Software Engineer, Backend

WHY WE EXIST

Money should move as easily as data.

It doesn't today. Technology is finally catching up to the need — customers expect instant, global, programmable money. HIFI exists to fix that. Our mission is to make money programmable by default, and to give developers and businesses the tools to move value at software speed.

We're rebuilding the financial plumbing of the internet from the ground up.

THE ROLE

As a Senior Backend Engineer at HIFI, you'll own critical components of our payments infrastructure — from API design and data modeling to event-driven pipelines and financial-grade reliability. You'll work across the full lifecycle of modern money movement: account creation, fiat and stablecoin settlement, global payouts, and onchain connectivity.

This is not a maintenance role. You'll solve hard, novel problems at the edge of what's possible in financial infrastructure, move fast, own your systems end-to-end, and directly shape how billions of dollars flow through the internet.

If you touch it, you own it. That's how we work.

What You'll Build

• API Development: Design, implement, and optimize APIs connecting businesses to HIFI's financial infrastructure, with a focus on performance, reliability, and developer experience.
• Core Infrastructure: Build and scale backend systems that process transactions with strong guarantees around scalability, reliability, and fault tolerance.
• System Performance: Continuously improve throughput, efficiency, and resilience across distributed services.
• Collaboration: Work closely with product, compliance, and business teams to deliver end-to-end solutions.
• Ownership: Carry projects from design through production and participate in technical roadmap planning.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in CS, Engineering, Math, or related STEM field — or equivalent experience
• 4\+ years building and shipping backend systems in production at scale
• Proficiency in JavaScript/TypeScript or other modern backend languages (e.g., Go, Python, etc)
• Experience with relational databases (PostgreSQL), RESTful APIs, and event-driven systems (pub/sub, queues, streaming)
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS preferred) and containerization tools (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Comfortable owning systems in production: CI/CD, observability, incident response
• Strong communication skills across technical and non-technical teams
• Must be within commutable distance from our New York office and able to work in person most days

NICE TO HAVE

• Experience with financial-grade systems: ledgering, reconciliation, settlement, or compliance-aligned design
• Hands-on with global payment rails (ACH, SWIFT, SEPA) or stablecoin infrastructure (EVM, USDC)
• Knowledge of query optimization, distributed transactions, or caching/data pipelines
• Prior early-stage startup experience — you've built from zero to one before

THE HIFI CODE

This is how we operate. Not aspirational — actual.

Ownership

If you touch it, you own it.

Speed

We bias toward motion.

Clarity

Confusion is a signal to act.

Standards

Quality matters always.

Truth

We value directness without drama.

Compensation \& Benefits

The expected salary range for this role is $135,000 - $160,000 USD. However, the starting base pay will depend on a number of factors including the candidate’s location, skills, experience, market demands, and internal pay parity. Depending on the position offered, equity and other forms of compensation may be provided as part of a total compensation package.

We offer full health coverage (medical, dental and vision) and unlimited PTO.

We're Changing How Modern Business Moves Value.

If that sounds like the problem you want to spend the next chapter of your career on, we'd love to meet you.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

HIFI is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. We also provide reasonable accommodations during the hiring process.

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that HiFi will process your personal information in accordance with our Applicant Privacy Policy.

Compensation Range: $135K - $160K