Staff Software Engineer, Product at Plaid

New York, New York, United States

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Not SpecifiedCompensation

Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level

Full TimeJob Type

UnknownVisa

FinTech, TechnologyIndustries

Requirements

8+ years of engineering experience leading projects spanning multiple teams
Experience designing distributed systems, scaling core infrastructure, and navigating complexity to identify impact
Exceptional product instincts and the ability to connect technical decisions to user and business outcomes
Strong coding proficiency in a backend language (e.g., Go, Java, Python) and system-level debugging skills
Track record of mentorship, elevating technical quality across teams, and influencing without authority
High-trust, low-ego communication: write clearly, listen deeply, and lead with curiosity rather than certainty

Responsibilities

Lead design efforts across infra layers—data pipelines, platform boundaries, service interactions—looking past team lines to improve overall architecture
Take on large, technically complex projects that require coordination, influence, and deep attention to reliability, security, and maintainability; stay close to the code to validate architecture, unblock teams, and drive progress
Mentor engineers, review technical proposals, and contribute to team norms and standards around architecture, testing, and observability
Lead high-impact projects that cut across teams, deliver best-in-class systems, and build infrastructure that makes it easier and safer for engineers to ship critical code
Drive architecture for critical Tier-0 systems or own the highest priority product engineering initiatives
Partner across product, infra, and security teams to shape durable abstractions, resolve architectural debt, and make systems more reliable and explainable
Work across domains like identity resolution, data pipelines, access control, and developer experience, owning decisions that improve quality and accelerate delivery at the company level
Raise the bar for engineering by driving execution on ambitious projects, mentoring other engineers, leading technical reviews, and modeling high-context, low-friction collaboration

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

Distributed SystemsData PipelinesScaling InfrastructureAccess ControlObservabilityArchitecture DesignReliability EngineeringSecurityTestingMentoringTechnical Reviews

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What is the salary range for this Staff Software Engineer position?

The target base salary ranges from $202,800/year to $330,000/year in Zone 1 (New York City and San Francisco Bay Area), with variations based on location across other zones. Additional compensation may include equity and/or commission depending on the position.

Is this position remote or does it require working from an office?

This information is not specified in the job description.

What skills and experience are required for this role?

Candidates need 8+ years of engineering experience leading projects spanning multiple teams, experience designing distributed systems and scaling core infrastructure, exceptional product instincts, strong coding proficiency in a backend language like Go, Java, or Python, and system-level debugging skills.

What is the company culture like for engineering at Plaid?

The culture emphasizes high-trust, low-ego communication, modeling high-context low-friction collaboration, mentorship, elevating technical quality across teams, and influencing without authority.

What makes a strong candidate for this Staff Engineer role?

Strong candidates have 8+ years leading multi-team projects, experience with distributed systems and infrastructure scaling, product instincts linking tech to business outcomes, backend coding proficiency, mentorship track record, and high-trust communication skills.

Plaid

Connects financial accounts to apps securely

About Plaid

Plaid simplifies financial data management for individuals and businesses by connecting various financial accounts to apps and services. Its main product is a set of APIs that allow developers to integrate financial data into their applications, enabling users to track spending, initiate payments, and access financial services all in one place. Plaid serves a wide range of clients, including app developers and financial institutions, and is used by popular apps like LendingTree and Square. Unlike many competitors, Plaid focuses on providing a comprehensive and scalable platform that supports various financial use cases, such as transactions and identity verification. The company's goal is to enhance the way users interact with their financial data, making it easier and more secure.

San Francisco, CaliforniaHeadquarters

2013Year Founded

$714.3MTotal Funding

SERIES_DCompany Stage

Fintech, Financial ServicesIndustries

1,001-5,000Employees

Benefits

We've got you covered: From medical, life, and 401ks, we’re here to support your physical, mental, and financial wellbeing.

Everyone is an owner: We want everyone to feel ownership over their work - literally, which is why we offer equity to full-time Plaids.

Vacation your way: We want to make sure you have time to meet your personal needs with unlimited PTO and two weeks of synchronous, company-wide vacation.

Grow your skills: Every Plaid is in control of their career development with our learning stipends, tools, and trainings.

Risks

Increased competition from API-based banking solutions like FIS's Code Connect platform.

Potential legal challenges, such as PNC's lawsuit over trademark issues.

Demand for enhanced transparency and security in financial data sharing.

Differentiation

Plaid offers seamless financial data integration through robust APIs for diverse clients.

Plaid's Pay by Bank for Bill Pay provides a cost-effective recurring payment solution.

Plaid's strategic partnerships enhance its value proposition in payroll and payment sectors.

Upsides

Plaid's expansion into the Triangle area indicates growth and increased hiring potential.

Partnership with Dwolla enhances Plaid's presence in the secure payments sector.

Collaboration with Ansa expands market reach through pay-by-bank capabilities for merchants.

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