Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Consumer - Risk)
Ready to do the most impactful work of your career? At Coinbase, we are uncompromising on our mission to increase economic freedom. The bar is high, the environment is intense, and we like it that way. This isn't a place for complacency, it's a place to be pushed past your perceived limits. If you're ready to build the future of finance alongside people who refuse to settle for "good enough," you belong here. Coinbase is a remote-first, but not remote-only company. Expect to get together quarterly for intense in-person working sessions called "surges." learn more about working at Coinbase.
As a Staff Software Engineer on the Risk Engineering team within the Consumer & Business group, you'll serve as the technical anchor for the team that protects Coinbase and millions of users from fraud, financial crime, and financial risk. You'll define multi-quarter technical strategies, shape the architecture of our most critical risk systems, and lead the engineering team that builds real-time detection, decisioning, and mitigation infrastructure operating at the scale and speed of crypto markets. Your architectural decisions will determine how effectively we protect users and the business as Coinbase scales globally.
What you'll do:
- Own the end-to-end technical architecture of Coinbase's Risk Platform, including real-time fraud detection engines, risk decisioning systems, financial risk monitoring, and mitigation infrastructure operating at high throughput with low latency and 24x7 availability
- Shape multi-quarter technical strategies for the Risk Platform, identifying opportunities to simplify complexity, improve reliability, reduce fraud losses, and scale risk capabilities across new products, asset classes, and jurisdictions
- Lead the design and implementation of critical risk systems, translating ambiguous, high-stakes business requirements into scalable, resilient architectures that balance fraud prevention with user experience
- Partner cross-functionally with Data Science, ML, Product, Compliance, and senior leadership to define the roadmap and ensure the risk platform evolves ahead of emerging threats and regulatory requirements
- Build AI-native risk systems that leverage fleets of agents to automate complex detection and response workflows, significantly reducing the need for manual intervention
- Strengthen the team's technical capability through architecture reviews, code reviews, engineering standards for quality and performance, and hands-on mentorship of engineers at all levels
Required Skills and Experience:
- 8+ years of backend software engineering experience with significant experience architecting and developing high-throughput, low-latency production systems at scale
- Deep expertise in backend systems design (microservices, event-driven architectures, REST/GraphQL APIs) with a track record of building systems that meet high-availability and correctness requirements
- Proven ability to define and execute multi-quarter technical strategies, influence engineering direction across teams, and translate ambiguous problem spaces into clear, actionable technical plans
- Experience architecting solutions for complex, high-stakes domains where correctness, latency, and reliability are critical, delivering impactful systems that operate at scale
- Demonstrated success raising the technical bar for a team through architectural guidance, engineering culture improvements, and mentorship of senior engineers with measurable outcomes
- Utilizes generative AI responsibly, maintaining human oversight to deliver business-ready outputs and drive measurable improvements in workflow efficiency, cost, and quality
P77062
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Pay Transparency Notice: The target annual base salary for this position can range as detailed below. Total compensation may also include equity and bonus eligibility and benefits (including medical, dental, and vision).
- Application Limit: Candidates may submit a maximum of 3 applications within a 6-month period.
- Equal Opportunity Employer: Coinbase is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information. Applicants with criminal histories will be considered consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
- US Applicants: View Employee Rights, Know Your Rights, and E-Verify Notice of Participation.
- Accommodations: If you are an individual with a disability who needs a reasonable accommodation, email us your request and contact info at accommodations[at]coinbase.com. Need screen reading technology? Click here to download a free compatible screen reader and view the tutorial.
- Data Privacy & Arbitration: By submitting your application, you agree to our Candidate Privacy Notice. US applicants: By submitting your application, you agree to Arbitration of Disputes.
- AI Disclosure: Coinbase is piloting an AI tool based on machine learning technologies to conduct initial screening interviews to qualified applicants. The tool simulates realistic interview scenarios and engages in dynamic conversation. Coinbase is also piloting an AI interview intelligence platform to transcribe and summarize interview notes, allowing our interviewers to fully focus on you as the candidate. Coinbase will not use AI to make decisions impacting employment.
About Coinbase
Coinbase is at the forefront of building a more open, accessible, and efficient financial system globally through blockchain technology. Our mission is to increase economic freedom in the world, and we do this by creating a reliable and easy-to-use platform that empowers individuals and institutions to participate in the burgeoning digital asset economy. We are committed to developing innovative tools and infrastructure that drive the future of finance, fostering a world where digital assets are universally understood and adopted. Our culture thrives on curiosity, collaboration, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. We believe in empowering our teams to take ownership, experiment with new ideas, and solve complex challenges with creativity and integrity. At Coinbase, you'll find a dynamic and inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and continuous learning is encouraged. We're building a future that demands bold thinking and a commitment to our shared vision. Joining Coinbase means contributing to a revolutionary shift in finance, working alongside some of the brightest minds in blockchain and technology. With 403 open positions, we offer unparalleled opportunities for professional growth, impact, and the chance to shape an industry from the ground up. If you're driven by a passion for innovation and want to build a world where economic freedom is a reality for everyone, explore career opportunities with us.
Ready to Apply?
To submit your application for this position, please visit Coinbase's official website and follow their application process.