Upstart · 1 week ago
Principal Software Engineer
United States
Full-time
Remote
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$186K/yr - $258K/yr
6+ years expUpstart is the leading AI lending marketplace partnering with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit. The Principal Software Engineer will be the first backend engineer embedded within the mobile team, responsible for architecting scalable backend systems that enhance mobile features and mentoring engineers across teams.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)AutomotiveConsumer LendingCreditFinancial ServicesFinTechLendingMachine LearningPersonal Finance
Responsibilities
Architect scalable, reusable backend systems that power critical mobile features, including push notifications, data synchronization, and cross-device user flows
Shape the long-term backend strategy for mobile, reducing ad-hoc and duplicated efforts across teams
Act as a technical bridge—translating mobile needs into backend capabilities and unblocking delivery velocity
Drive architectural alignment across teams and domains, advocating for scalable patterns that support mobile growth
Identify and resolve cross-functional technical challenges that span platform, product, and infrastructure boundaries
Mentor engineers across mobile and backend teams, introducing sustainable practices and improving system maintainability
Contribute directly to Upstart’s ability to scale its mobile engagement and retention—impacting both user experience and business performance
Qualification
Required
6+ years of backend engineering experience, including designing and scaling distributed systems
Deep experience with service-oriented architecture, system design, and API development for mobile applications
Proven ability to influence technical direction across teams and communicate architectural tradeoffs to stakeholders
Experience collaborating with mobile teams or supporting mobile-first features at scale
Strong communication and collaboration skills, especially in environments with competing priorities
Proficiency in at least one backend language (e.g., Ruby, Go, Kotlin) and fluency in cloud infrastructure patterns
Demonstrated success operating without authority in complex, cross-functional organizations
Preferred
Prior experience building systems that support mobile clients (e.g., push notifications, offline sync, background jobs)
Experience working in a hybrid mobile architecture (e.g., React Native + native codebases)
Exposure to both platform and product engineering challenges
Familiarity with mobile-specific performance and reliability concerns
Background in mentorship or technical leadership across multiple teams
Passion for designing elegant, sustainable systems that scale with product ambition
Benefits
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart
Generous 401(k) plan with Upstart matching $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 per year
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
Life and disability insurance
Generous holiday, vacation, sick and safety leave
Supportive parental, family care, and military leave programs
Annual wellness, technology & ergonomic reimbursement programs
Social activities including team events and onsites, all-company updates, employee resource groups (ERGs), and other interest groups such as book clubs, fitness, investing, and volunteering
Catered lunches + snacks & drinks when working in offices
Company
Upstart
Upstart (NASDAQ: UPST) is a leading AI lending marketplace partnering with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Upstart has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (68)
2024 (67)
2023 (85)
2022 (85)
2021 (42)
2020 (15)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$3.36BKey Investors
CastlelakeProgressiveRakuten
2025-11-06Post Ipo Debt· $1.5B
2025-09-05Post Ipo Debt· $320M
2025-08-12Post Ipo Debt· $600M
Leadership Team
Dave Girouard
Founder & CEO
Paul Gu
Co-Founder
Recent News
The Motley Fool
2026-01-03
The Motley Fool
2026-01-01
2025-12-17
Company data provided by crunchbase