Staff Software Engineer, Payments Transaction Risk

Airbnb, a global platform connecting hosts and guests since 2007, is seeking a Staff Software Engineer to join their Payments Risk team. This role is crucial in protecting Airbnb's ecosystem from fraudulent transactions while ensuring seamless payment experiences for legitimate users.

The position involves leading the design and implementation of complex fraud detection and mitigation systems, combining machine learning models and rule-based approaches. You'll work on critical payment-related processes including checkout, refunds, payouts, and claims, directly contributing to the safety and trustworthiness of Airbnb's global community.

As a Staff Engineer, you'll provide technical leadership across multiple teams, making high-impact decisions that balance technical trade-offs with business objectives. The role requires extensive experience in payments or financial technology, with strong expertise in distributed systems, API design, and service-oriented architecture. You'll work with various technologies including Java, Kotlin, or Scala, and be responsible for integrating machine learning models into real-time detection pipelines.

The position offers significant growth opportunities, working on complex technical challenges while mentoring talented engineers. You'll collaborate with diverse teams across Product, Machine Learning, Finance, and Operations, solving meaningful problems that protect millions of users worldwide. The role is remote-eligible within the US, with occasional office visits or offsites as needed.

Compensation includes a competitive base salary range of $204,000 - $259,000 USD, plus potential bonus, equity, and Employee Travel Credits. This is an excellent opportunity for experienced engineers passionate about fraud detection and platform security to make a meaningful impact at a global scale while working with cutting-edge technologies and talented professionals.