Senior Software Engineer (Data Platform & AI)

TL;DR

Senior Software Engineer (Data Platform & AI): Building and optimizing core infrastructure for a global data and AI platform with an accent on distributed systems, real-time data streaming, and AI agent integration. Focus on designing high-availability services, ensuring millisecond-level performance, and developing scalable vector indexing for AI-driven financial products.

Location: Must be based in San Francisco (Hybrid role)

Company

Airwallex is a global financial platform providing integrated solutions for payments, spend management, and embedded finance to businesses worldwide.

What you will do

• Lead the architecture and construction of core infrastructure components from storage to high-availability service layers.
• Develop the Knowledge Platform to power AI-driven products through vector indexing, agentic workflows, and real-time data streaming.
• Perform deep-dives into system internals and performance tuning to ensure reliability across global regions.
• Own the full SDLC for high-performance distributed systems processing petabytes of data.
• Advocate for elite software practices and contribute to shared tooling, SDKs, and automation frameworks.
• Mentor mid-level engineers and drive high-quality project delivery through design reviews.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience building and operating large-scale distributed systems or infrastructure platforms.
• Proficiency in Java, Kotlin, or Go.
• Deep understanding of computer science fundamentals including distributed systems, memory management, and networking.
• Hands-on experience or deep interest in Kafka, Flink, Spark, Kubernetes, or OLAP engines.
• Proven track record of taking 0-1 ownership of complex technical challenges.
• Must be based in San Francisco and able to work in a hybrid environment.

Culture & Benefits

• Work on high-visibility, complex problems at a global scale.
• Collaborate with a team of over 2,200 innovative professionals across 26 offices.
• Opportunity to build the future of global banking and AI-ready infrastructure.
• Emphasis on engineering rigor, first-principles thinking, and founder-like energy.