Backend Engineer

About Clerkie

Clerkie is a fintech startup on a mission to democratize financial wellness using the power of artificial intelligence. Launched in 2018, Clerkie began with an app, aiming to help the nearly 123 million underserved Americans in need of financial guidance. Since its inception, the company has expanded its services and now pairs consumer guidance with cutting-edge B2B software. By pairing the two through the Clerkie network, these tools have become the go-to resource for creditors looking to manage loan losses while simultaneously helping millions of borrowers get out of debt.

Clerkie is a remote-first company, with over 40 employees spanning 4 time zones across the United States. To date, the company has raised $41 million, including a $33 million Series A round in early 2023. Investors include leading financial and venture institutions, including Citi Ventures, Left Lane Capital, Wellington Ventures, Flourish Ventures, and Vestigo Ventures.

About the role

We’re looking for a Backend Engineer who wants to build and own critical systems in a fast-moving environment. This role is ideal for someone with strong backend fundamentals who is ready to take on meaningful ownership. You’ll work on systems that power Clerkie’s platform and support both internal and external product experiences.

At Clerkie, engineers operate with a high degree of ownership and autonomy. You’ll collaborate across functions, contribute to technical decisions, and help ensure the platform remains reliable as we grow. Because we’re still early, this role goes beyond implementation you’ll play a role in shaping how we build and evolve our systems over time.

Here’s what you’ll do

• Design, build, and maintain backend services
• Contribute to system reliability, performance, and scalability
• Participate in technical design discussions and decision-making
• Support feature development across the platform
• Improve visibility into system health and performance
• Collaborate cross-functionally to deliver a seamless user experience
• Contribute to internal engineering practices and documentation

Here’s a snapshot of what the Engineer team tackled recently

• Scaled backend systems to support growing enterprise usage
• Built new infrastructure to support partner integrations
• Improved system observability and production reliability
• Supported high-priority product initiatives tied to revenue growth
• Collaborated closely with leadership on technical direction and tradeoffs
• Refined how we build, ship, and maintain systems
• Helped clean up and organize Coda, our internal knowledge hub, to make life easier for future new hires (like you!)
• Onboarded a new teammate to the Engineering team and updated internal rituals to set them up for success
• Spent the day on a private ranch in Jackson Hole horseback riding, axe throwing, eating outside a Michelin Star chef's table, roasting smores under the stars, and celebrating your latest hackathon win
• And more! From big wins to team traditions, it’s been a big year so far and we’re just getting started 😎

Must-haves

• Experience building and shipping backend systems in production
• Strong fundamentals in system design and backend architecture
• Proficiency in JavaScript / Node.js (or similar backend languages)
• Experience working with databases (NoSQL preferred, e.g., MongoDB)
• Ability to own projects end-to-end and operate independently
• Strong communication skills across technical and non-technical teams
• Comfort working in a fast-moving, evolving startup environment

Nice-to-haves (but not required)

• Experience working on backend or server-side
• Experience with AWS (EC2, S3, etc.) or cloud infrastructure
• Experience with distributed systems or data-heavy applications
• Familiarity with fintech, financial services, or regulated industries
• Background in engineering, computer science, analytics, or another technical field
• Experience working in early-stage startups or high-growth environments
• Curiosity about financial wellness and technology that improves people’s lives

What we value

• Strong ownership mindset - you take responsibility for outcomes, not just tasks
• Bias for action - you move quickly and make thoughtful decisions
• Customer-first thinking - you care about the real-world impact of what you build
• Resilience and adaptability - you can navigate ambiguity and evolving priorities
• Desire to build something meaningful and long-lasting

Our salary & benefits

• 💰 Salary range: $90-150k 
• 💼 Equity
• 💻 Remote-first role (US only)
• 🧘 Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 📈 401(k) + retirement benefits
• 🌴 Paid time off + annual company retreat
• 💻 Company laptop + home office stipend
• 💙 Collaborative, values-driven culture

Our Hiring Process

We believe in a two-way interview process that helps us get to know you and helps you get to know us.

1. Application & Coderbyte (async candidate time) 
2. Recruiting Screen w/ Head of People (15-20 minutes via Google meet)
3. Take-Home Challenge & Live Review w/ Sr. Engineer (challenge is async candidate time, live review is 45 mins via Google meet) 
4. Live Coding Challenge w/ Sr. Engineer (90 minutes via Google meet) 
5. Final Management Meeting w/ SLT (45 minutes via Google meet)

Before we extend any offers, all candidates must successfully complete a standard background check in addition to a reference check. These checks are conducted in tandem to ensure a safe, secure, and compliant environment for all Clerkie team members and stakeholders. We approach this stage with transparency and sensitivity, and candidates will be provided with clear information about the process.

AI & Interview Assessments

At Clerkie, we embrace AI and use it throughout our day-to-day work. We value people who thoughtfully leverage modern tools to learn, build, and solve problems more effectively.

Our interview process is designed to evaluate each candidate's own technical thinking, communication, and problem-solving approach. To help ensure every candidate is assessed fairly, consistently, and under the same conditions, we ask candidates not to use external problem-solving resources during live interviews or technical assessments unless we explicitly state otherwise. This includes AI assistants, interview assistants, search engines, and other third-party resources. You're welcome to reference any documentation or materials that we provide as part of the interview.

This expectation does not apply to approved interview accommodations or assistive technologies. If you require a reasonable accommodation at any stage of our hiring process, please let us know. We're committed to providing an accessible and equitable interview experience for all candidates.

If this interview expectation is not followed, we may conclude the assessment and discontinue the interview process.