Staff Software Engineer, Borrower Activation

As a Staff Software Engineer at January, you'll be responsible for leading engineering initiatives within the Borrower Activation team. This involves designing and implementing powerful features that help borrowers manage their accounts, mentoring less experienced engineers, and ensuring a high standard of code quality. You'll contribute strategically to the company’s tech roadmap and engage in architectural discussions to shape the future of our software solutions.

For the Staff Software Engineer role at January, we are looking for candidates with strong technical skills in Python, React, and Postgres, along with mentoring experience. While we often seek individuals with 8+ years of software development experience, we encourage all qualified applicants to apply, as we value professional growth and learning.

At January, we prioritize our employees' growth through a mentoring culture where senior engineers guide juniors, facilitating knowledge sharing and skill development. We also create opportunities for team members to engage in meaningful discussions about technology and project execution, making sure everyone feels supported in their professional journey.

In this role, you will work on software solutions that empower borrowers to manage their loans, including creating new payment plans and implementing AI/ML technologies for better borrower communication. You'll also be involved in system integration and developing user-centric contact center solutions that enhance real-time data handling.

At January, we strongly believe in genuine collaboration where every team member's input is valued. As a Staff Software Engineer, you'll foster this environment by actively participating in knowledge-sharing sessions, guiding junior engineers, and setting collaborative project management practices that empower the whole team.

Yes, January offers a competitive salary for the Staff Software Engineer position, with a range of $175,000 to $225,000. This is determined based on factors such as experience, education, and skills during the interview process, ensuring fair and transparent compensation for all team members.

January places a strong emphasis on work-life balance, with a culture that values outcomes over output. By encouraging smart work practices instead of burnout and recognizing each individual's role in driving success, we aim to create a fulfilling work environment for all our Staff Software Engineers.

When answering this question, highlight your specific projects and accomplishments using Python. Discuss how you implemented critical features or solved complex problems and relate these experiences to the responsibilities of the Staff Software Engineer role, showcasing your ability to contribute effectively to the Borrower Activation team.

In your response, emphasize your belief in fostering a collaborative learning environment. Share specific strategies you use, such as conducting regular code reviews, offering feedback in a supportive manner, and creating opportunities for junior engineers to take ownership of their work to build confidence and skill.

Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to describe a relevant experience. Emphasize the logical steps you took to identify the problem, the collaborative efforts you made with your team, and how your solution positively impacted the project or organization while aligning with the values of January.

Discuss principles such as coding standards, test-driven development, and regular code reviews. Emphasize the importance of maintaining documentation and the role of collaboration in achieving high-quality software, which directly ties into your future contributions at January.

Highlight the importance of understanding project requirements, resource availability, and team strengths. Discuss how you would communicate effectively with your team to create a transparent prioritization process, ultimately steering the team towards successful and timely project completions, essential for a Staff Software Engineer at January.

When answering this question, elaborate on specific projects or instances where you integrated AI/ML into your software solutions. Share successes and challenges faced, illustrating your problem-solving skills and strategic thinking, which aligns with January's innovative focus.

Provide examples of how you've approached system integration in the past, including any strategies you employed to ensure scalability and maintainability. Relate your experiences back to how they can support January's improvement of proprietary software and third-party integrations.

Envision yourself as an integral part of achieving January’s objectives. Discuss how your technical expertise and leadership abilities can enhance the development of features that empower borrowers. Articulate your potential contributions to shaping the team's projects for the betterment of the company’s mission.

Address the balance between technical oversight, project management, and mentorship responsibilities. Offer insights on how you'd handle potential challenges, such as ensuring effective communication among team members while delivering high-quality results, and aligning this with January’s collaborative values.

Share your passion for helping individuals manage their financial health and how technology can play a transformative role in that space. Connect your personal values to January's mission, demonstrating your understanding of the impact your work can have on borrowers while making it relatable and engaging.