Senior Software Engineer, New Product

Upstart

3h•Remote

About The Position

Upstart is the leading AI lending marketplace partnering with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit. By leveraging Upstart's AI marketplace, Upstart-powered banks and credit unions can have higher approval rates and lower loss rates across races, ages, and genders, while simultaneously delivering the exceptional digital-first lending experience their customers demand. More than 80% of borrowers are approved instantly, with zero documentation to upload. Upstart is a digital-first company, which means that most Upstarters live and work anywhere in the United States. However, we also have offices in San Mateo, California; Columbus, Ohio; Austin, Texas; and New York City, NY (opening Summer 2026). Most Upstarters join us because they connect with our mission of enabling access to effortless credit based on true risk. If you are energized by the impact you can make at Upstart, we’d love to hear from you! The Team We’re a small, senior engineering team building a new product within Upstart, focused on helping consumers access responsible and affordable credit. We operate with a startup mindset—lean, fast, and deeply focused on impact. With a greenfield codebase and a high degree of autonomy, we’re shaping both the product and the way modern engineering teams work in an AI-native environment.

Requirements

4+ years of experience building backend systems in production, ideally for consumer-facing applications.
Strong technical background in distributed systems and event-driven architecture (Kafka, SQS, Kinesis, or similar).
Proficiency in object-oriented programming languages (e.g., Java, Kotlin, C#, Python, Ruby) and familiarity with relational databases, APIs, and caching.
Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and thrive in ambiguous, early-stage product environments.
Deep product sense with a strong focus on end-user experience and outcomes.
Familiarity with observability and reliability concepts (metrics, logs, traces, SLOs).
Actively uses AI tools in engineering workflows, with strong opinions about the future of AI in software development.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience at consumer-focused (B2C) fintech or technology companies with millions of users.
Background in backend systems related to payments, credit, or high-scale user workflows.
Experience building zero-to-one products and contributing to product direction in small teams.
Exposure to schema evolution and safe data migrations in distributed environments (e.g., Protobuf, Avro).
Entrepreneurial mindset—comfortable in dynamic environments, with a bias toward action and ownership.
Track record of scrappy, high-quality execution and an interest in building software that serves underserved populations.
Strong AI instincts—interest or experience building agentic systems or applying LLMs to development and testing.

Responsibilities

Design and build the backend systems that power a brand-new consumer credit experience.
Develop scalable, distributed services using event-driven architectures to ensure reliability, observability, and long-term maintainability.
Collaborate closely with design and product to translate intent into features that serve millions of consumers.
Drive technical decisions in a zero-to-one product environment, balancing speed with high-quality execution.
Apply AI-native workflows to accelerate development, testing, analysis, and documentation.
Help define engineering best practices and culture within a fast-moving and outcome-driven team.

Benefits

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