Lead Software Engineer (Backend, C/C++)

Visa is a world leader in payments and technology, with over 259 billion payments transactions flowing safely between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities in more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive while driven by a common purpose – to uplift everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.

Make an impact with a purpose-driven industry leader. Join us today and experience Life at Visa.

Visa’s Technology Organization is a community of problem solvers and innovators reshaping the future of commerce.   We operate the world’s most sophisticated processing networks capable of handling more than 65k secure transactions a second across 80M merchants, 15k Financial Institutions, and billions of everyday people.   While working with us you’ll get to work on complex distributed systems and solve massive scale problems centered on new payment flows, business and data solutions, cyber security, and B2C platforms.     

The Opportunity: 

We are looking for Versatile, curious, and energetic Lead Software Engineers who embrace solving complex challenges on a global scale.  As a Visa Software Engineer, you will be an integral part of a multi-functional development team inventing, designing, building, and testing software products that reach a truly global customer base. While building components of powerful payment technology, you will get to see your efforts shaping the digital future of monetary transactions.   

The Work itself: 

• Design code and systems that touch 40% of the world population while influencing Visa’s internal standards for scalability, security, and reusability 

• Collaborate multi-functionally to create design artifacts and develop best-in-class software solutions for multiple Visa technical offerings 

• Actively contribute to product quality improvements, valuable service technology, and new business flows in diverse agile squads 

• Develop robust and scalable products intended for a myriad of customers including end-user merchants, b2b, and business to government solutions. 

• Leverage innovative technologies to build the next generation of Payment Services, Transaction Platforms, Real-Time Payments, and Buy Now Pay Later Technology 

• Opportunities to make a difference on a global or local scale through mentorship and continued learning opportunities 

Essential Functions:

• Provides strategic technical and functional knowledge of the e-commerce platform as well as a thorough understanding of the business to direct strategy on collecting and understanding requirements.

• Leads meetings with product partners to recommend development and solution strategies that improve the design and functionality of interface features across a range of payment products.

• Formalizes Standard Processes on the use of programming languages (e.g. C++, Go) to write code that fulfills website modification requests and technical requirements.

• Leads and plans the piloting and integration of new technology capabilities and features that enhance the user website experience across e-commerce products.

• Analyzes patterns across bugs and implements systemic solutions to ensure websites remain functional and easy to use.

 The Skills You Bring:

• Energy and Experience: A growth mindset that is curious and passionate about technologies and enjoys challenging projects on a global scale

• Challenge the Status Quo: Comfort in pushing the boundaries, ‘hacking’ beyond traditional solutions

• Language Expertise: Expertise in one or more general development languages (e.g., Go, Java, C#, C++)

• Builder: Experience building and deploying modern services with quality and scalability

• Learner: Constant drive to learn new technologies such as Kubernetes, Docker, MCPs and other AI concepts, etc.

• Partnership: Experience collaborating with Product, Test, Dev-ops, and Agile/Scrum teams

This is a hybrid position. Expectation of days in office will be confirmed by your hiring manager.

Basic Qualifications

• 10 or more years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or at least 8 years of work experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters/ MBA/JD/MD) or at least 3 years of work experience with a PhD

Preferred Qualifications

• 12 or more years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or 8-10 years of experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, MD) or 6+ years of work experience with a PhD
• Programming Languages: Knowledge of and ability to develop back-end code (e.g. GO, C/C++, containers and gRPC) in support of platform development. This includes the extension of capabilities of packages and products.
• API Generation: The ability to develop and apply Application Program Interfaces (APIs), a set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications that specify how software components should interact and are used when programming graphical user
• Architecture: Experience with event-driven architecture and distributed systems, including hands-on work with Kafka or similar technologies.
• SDLC: Strong understanding of the entire software development lifecycle, including testing strategies, automation, deployment, and release strategies.
• Observability: Deep expertise in observability, including monitoring, logging, and alerting.
• Cloud Computing: experience developing cloud-ready components
• GAI: utilization of Generative AI models and software for code development
• Knowledge of and the ability to use database software (e.g., applications, web-based applications, information systems) to maintain, modify, and output data.
• Knowledge of systems integration process in which separately produced components or subsystems are combined and problems in their interactions are addressed.
• Knowledge of data structures, which consist of data organization, management, and storage formats that enable efficient access and modifications. This includes a collection of data values, the relationships among them, and the functions or operations that can be applied to the data.
• Expertise in architecting, developing and debugging polyglot architecture and systems

Work Hours: Varies upon the needs of the department.

Travel Requirements: This position requires travel 5-10% of the time.

Mental/Physical Requirements: This position will be performed in an office setting.  The position will require the incumbent to sit and stand at a desk, communicate in person and by telephone, frequently operate standard office equipment, such as telephones and computers.

Visa is an EEO Employer.  Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.  Visa will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with EEOC guidelines and applicable local law.

Visa will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable local law, including the requirements of Article 49 of the San Francisco Police Code.

U.S. APPLICANTS ONLY: The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is 173,100.00 to 250,900.00 USD per year, which may include potential sales incentive payments (if applicable). Salary may vary depending on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this position may be eligible for bonus and equity. Visa has a comprehensive benefits package for which this position may be eligible that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401 (k), FSA/HSA, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, and Wellness Program.