Technical Lead - Consumer and Merchant Experience

Koalafi•Arlington, VA

2h•$167,723 - $217,053•Remote

About The Position

Koalafi is seeking a hands-on Tech Lead for the Consumer Team to drive the technical direction and execution of the systems that power our consumer web experience. This leader will guide a team of engineers responsible for payment processing, modernizing legacy systems, building scalable services, and delivering the tools that enable consumers to meet their financing needs with Koalafi. As Tech Lead for the Consumer Team, you’ll shape the systems and team that power Koalafi’s consumer experience. You’ll direct and guide engineers through design and delivery, work closely with product, risk, and operations, and stay hands-on in the codebase. You’ll grow as both a people and technical leader while continuing to code and mentor others.

Requirements

7+ years of professional software engineering experience
3+ years of prior management experience
Experience leading technical efforts or small teams guided by data-driven decisions
Track record of turning complex technical visions into phased, achievable roadmaps
Proficiency in React and Golang, with the ability to provide legacy system support in C#/.Net
Strong database skills in schema design and performance optimization (SQL Server, Postgres)
Comfort working across frontend, backend, and serverless technologies (TypeScript, AWS)
Strong understanding of containerized services and event-driven systems
Proven ability to balance technical depth with business impact and clear communication

Nice To Haves

prior experience in fintech, payments, or e-commerce

Responsibilities

Define and execute the technical roadmap for consumer services and APIs
Architect, build, and modernize backend and frontend systems using React, Golang, and AWS
Guide design reviews and promote best engineering practices within the team
Shape quarterly roadmaps that balance ambitious modernization with high-impact features
Mentor engineers through pairing, feedback, and thoughtful one-on-one guidance
Partner with product, operations, and risk to align business goals with technical execution
Nurture a high-performing, collaborative engineering culture grounded in ownership and accountability
Improve system reliability, observability, and scalability for high-volume financial transactions
Integrate AI tools into daily development to streamline code analysis, refactoring, and feature builds while ensuring system reliability
Champion automation, testing, and deployment practices that drive speed and confidence
Collaborate on technical design reviews and ensure architectural consistency across services