Principal Software Engineer, Backend - Platform

Ready to be pushed beyond what you think you’re capable of?

At Coinbase, our mission is to increase economic freedom in the world. It’s a massive, ambitious opportunity that demands the best of us, every day, as we build the emerging onchain platform — and with it, the future global financial system.

To achieve our mission, we’re seeking a very specific candidate. We want someone who is passionate about our mission and who believes in the power of crypto and blockchain technology to update the financial system. We want someone who is eager to leave their mark on the world, who relishes the pressure and privilege of working with high caliber colleagues, and who actively seeks feedback to keep leveling up. We want someone who will run towards, not away from, solving the company’s hardest problems.

Our work culture is intense and isn’t for everyone. But if you want to build the future alongside others who excel in their disciplines and expect the same from you, there’s no better place to be.

We are seeking a highly experienced and talented Principal Engineer to join our team. This individual will be one of the most senior individual contributors at Coinbase and will play a crucial role in influencing across multiple areas. This person will mentor other ICs to promote technical excellence and professional growth.

What you’ll be doing (ie. job duties):

• Influence and oversee engineering efforts across various domains such as identity, payments, ledgering, risk, and AI
• Collaborate with other product leaders to establish and execute on vision & architecture strategies
• Help drive the unified vision for product platform services and API surface
• Lead the development and scaling of data stores and ledger systems within payment frameworks
• Implement best practices for building and maintaining large-scale systems

What we look for in you (ie. job requirements):

• Minimum of 10+ years of experience
• Proven background in payment systems, including experience with scaling data stores and building ledgering systems
• Experience in the fintech sector, with crypto experience being a plus
• Demonstrated experience in working with large-scale systems and solving complex engineering problems
• Ability to lead through influence and drive change across multiple teams and domains
• Excellent collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional leaders and mentor other team members.

JOB ID: GPBE08US

Pay Transparency Notice: Depending on your work location, the target annual salary for this position can range as detailed below. Full time offers from Coinbase also include target bonus + target equity + benefits (including medical, dental, vision and 401(k)).

Pay Range:

$297,670—$350,200 USD

Please be advised that each candidate may submit a maximum of four applications within any 30-day period. We encourage you to carefully evaluate how your skills and interests align with Coinbase's roles before applying.

Commitment to Equal Opportunity

Coinbase is committed to diversity in its workforce and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation or any other basis protected by applicable law. Coinbase will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. For US applicants, you may view the Know Your Rights notice here. Additionally, Coinbase participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law.

Coinbase is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please contact us at accommodations[at]coinbase.com to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. For quick access to screen reading technology compatible with this site click here to download a free compatible screen reader (free step by step tutorial can be found here).

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