# Principal Software Engineer, Core Pricing

**Company:** [Upstart](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/upstart)
**Location:** Remote
**Role:** ML Engineering
**Salary:** $195k – $270k/yr
**Experience:** 8+ years
**Skills:** Python, Java, Kubernetes, Docker, AWS, gRPC, Kafka, Microservices, A/B Testing
**Posted:** 2026-07-15

> Principal Software Engineer driving technical vision for Upstart's Core Pricing platform. Lead design of large-scale ML-powered systems to optimize loan pricing, borrower-lender matching, and marketplace efficiency for personal and unsecured loans.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Define the long-term technical direction and roadmap for Pricing in alignment with Upstart’s business objectives.
- Lead the design and development of a system that continuously optimizes the matching of supply and demand for Upstart’s borrower-lender marketplace.
- Work closely with ML scientists to improve and develop new models that improve core business metrics.
- Guide the architectural evolution of Pricing engineering systems with an emphasis on scaling innovation across multiple engineering teams.
- Uncover and drive alignment across complex technical requirements, designs, trade-offs, influencing product direction.
- Proactively evaluate, prototype, and roll out new technologies/frameworks to help cultivate a culture of innovation.
- Lead from the front, while mentoring and developing technical leaders.

## Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or Mathematics, or a related field (or its equivalent) + 8 years of experience.
- Experience building highly scalable systems using containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes.
- Experience building flexible, extensible and consistent APIs.
- Solid grasp of software development principles and best practices for creating scalable, extensible and maintainable systems.
- Proficiency in one or more object oriented programming languages like Python, Java, C#, C++.
- Strong communication skills and ability to explain complex business and technical concepts to all audiences.
- Track record of successfully mentoring and developing technical leaders.
- Experience working in dynamic fast paced organizations.
- Ability to balance the needs of the business with the needs of engineering improvements.
- Passion for clean code and architecture and initiative to “level-up” the engineering team with better practices & design.
- You are able lead and resolve company-wide technical discussions and are able to collaborate and include input from cross-functional teams (security, devops, data, compliance and product).
- You have a good sense for build-vs-buy and are able to prioritize the highest ROI architectural investments.

## Nice-to-Haves
- High proficiency with Python.
- Experience with A/B testing, GRPC, and Kafka.
- Experience working in Fintech, Pricing, Ads, or ML.
- Background in statistics, mathematics, or econometrics is a big plus.
- Experience designing and building microservice-based architectures.
- Experience developing large scale distributed systems in AWS.
- Strong sense of ownership and accountability for the quality and timely delivery of work.
- Ability to thrive both in self-directed work environments and in collaborative settings, contributing positively to team dynamics.
- Demonstrated ability to take feedback well and actively incorporate it into work with a desire to continuously improve.
- Ability to influence and lead without direct authority.
- Strong product and analytical mindset that allows you to think in terms of ROI, risk, and trade offs.
- Experience working at companies that have gone through periods of rapid business or organizational growth.

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