Staff Software Engineer, Payments

fal is the generative media ecosystem powering the next generation of AI products. We build the infrastructure, tools, and model access that teams need to move from idea to production, and do it at scale without compromise. For developers and enterprises, fal is the foundation that makes generative media not just possible, but practical: a unified platform where high-performance inference, orchestration, and observability come together to unlock new categories of AI-native products.

As generative media reshapes industries across a market projected to grow by hundreds of billions over the next decade, fal is becoming the ecosystem that ambitious teams build on.
About this role

We are looking for a Software Engineer to help build the next generation of usage-based billing systems at fal. This role is ideal for someone passionate about designing scalable event-driven systems that integrate tightly with Stripe and Orb, power real-time usage tracking, and deliver accurate, flexible billing experiences for customers.

You will work cross-functionally with Product, Finance, and Infrastructure teams to ensure our billing system is robust, accurate, and capable of supporting new pricing models as our product grows.
What You'll Do

• Design and build event-driven billing systems that process real-time usage data.
• Integrate with Orb for usage metering and Stripe for payments and invoicing.
• Build Python-based microservices running on Kubernetes to handle billing workflows.
• Develop data storage and processing flows for downstream analysis in BigQuery.
• Collaborate with product engineers to build Next.js dashboards and admin tools for billing insights and reconciliation.
• Ensure billing systems are accurate, auditable, and scalable to support new product launches and pricing models.
• Partner with Finance to automate reporting, reconciliation, and revenue analytics.

What We're Looking For

• Experience with usage-based billing systems or event-driven architectures.
• Strong Python skills for backend microservices.
• Familiarity with Stripe (payments, invoicing) and Orb (usage metering) APIs.
• Experience with Postgres for transactional data and BigQuery for analytics.
• Experience with Kubernetes and containerized deployments.
• Ability to build admin interfaces or customer dashboards using Next.js.
• Comfort working with event-driven data pipelines (e.g., Kafka, Pub/Sub, or similar).
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with Finance, Product, and Data teams.

Nice to Have

• Experience with FinTech, SaaS, or cloud usage billing at scale.
• Familiarity with cloud providers (AWS, GCP) and their billing models.
• Knowledge of pricing experimentation or monetization platforms.

Compensation

• $160,000 - $200,000 + equity + comprehensive benefits package

Location

• We are currently hiring in downtown San Francisco.