and good product taste
• [Nice to have] Previous experience building data and/or API products
• [Nice to have] Prior experience in the fraud domain
• [Nice to have] Prior experience in or interest in building agentic systems
• We encourage you to apply to a role even if your experience doesn't fully match the job description. We are always looking for team members that will bring something unique to Plaid!

What the job involves

• As a Staff Software Engineer on the Protect Core team, you will set the technical direction for the systems that serve Trust Index scores and fraud attributes in real time. You will lead ambiguous, multi-quarter initiatives while staying hands-on in architecture, critical production code, data investigation, and production debugging
• You will work closely with DSML teams, product, and fraud researchers to identify opportunities for new fraud signals and product expansions. You will shorten the path from a promising fraud insight to measurable customer value. You will iterate on Protect, from API changes to new integration modes and product modules
• This role is best suited to a hands-on builder who enjoys fast feedback loops, direct debate, and making principled tradeoffs between rapid experimentation and durable systems
• This role is not for engineers who prefer long-lead design specs, consensus-driven committee decisions, or 'process-heavy' environments. We prioritize shipping over alignment, and we expect you to push back when the process gets in the way of building
• Care deeply about the product and the value you create for our customers
• Learn how customers use our product and the specific fraud challenges they face; build solutions to address them
• Identify new frontiers in fraud detection, build focused prototypes to test the riskiest assumptions, and turn validated ideas into reliable production systems
• Collaborate closely with the DS/ML team. Better yet, navigate our data landscape, run Jupyter notebooks and Spark jobs, or develop in Tecton to deliver business impact independently
• Lead the team by example on AI assisted engineering: write skills and linters, automate things, push code in unfamiliar languages, systems and repos
• Raise the technical bar through mentorship, design reviews, and hands-on leadership across the organization

Benefits

• Vibrant offices in SF, NYC, and Raleigh-Durham—with catered meals, happy hours, and clubs to keep you connected
• Competitive pay, comprehensive health benefits, and support for fertility, mental health, and parental leave
• Lifestyle perks including home office stipends, daycare support, and commuting benefits like CitiBike and Lyft