Senior Software Engineer

The Team

Every year, millions of Americans turn to high-cost payday loans to cover short-term cash needs, often paying excessive fees and interest. Upstart’s Small Dollar Loan product offers a fair-priced, non-predatory alternative for those deemed "too risky" by traditional lenders. Operating like a startup within a larger company, our team moves quickly to refine our ML models, automate the customer experience, and scale the business. Since launching in April 2022, we've expanded access to credit for tens of thousands of customers while proving strong unit economics—and we’re just getting started.

As a Senior Software Engineer at Upstart, you’ll take the lead on Small Dollar Lending’s core engineering initiatives. You understand how good software design and architecture advances and accelerates business outcomes. You don’t wait for someone to set a path for you, you collaborate with stakeholders across the broader business to identify and drive the team’s success. With deep care and empathy for our customers, you’ll bring your thoughts and opinions on what we build, not just how we build it. Working alongside a team of bright and motivated engineers, you encourage everyone to be their best through coaching and mentorship.

How you’ll make an impact:

• Leverage our existing tech stack (Kotlin, Spring Boot, React, Next.js, AWS, Kafka) to add features and value
• Lead successful cross-team and/or multi-quarter, multi-engineer projects
• Drive a vision for how best to design and build software in a complex, service oriented environment
• Propose and deliver new ideas that achieve meaningful improvements to our team’s business metrics
• Maintain and champion a quality mindset, finding ways for the entire team to consistently improve reliability

What we’re looking for: 

• Minimum requirements:
  • 5+ years professional experience in fullstack software development in a cloud-hosted environment
  • 3+ years proficiency in Kotlin, Java, or C#, or similar modern backend languages 
  • Some hands-on experience with a JavaScript framework like React
  • Some hands-on experience with SQL databases and domain modeling
• Preferred qualifications:
  • Excellent verbal and written communication, skilled in translating complex topics and ideas to a wide variety of audiences
  • Experience designing, developing, and deploying microservices-based applications
  • Ability to thrive both in self-directed work environments and in collaborative settings, contributing positively to team dynamics

Position Location - This role is available in the following locations: Remote, San Mateo, Columbus, Austin 

Time Zone Requirements - This team operates across all U.S. time zones.

Travel Requirements - This team has regular on-site collaboration sessions. These occur 3 days per quarter at an Upstart office. If you need to travel to make these meetups, Upstart will cover all travel related expenses.

What you'll love: 

• Competitive Compensation (base + bonus & equity)
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart 
• 401(k) with 100% company match up to $4,500 and immediate vesting and after-tax savings
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
• Life and disability insurance
• Generous holiday, vacation, sick and safety leave  
• Supportive parental, family care, and military leave programs
• Annual wellness, technology & ergonomic reimbursement programs
• Social activities including team events and onsites, all-company updates, employee resource groups (ERGs), and other interest groups such as book clubs, fitness, investing, and volunteering
• Catered lunches + snacks & drinks when working in offices

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