Coinbase

Senior Software Engineer, Backend – Platform, Payment Rails

Coinbase

full-time

Posted on:

Location Type: Hybrid

Location: United States

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Salary

💰 $186,065 - $218,900 per year

Job Level

About the role

  • Design and build scalable payment systems that process millions of transactions daily—developing APIs, services, and integrations that power deposits, withdrawals, and fund transfers across multiple payment methods and rails.
  • Own backend services end-to-end from architecture through production—writing high-quality, well-tested code and operating services that must be correct, auditable, and reliable in a real-time financial environment.
  • Partner cross-functionally with Product, Design, Compliance, and Finance to translate complex payment requirements into robust, scalable technical solutions that balance speed, safety, and regulatory compliance.
  • Drive technical vision and execution by working with engineers, product managers, and senior leadership to shape the long-term roadmap for Payment Rails—identifying opportunities to improve reliability, reduce latency, and scale our systems.
  • Integrate with internal and external partners including banking systems, payment processors, and teams across Coinbase (e.g., FinHub, Ledger, Risk) to ensure seamless money movement across the platform.
  • Contribute to engineering excellence by mentoring teammates, participating in design reviews, and helping build a strong, inclusive, and high-performing engineering culture.

Requirements

  • 5+ years of experience in backend software engineering, with demonstrated experience building high-volume, low-latency distributed systems.
  • Strong coding skills in Go (preferred) or similar languages, with solid understanding of relational databases, transactions, and data consistency.
  • Experience designing and operating production services at scale—including monitoring, alerting, incident response, and performance optimization.
  • Deep understanding of distributed systems, APIs, and system design principles—you can decompose complex problems into well-structured, service-oriented architectures.
  • Proven ability to collaborate across teams and functions, driving alignment with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • You're passionate about building an open financial system that brings the world together.
  • Demonstrates the ability to responsibly use generative AI tools and copilots (e.g., LibreChat, Gemini, Glean) in daily workflows, continuously learn as tools evolve, and apply human-in-the-loop practices to deliver business-ready outputs and drive measurable improvements in efficiency, cost, and quality.
Benefits
  • Health insurance
  • 401(k) matching
  • Flexible work hours
  • Paid time off
  • Remote work options
Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools
backend software engineeringGodistributed systemsAPIsrelational databasestransactionsdata consistencyproduction servicesperformance optimizationsystem design principles
Soft Skills
collaborationalignment with stakeholdersmentoringengineering excellencecommunicationproblem decompositionpassion for open financial systemscross-functional partnershipdriving technical visionbuilding inclusive culture