Principal Software Engineer, Cash Line

Upstart

12d•$195,300 - $270,400•Remote

About The Position

Upstart is a leading AI lending marketplace that partners with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit through technology. Their platform uses AI to make smarter, fairer credit decisions. Upstart is a digital-first company, offering flexibility in work location, with offices in Columbus, Austin, the Bay Area, and New York City. The Cash Line team is building a new, always-on revolving credit product designed to expand access to responsible, fairly priced credit. This is a small, senior engineering team operating like a startup within Upstart, owning the product end-to-end. They are building with generative AI as a core capability from day one. The role involves designing and building core backend systems, owning distributed services for underwriting, pricing, line management, transactions, and servicing, and translating complex requirements into scalable technical systems. The position requires close collaboration with machine learning engineers, data teams, mobile engineers, and business stakeholders. The engineer will shape foundational architectural decisions in a greenfield environment and contribute to a Gen AI first product strategy. Raising the bar for engineering quality through strong API design, data modeling, observability, testing, and operational rigor is also a key aspect of the role.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or Mathematics, or a related field (or its equivalent) + 8 years of experience
Strong experience designing distributed systems and event driven architectures, including real world handling of retries, idempotency, fault tolerance, and failure modes.
Proficiency in an object oriented language such as Python, Java, Kotlin, C#, or Ruby, and experience building and maintaining APIs and service oriented architectures.
Experience shipping consumer facing features end to end, with a strong understanding of latency, reliability, and user impact.
Ability to work effectively in ambiguous, zero to one environments where requirements evolve quickly.
Strong cross functional collaboration skills and comfort working closely with product, finance, compliance, and other business stakeholders.
Active use of AI tools in engineering, with a forward-looking perspective on how AI is reshaping software development.
Exceptional communication and collaboration skills; able to align teams and advocate for high-impact solutions across functions.

Nice To Haves

Experience in fintech, credit, payments, or other regulated financial systems.
Familiarity with revolving credit, line management, transaction processing, or ledger based systems.
Experience building systems that sit at the intersection of consumer products and capital markets infrastructure.
Background working with ML driven pricing, underwriting, or risk systems.
Hands on experience leveraging generative AI in product features or internal engineering workflows.
Experience on small, high ownership teams where engineers are responsible for architecture, implementation, and operational excellence.
Passion for building products that expand access to credit and improve financial outcomes for underserved consumers.

Responsibilities

Design and build the core backend systems that power a new revolving credit product used directly by consumers.
Own distributed services that support underwriting, pricing, line management, transactions, and servicing with high reliability and observability.
Translate complex product and economic requirements into scalable technical systems, balancing speed, risk, and long term maintainability.
Partner closely with machine learning engineers and data teams to productionize models and integrate AI driven decisioning into real time user flows.
Collaborate with mobile engineers to deliver seamless consumer facing features, ensuring backend systems are optimized for real world usage patterns.
Work across the full lifecycle of credit, from consumer acquisition and onboarding through funding, servicing, and capital markets distribution.
Shape foundational architectural decisions in a greenfield environment, while thoughtfully integrating with systems from Upstart’s mature lending platform.
Contribute to a Gen AI first product strategy, helping define how generative AI enhances user experience, internal tooling, automation, and operational workflows.
Raise the bar for engineering quality through strong API design, data modeling, observability, testing, and operational rigor.

Benefits

Competitive compensation, including base pay, bonus opportunities, and annual equity grants that vest quarterly
Retirement benefits to help you plan for the future, including a 401(k) or Group Retirement Savings Plan with a company match of $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 annually (USD in the US, CAD in Canada)
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible employees (US only)
Comprehensive health coverage designed to support you and your family, including medical, dental, vision, and wellness resources for US and supplemental health coverage for Canada.
Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans (US only)
Income protection benefits, including life insurance and disability coverage for added financial security
Paid time off, sick leave, and company holidays, in line with local requirements
Paid family and parental leave to support caregiving and major life moments (duration varies by country)
Family-centered benefits to support fertility, parenthood, and caregiving needs
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering mental health support and life-centered resources
Financial wellness resources, including access to financial planning tools and a financial concierge service (US Only)
Annual wellness allowance to support your physical and emotional well-being and personal development, based on what matters most to you
Annual productivity allowance to invest in relevant tools and resources you need to do your best work, no matter where you work from
Connection and community through team events, all-company updates, and employee resource groups (ERGs)
Onsite perks, including catered lunches and fully stocked micro-kitchens when working from one of our offices in the Bay Area, Austin, Columbus, and New York City (opening Summer 2026!)