Principal Software Engineer, Marqeta

• 10+ years of hands-on software engineering experience, with a track record of designing and delivering complex distributed systems at scale
• 3+ Experience with payments or the FinTech space
• Strong experience across multiple technology stacks (e.g., Java, Python, Go) and proficiency in designing scalable APIs, microservices, and cloud-native applications
• Demonstrated ability to drive architectural decisions that balance short-term trade-offs with long-term goals
• Proven leadership in complex initiatives spanning infrastructure, product development, and platform evolution
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical audiences
• Experience shaping technical strategy and mentoring senior staff and principal engineers across multiple domains and teams
• Adept at solving ambiguous problems, balancing innovation with execution, and leading teams through change and complexity
• A passion for system reliability, observability, and building secure, maintainable systems
• Strong understanding of regulatory and security requirements in the financial domain is a plus

Desirable

• Marqeta is looking for a talented Principal Software Engineer to independently identify and deliver software solutions on our Banking and Money Movement Team through a set of milestones spanning a specific product focus or a multi-component system
• You will own and deliver projects in service of quarterly goals on the team and independently identify solutions to ambiguous, open-ended problems
• This is a highly strategic role that combines deep technical expertise with leadership and influence across the entire engineering organization
• The Banking and Money Movement engineering team develops and optimizes financial services, including account creation, transaction processing, payment systems, banking integrations, reporting, and reconciliation
• We work collaboratively to ensure secure, efficient, and innovative solutions that meet regulatory standards and enhance user experiences in moving the money
• Define and drive the architecture of mission-critical systems, setting long-term technical direction and ensuring scalability, security, and sustainability across the platform
• Lead large-scale, cross-functional initiatives that span multiple teams and domains, ensuring alignment with business priorities and delivering high-impact outcomes
• Serve as a technical advisor to senior leadership, providing insight on technical risks, trade-offs, and innovation opportunities that shape product and business strategy
• Raise the technical bar across the organization by mentoring engineers at all levels, fostering a culture of technical rigor, collaboration, and continuous learning
• Partner with engineering managers and product leaders to ensure roadmap decisions align with architectural goals and long-term scalability
• Actively influence and contribute to the creation and evolution of the company’s engineering principles, tooling, and standards
• Conduct technical deep-dives into system architecture, identifying opportunities for performance improvements, technical simplification, and operational efficiency
• Represent engineering in key cross-functional forums, helping the organization navigate complex decisions around infrastructure, platform capabilities, and product development
• Act as a steward of engineering quality—promoting clean code, reliable systems, robust testing, and sustainable development practices
• Drive innovation across teams, leading explorations of emerging technologies and ensuring Marqeta remains on the forefront of industry standards and capabilities
• Your Manager Rahul Rana - Vice President Software Engineering
• Your Recruiter Kayla Osuna - Senior Recruiter