[Remote] Senior Director, Software Engineering (Machine Learning) at Affirm

United States

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Not SpecifiedCompensation

Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level

Full TimeJob Type

UnknownVisa

Financial TechnologyIndustries

Requirements

15+ years of relevant experience in Machine Learning, AI, or related technical domains
Experience leading centralized ML teams comprising of both ML modelers and ML platform engineers
Successful track record in landing key models responsible for the company’s success that directly drive PnL
Comfortable working in matrix organizations and influencing across a wide variety of leaders
Experience hiring and growing, and retaining talent
Keeps up with evolving ML landscape — understands when to buy vs build, and what tools/ techniques can drive the most business value

Responsibilities

Set the vision for Machine Learning and AI at Affirm. Hire world class Machine Learning modelers, Platform and Software engineers to execute on that vision
Take ownership of our core model development lifecycle and business outcomes across our established verticals – underwriting, fraud, servicing, personalization
Work closely with product and business leadership to champion AI adoption in both existing and new products
Balance ML investments across traditional ML and transformer based models
Evolve ML platform to support our increasing ML needs across Affirm with a special emphasis on training, tuning and serving AI models
Run a robust, yet shortened ML development lifecycle establishing a culture for experimenting and failing fast
Work with a wide variety of cross functional partners outside of engineering ranging from product, risk, servicing, legal and compliance

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

Machine LearningAIModel DevelopmentPlatform EngineeringSoftware EngineeringLeadershipTeam BuildingModelersTransformer ModelsModel TrainingModel TuningModel Serving

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What is the base pay range for this Senior Director role?

For CA, WA, NY, NJ, CT, the USA base pay range is $340,000 - $375,000 per year. For all other U.S. states, it is $305,000 - $340,000 per year. New employees typically start at the beginning of the pay range, with total compensation including equity, stipends, and benefits.

Is this position remote?

Yes, Affirm is a remote-first company, and the majority of roles including this one are remote, allowing you to work almost anywhere.

What experience and skills are required for this role?

Candidates need 15+ years in Machine Learning, AI, or related domains, experience leading centralized ML teams with modelers and platform engineers, a track record of impactful models driving business success, and skills in matrix organizations, talent management, and staying current with ML trends.

What benefits does Affirm offer?

Benefits include 100% subsidized medical coverage, dental, and vision for you and your dependents, plus monthly stipends for health, wellness, and tech spending, along with equity rewards.

What makes a strong candidate for this Senior Director position?

A strong candidate has 15+ years in ML/AI, proven leadership of centralized ML teams delivering P&L-impacting models, experience in matrix organizations, talent hiring and retention, and deep knowledge of the evolving ML landscape to decide buy vs. build.

Affirm

Provides buy now, pay later financing solutions

About Affirm

Affirm offers point-of-sale financing solutions as an alternative to traditional credit cards. It allows consumers to make purchases and pay over time through installment plans, often without hidden fees or deferred interest. Affirm partners with merchants to integrate its payment solutions into online and in-store shopping experiences, using user-friendly plugins and APIs. The company generates revenue from interest and fees on loans to consumers, as well as fees from merchants for offering its financing options. Affirm also provides a merchant dashboard for transaction processing and promotional tools to help businesses market these financing options effectively. The goal of Affirm is to empower consumers with flexible payment options while providing value to merchants in the e-commerce and retail markets.

San Francisco, CaliforniaHeadquarters

2012Year Founded

$1,113.8MTotal Funding

IPOCompany Stage

Fintech, Financial ServicesIndustries

1,001-5,000Employees

Benefits

Spending wallets: Access tech, food, lifestyle, and family planning wallets for your expenses

Supportive communities: Get involved with our employee resource groups and community groups

Remote-first workforce: If your role is remote, you can set up shop anywhere in your home country

Generous time off: Take the time you need when life happens

Health benefits: Get a plan that fits your needs

Mental healthcare: Take care of your mind with great mental health programs

Parental leave: Birth and non-birth parents get 18 weeks paid leave. Plus, a 4-week return-to-work transition program, at full base pay.

Compensation: We have a simple, flexible, and transparent remote-first compensation structure so you can make the best decisions for yourself and your family.

Away days: We offer 24 company-wide paid days off—which help our teams collectively pause to recharge.

Learning & development: Engage in exciting learning programs to level up your growth.

Risks

Increased CFPB regulation could raise compliance costs for Affirm.

Affirm faces competition from new entrants in the BNPL market.

Reliance on partners like Adyen and Apple poses potential revenue risks.

Differentiation

Affirm offers transparent installment loans with no hidden fees or surprises.

Affirm partners with over 2,000 merchants, including major retail brands.

Affirm's user-friendly APIs enable seamless integration with online and in-store platforms.

Upsides

Affirm's partnership with Adyen expands its reach in North America.

Affirm's $4 billion partnership with Sixth Street boosts financial stability.

Affirm's BNPL services gain traction among high-income consumers.

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