Staff Backend Engineer, Tech Lead at Coursera

Back in 2012, two Stanford professors named Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller set out to change the world by providing universal access to high-quality education. Today, Coursera has grown into one of the largest online learning platforms on the planet, serving 148 million registered learners. As a certified B Corp, we are deeply committed to driving positive social impact. We partner with over 325 leading universities and industry giants to offer everything from professional certificates to master's degrees, helping people everywhere transform their lives through learning. We are looking for mission-driven individuals to join our global team and help us revolutionize the way the world learns.

The opportunity

We are currently building a new development center and are looking for a Staff Backend Engineer and Tech Lead to join our founding team. In this role, you will be part of our Payments platform team, which is responsible for the end-to-end purchase flow for our enterprise customers. You will help us build scalable, robust, and flexible systems that allow learners across the globe to access education through local payment methods. This is an entrepreneurial opportunity where you will own a mission-critical charter and help shape the engineering culture of our new location while directly contributing to our growth.

A day in the life

• Design, develop, and maintain complex payment integration solutions using Java and Scala to ensure a seamless checkout experience.
• Collaborate closely with product managers and cross-functional stakeholders to translate business requirements into high-performance, scalable microservices.
• Lead technical initiatives, mentor fellow engineers, and participate in on-call rotations to ensure our systems remain reliable and performant for our global user base.

Who you are

You are a seasoned engineer with over 8 years of experience in backend development and a passion for solving complex, distributed problems. You thrive in environments where you can build from the ground up and are comfortable navigating ambiguity. Your background includes:

• Expertise in designing highly scalable distributed systems and storage layers using technologies like Elasticsearch and Kafka.
• Strong proficiency in Java or Scala and experience working with managed cloud services.
• A proven track record of technical leadership, including mentoring team members and setting high standards for engineering quality.
• A deep understanding of payment integrations, including APIs and SDKs, is highly preferred.
• Excellent communication skills in English and the ability to collaborate effectively across time zones.

Why you'll love it here

We are a remote-first organization that values flexibility and autonomy. We provide you with the freedom to choose your own workspace, whether that is from your home, a local office, or a co-working space. Our interview and onboarding processes are entirely virtual to ensure a smooth experience. You will be joining a diverse, global team that is dedicated to making a difference in the world, all while enjoying the benefits of remote work and flexible hours that allow you to balance your professional and personal life.