Principal Software Engineer

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Arizona, +1 more state.

📋 Description

• Oversee and strategically enhance high-volume payment processing systems that manage real-time financial transactions.

• Lead the migration process of the platform, transitioning a core Windows C++ authorization gateway to Linux utilizing Clang and Bazel.

• Create robust payment integrations with various third-party gateways, including Chase Paymentech, Barclays, HSBC, AMEX, Adyen, Braintree, Klarna, Shift4, and others.

• Break down legacy IPC frameworks into gRPC services, allowing payment components to be reused across the wider payments ecosystem — this represents the transition from maintenance to system design.

• Develop and implement security-critical features that involve encryption, PCI compliance, and the handling of sensitive payment data.

• Enhance the performance of transaction processing pipelines where latency directly impacts customer purchase completion.

• Gradually transition legacy codebases towards modern C++ practices (RAII, ownership semantics, safe string handling) while ensuring dependent payment flows remain intact.

• Design and execute thorough testing strategies including unit tests, integration tests, and fuzz testing for components critical to security.

• Troubleshoot and resolve production issues within systems characterized by complex interdependencies and real operational demands.

• Work collaboratively with payment operations teams to integrate new payment methods and gateway providers.

• Guarantee adherence to PCI-DSS and other financial industry regulations.

• Engage in on-call rotations for support of the production payment system.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of 7 years of professional C++ development experience in production settings.

• Proficiency in modern C++.

• Strong grasp of systems programming, encompassing memory management, concurrency, and performance enhancement.

• Capacity to evaluate undefined behavior and its practical implications across different platforms.

• Systematic approach to debugging.

• Understanding of toolchains and cross-compilation issues.

• Expertise with build systems, particularly valuing experience with Bazel.

• Familiarity with legacy codebases over a decade old, with the ability to understand, respect, and progressively modernize existing systems.

• Experience or a strong interest in payment processing or financial transaction systems.

• In-depth knowledge of security best practices.

• Proficiency in using AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Claude, Codex) with sound judgment — leveraging AI as an accelerator that necessitates human verification, especially in codebases with undefined behavior where AI-generated code may seem correct but can still be erroneous.

• Understanding of HTTP/HTTPS protocols and RESTful API design.

• Experience with Linux/Unix environments.

• Familiarity with Rust or a genuine interest in acquiring knowledge in it.

• Experience with gRPC or understanding of service decomposition from monolithic architectures.

• Experience in integrating payment gateways (Chase Paymentech, Braintree, Adyen, or similar).

• Knowledge and practical experience with PCI-DSS compliance and implementation.

• Experience in platform migrations (e.g., Windows to Linux, MSVC to Clang).

• Expertise in the Bazel build system.

• Experience in performance profiling.

• Familiarity with shared memory, IPC frameworks, or low-level concurrency primitives.

• Experience with Kafka or other event streaming platforms.

• Hands-on experience with OpenSSL/cryptographic libraries.

• Familiarity with AI-driven code review and static analysis tools.

• Awareness of security considerations for utilizing AI tools with legacy or poorly documented systems.

🏝️ Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, vision, dental, and mental health benefits for you and your family, including access to a health care concierge and Flexible or Health Savings Accounts (FSA or HSA).

• Complimentary concert tickets, generous paid time off including holidays, sick leave, and personal days.

• 401(k) plan with company matching contributions and stock reimbursement program.

• New parent initiatives, including caregiver leave, alongside support for fertility, adoption, foster care, or surrogacy.

• Career and skill development programs through the School of Live, tuition reimbursement, and student loan repayment assistance.

• Volunteer time off and crowdfunding match initiatives.