Principal Software Engineer – Bank Platforms & Security Automation

Principal Software Engineer – Bank Platforms & Security Automation (Remote US)

Upstart is hiring a Principal Software Engineer to provide technical leadership across the internal platforms, security automation, and operational systems that support Upstart Bank.

This is a remote U.S. role within the Bank Technology team. You will lead architecture and system design, establish engineering standards, solve complex platform problems, and work closely with stakeholders across risk, compliance, legal, security, operations, and engineering.

Job Overview

Company: Upstart

Requisition: R-7078

Department: Engineering

Work Arrangement: Remote

Location: United States

Time Zone: Team operates across East and West Coast time zones

Experience Level: Principal

Experience: 8+ years

Base Salary: $190,600–$263,900 USD per year

Additional Compensation: Target bonus and equity

The Principal Software Engineer will define technical direction for Upstart Bank’s internal platforms and automation systems, lead architecture for secure and scalable software, mentor engineers, manage technical risk, and help build durable systems for regulated financial operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead architecture, design, and implementation of internal bank platforms.
• Build and evolve security-automation systems.
• Develop workflow tooling that supports Upstart Bank operations.
• Establish scalable engineering patterns and technical standards.
• Define system designs that support long-term maintainability and platform growth.
• Partner with Risk, Compliance, Legal, Operations, Security, and Engineering stakeholders.
• Translate complex operational and regulatory requirements into durable software solutions.
• Design and oversee relational data models.
• Design authorization systems and role-based access-control frameworks.
• Design APIs, integrations, and shared platform services.
• Ensure internal systems operate securely and reliably.
• Identify and mitigate technical risks.
• Make architecture and platform-investment decisions.
• Evaluate build-versus-buy tradeoffs.
• Mentor engineers through architectural reviews and technical guidance.
• Produce and review design documentation.
• Raise engineering standards and promote strong technical practices.
• Drive technical strategy as Upstart Bank expands its operational and regulatory capabilities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 8+ years of software engineering experience.
• Experience designing, building, and operating large-scale production software systems.
• Experience building web applications used in production environments.
• Experience leading architecture and technical design for distributed systems, platform services, or internal software platforms.
• Experience designing relational database schemas.
• Experience designing APIs and system integrations.
• Experience designing authentication systems.
• Experience with role-based access control.
• Experience partnering with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Experience delivering software that supports operational, compliance, security, or other business-critical workflows.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of TypeScript.
• Knowledge of Node.js.
• Knowledge of Next.js.
• Knowledge of Prisma.
• Experience with comparable modern application frameworks.
• Experience building security-automation systems.
• Experience building governance, risk, and compliance platforms.
• Experience developing operational workflow systems.
• Experience in regulated industries such as financial services, banking, healthcare, or other compliance-driven environments.
• Knowledge of SOC 2.
• Knowledge of NIST Cybersecurity Framework or similar standards.
• Ability to influence technical strategy across multiple teams.
• Ability to align stakeholders around architecture and engineering decisions.
• Strong judgment in ambiguous technical environments.

Technical Focus

• Internal platform engineering
• Distributed systems
• Security automation
• Workflow automation
• Relational databases
• APIs and integrations
• Authentication
• Role-based access control
• TypeScript
• Node.js
• Next.js
• Prisma
• GRC systems
• SOC 2
• NIST CSF

Bank Technology & Regulated Systems

Upstart’s Bank Technology team builds software used by Upstart Bank to operate securely, efficiently, and at scale as a licensed financial institution.

The Principal Software Engineer will therefore work on systems where operational reliability, security controls, authorization, auditability, compliance, and long-term maintainability are central architectural concerns.

Technical Leadership

This is a Principal-level engineering role with responsibility for technical direction rather than only implementation.

You will establish engineering patterns, lead architectural reviews, influence platform-investment decisions, mentor other engineers, and help teams navigate difficult design and build-versus-buy decisions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

The role works closely with stakeholders across Risk, Compliance, Legal, Operations, Security, and Engineering.

You will translate regulatory and business requirements into software architecture while balancing security, maintainability, operational needs, and platform scalability.

Remote Work

This role is listed as Remote. Upstart describes itself as digital-first and supports employees working remotely across the United States.

The Bank Technology team operates across East Coast and West Coast time zones.

Upstart also values periodic in-person connection through team onsites, planning sessions, and other collaborative gatherings, although the supplied listing does not state a specific travel requirement for this role.

Compensation

The anticipated U.S. remote base-salary range for this position is $190,600–$263,900 USD per year.

Actual base pay varies according to geographic compensation region, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

The total compensation package also includes target bonus opportunities, equity compensation, and employee benefits.

Benefits

• Base compensation plus bonus opportunities.
• Annual equity grants that vest quarterly.
• 401(k) with company matching.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan for eligible U.S. employees.
• Medical coverage.
• Dental coverage.
• Vision coverage.
• Health Savings Account contributions for eligible plans.
• Life insurance.
• Disability coverage.
• Paid time off.
• Sick leave.
• Company holidays.
• Paid family and parental leave.
• Fertility, parenthood, and caregiving benefits.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Financial-wellness resources.
• Annual wellness allowance.
• Annual productivity allowance for work-related tools and resources.
• Team events and employee resource groups.

Apply for the Principal Software Engineer Role

Principal-level software engineers with 8+ years of experience, strong distributed-system and platform architecture skills, and experience building secure business-critical systems can review the complete role and apply through Upstart’s provided careers page.

Employment Type: Not specified

Worker Relationship: Employee

Work Arrangement: Remote

Location: United States

Time Zone: East/West Coast team alignment

Department: Engineering / Bank Technology

Industry: Fintech / Banking / AI Lending

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or related field, or equivalent practical experience

Experience: 8+ years

Compensation: $190,600–$263,900 USD base salary plus bonus and equity

Job Apply Link:
https://careers.upstart.com/jobs/principal-software-engineer-35cade25-dd9a-44ab-8a86-00a6198c5c83