Staff Backend Engineer - Remote, Equity & Impact

We are currently looking for a Staff Software Engineer, Backend in Italy. This role sits at the core of a global payments infrastructure platform, where you will help design and scale the backend systems that power high‑volume, mission‑critical financial transactions. You will operate at staff level, shaping technical direction across multiple engineering teams while remaining deeply hands‑on in system design and implementation. The work focuses on building resilient distributed systems that support complex third‑party integrations and ensure reliability, performance, and clarity across the payments ecosystem. You will act as a key technical authority for partner connectivity and backend architecture, influencing decisions that directly impact product scalability and merchant success. This is a remote‑first environment where collaboration, autonomy, and strong engineering judgment are essential. The role is ideal for someone who thrives in ambiguity and enjoys solving deeply technical, system‑level challenges at scale. Accountabilities Setting technical direction across backend and platform engineering teams, including architecture decisions and system design standards Designing and building scalable, reliable distributed systems that support global payment flows and partner integrations Acting as the technical authority for third‑party PSP and partner connectivity, ensuring seamless integration experiences Influencing engineering practices across teams through design reviews, code contributions, and mentorship Identifying and resolving cross‑team dependencies and technical bottlenecks before they impact delivery Partnering closely with product and engineering leadership to shape roadmap priorities based on technical constraints and opportunities Driving engineering excellence through adoption of best practices such as testing strategies, rigorous documentation, and scalable design principles Requirements This role requires deep backend engineering expertise and proven experience operating at a senior staff or principal level in complex, distributed systems environments. You should be comfortable driving technical direction across teams and influencing without formal authority. Ideal qualifications include: Extensive experience in backend engineering, with a strong track record of building and scaling distributed systems Proven ability to operate at staff or principal engineer level, influencing architecture across multiple teams Strong understanding of payments infrastructure, developer platforms, or complex integration systems Hands‑on experience with system design, scalability, reliability engineering, and performance optimization Experience with programming languages such as Python or similar backend‑focused languages Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for diverse stakeholders Demonstrated leadership through technical mentorship, design leadership, and cross‑team collaboration Comfort working in remote‑first, fast‑moving environments with ambiguity and evolving priorities Benefits Fully remote‑first work environment with global collaboration Competitive equity or share options Generous paid time off with a minimum annual allowance Home office setup support and co‑working space access Learning and professional development budget Private medical insurance and additional health benefits (depending on location) Annual company retreats and workation opportunities High‑quality equipment provided for your role Collaborative, mission‑driven engineering culture focused on impact and autonomy #J-18808-Ljbffr