---
title: 'Software Engineer - Backend at Cardless'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-backend-cardless-san-francisco-6bg4k4w98v23'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Software Engineer - Backend at Cardless

- **Company:** Cardless
- **Location:** San Francisco, CA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-07-08
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/cardless/0df39586-ff01-4c35-b2ca-86f41a952388

## Job description

Cardless is looking for an experienced backend engineer to join our exceptional team! You’ll play a key role in designing, building, and scaling the systems that power our co-branded credit card platform spanning domains like applications, accounts, transactions, fraud, risk, and rewards.

As a software engineer, your responsibilities will include but not be limited to the following:

## RESPONSIBILITIES

- Design and build scalable, secure, and high-performance backend systems and services that support Cardless’s core financial products
- Contribute to architectural discussions and decisions to evolve our platform as we grow
- Take ownership of projects from design through production — including requirements gathering, implementation, testing, deployment, and ongoing maintenance
- Collaborate cross-functionally with product managers, designers, other engineers, and stakeholders (external partners, risk, compliance) to deliver high-quality features quickly and reliably
- Identify and drive improvements in system reliability, observability, performance, and developer experience
- Provide technical guidance and thought partnership to peers across the engineering organization

## WHAT WE LOOK FOR

- Strong experience designing and implementing backend systems and services that operate at scale (typically 5+ years of industry experience)
- Solid understanding of distributed systems, APIs, databases, and infrastructure fundamentals
- Proficiency with a modern backend language (e.g. Java, Python) and ecosystem
- Track record of delivering complex technical projects end-to-end, collaborating effectively with cross-functional partners
- Deep, low-level expertise in one or more backend domains (e.g., databases, scaling systems, distributed systems)
- Passion for building robust, maintainable systems that have real-world impact for customers

## NICE TO HAVE

- Experience building and maintaining external, public-facing APIs
- Familiarity with financial systems, reconciliation workflows, or data integrity challenges
- Exposure to ML pipelines or feature stores

## WHY CARDLESS

You’ll join a collaborative, fast-moving team that values craftsmanship, curiosity, and impact. We’re building products that enable leading brands to offer credit in new ways — and we’re just getting started.

## COMPENSATION

Note: This role is open to experienced engineers only

This role has an annual starting salary range of $165,000-$260,000 + equity + benefits (see below). Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skills, experience, and specific work location.

## BENEFITS

We're headquartered in San Francisco, CA, with a beautiful office in the Financial District. We're proud to offer our team excellent benefits:

💸 Meaningful Start-up equity

🏥 100% health, vision & dental primary coverage

➕ 75% health, vision & dental dependent coverage

🍱 Catered lunches

🚎 $250/month Commuter benefit

👶 Parental leave

✈️ Team building events & happy hours

🌴 Flexible PTO with a minimum of 15 days off per year

🖥️ Apple equipment

💸 401k plan

## LOCATION

San Francisco, CA — our office is in the Jackson Square district. This role is 5 days a week in office.

## About Cardless

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Cardless provides an embedded credit card platform with modular APIs and components that enable companies to build and launch branded, full-stack credit card programs.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series C, led by Activant Capital, November 2024)
- **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2019
- **Founders**: Scott Kazmierowicz (Co-Founder & CEO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Financial technology – embedded credit cards / co-branded credit card programs
- **Target customers**: B2B – enterprise brands and high-growth companies (e.g., Coinbase, Bilt, Alibaba, Qatar Airways) that want to offer native credit card experiences to their customers
- **Mission or purpose**: Empower companies to ship credit like they ship product – with full control over how it works, looks, and grows.

## Products & Services
- **Embedded Credit Platform (APIs & Pre-built Components)**: A set of modular tools including Application flow, Checkout integration, Card management, Transaction disputes, fraud detection, and compliance (KYC/AML). Companies can embed approvals, rewards, and card management directly into their own app or website. [cardless.com/platform]
- **End-to-End Program Operations**: Cardless handles ongoing program management, customer support, transaction processing, settlement, card production, and compliance (PCI DSS Level 1 certified). [cardless.com/platform]
- **Decisioning & Feedback Loop**: Combines customer behavior data with network-level signals for underwriting, fraud detection, and reward optimization – adapts in real time. [cardless.com/platform]

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Key Metrics**:
  - Annual Revenue: $9.8M (estimated, LinkedIn)
  - Total Funding: $195M across 7 rounds (as of 2024)
  - Employees: 41 (36.7% YoY growth)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Activant Capital (led Series C), Greycroft, Accomplice, i80 Group, Amex Ventures [linkedin.com, cbinsights.com]
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Headcount grew 36.7% in the last year
  - 23 active job postings (+91.7% quarterly growth)
  - Partnerships with major brands: Coinbase, Bilt, Alibaba, Qatar Airways
  - Launched international presence in Saudi Arabia

## Competitive Advantages
- **True embedded credit, not white-label**: APIs and customizable components allow full control over UX and brand experience, rather than a static co-brand card.
- **Real-time data feedback loop**: Combines program-level credit data with user behavior for dynamic underwriting, fraud detection, and reward optimization.
- **Full-stack operations**: Covers compliance, card production, customer support, and regulatory requirements (PCI DSS Level 1), reducing go-to-market complexity.
- **Trusted by high-profile partners**: Real-world deployments with Coinbase, Bilt, Alibaba, and Qatar Airways provide credibility and network effects.

## Strategic Focus
- **Deepen platform capabilities**: Continue building modular components and improving the data feedback loop to help partners optimize engagement.
- **Expand enterprise pipeline**: Onboard more large consumer brands seeking to launch or upgrade co-branded credit programs.
- **Scale international operations**: Already in Saudi Arabia; likely expansion into other regions, replicating the Qatarr Airways and Alibaba models.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture & Work Style**: Cardless believes the best work is done in person. Office in San Francisco with daily lunch provided (dinner for late workers) and $250/month transportation reimbursement for in-office employees. [cardless.com/careers]
- **Compensation & Perks**: Competitive salary, meaningful equity, 401(k) plan, top-of-the-line medical/vision/dental insurance. Unlimited PTO with a minimum of 15 days taken per year. [cardless.com/careers]
- **Engineering Focus**: "Ship credit like they ship product" – engineers build consumer-facing financial products using modern APIs and infrastructure. The team includes talent from Uber, Robinhood, Chime, Plaid, and Lyft. [linkedin.com]
- **Growth Trajectory**: Rapidly hiring (+91.7% quarterly job postings) with a young, scaling company that has raised nearly $200M – offering ownership and impact.

## Sources
1. [cardless.com](https://www.cardless.com/)
2. [cardless.com/platform](https://www.cardless.com/platform)
3. [cardless.com/careers](https://www.cardless.com/careers)
4. [linkedin.com/company/cardless](https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardless)
5. [cbinsights.com/company/cardless](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/cardless)

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