Senior Python Backend Developer

payabl. empowers businesses to grow through payments innovation and banking services. Our ambition is to expand our strong portfolio of global financial services and make them all accessible through our unified platform, payabl.one. As a licensed financial company with principal membership with card schemes, we specialize in global payments and multi-currency banking solutions. The role is about: We are expanding our engineering capabilities and looking for a Senior Backend Engineer to join our growing team. In this role, you will play a key part in designing and building scalable, high-performance backend systems, contributing to the development of robust services that support a range of internal and customer-facing products. You will work in a fast-paced environment where system performance, scalability, and reliability are critical. Location: Remote from Portugal (Contractor arrangement) Reporting to: Group CTO What you will do: Design and implement scalable Python microservices in a distributed architecture. Build and optimize high-performance backend systems, ensuring scalability and reliability under high load. Integrate and manage third-party APIs and external services. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define technical solutions and system design approaches. Work with AWS services (e.g. Lambda, cloud infrastructure) to architect and deploy solutions. Improve and maintain CI/CD pipelines and deployment processes in collaboration with DevOps. Lead and contribute to code reviews, ensuring high engineering standards. Identify system bottlenecks and drive performance and scalability improvements. Troubleshoot complex production issues in distributed systems. Contribute to technical discussions and guide best practices within the team. What we need: 5+ years of backend engineering experience with strong Python expertise. Proven experience building and scaling microservices architectures. Strong knowledge of FastAPI or Django. Experience working with AWS (including services such as Lambda). Strong experience with Docker and containerization. Experience with CI/CD pipelines (GitLab preferred). Strong understanding of distributed systems and high-load environments. Experience designing and optimizing systems for performance and scalability. Solid experience integrating third-party APIs. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a remote-first environment. Experience in fintech, payments, or financial platforms. Experience with high-throughput systems (e.g. trading, payments, real-time processing). Familiarity with event-driven architecture (Kafka, messaging systems). Experience mentoring or supporting other engineers. Hiring Process: Step 1 – Thinking in Action (40 minutes) Your first conversation will be with our Talent Acquisition team. We'll explore your background, career journey, motivations, and overall fit for the role. As part of this discussion, you'll also complete a short technical screening that will be reviewed by our engineering team. This stage helps us understand both your experience and how you approach technical challenges. Step 2 – Build in Production (60–90 minutes) Meet with the Team Lead and technical experts for a practical assessment. Depending on the role, this may involve a live coding exercise or a real-world scenario designed to evaluate your technical skills, problem-solving approach, and ability to work through challenges similar to those faced by our teams. Step 3 – Final Interview (45 minutes) The final stage is a group interview with senior members of our Technology squad, which may include the CTO, CPO, and Team Lead. Together, we'll discuss team fit, collaboration style, expectations from both sides, and any remaining questions about the role, team, or technology domain. This is also an opportunity for you to learn more about our culture and ways of working. The perks of being a payabl.er: Grow with Us: Annual Learning Budget for professional development (eligible after probation)—because your growth is our growth. Celebrate Together: We bring colleagues from all offices together for unforgettable company celebrations. Global Collaboration & Events: Opportunities to participate in international company events and initiatives, connecting with colleagues from all regions and contributing to a truly global community Let's embark on a journey to redefine the landscape of payments together. We're not just offering a role; we're inviting you to be a part of something bigger. Join our team, and let's innovate, disrupt, and lead the future of payments. Together, we can make an impact that resonates. Welcome to the team!