Staff Software Engineer in Austin, TX

Role Responsibilities As a  Staff Software Engineer  supporting the  Global Bill Payments  platform at  Western Union , you are an Individual Contributor (IC) responsible for the architectural integrity and technical evolution of mission-critical systems. You will be a key technical leader shaping the architecture for future high-scale, mission-critical bill payments platform. You will combine deep hands-on engineering with architectural influence on design systems that are resilient, scalable, and built for global impact. This role offers the opportunity to drive technical direction, simplify complex legacy flows, and help build a modern, cloud-ready platform that supports customers across US and IST time zones. Lead the design and evolution of a simplified, high-performance, and globally scalable Bill Payments architecture Define and influence architectural decisions across services, APIs, data flows, and infrastructure strategy Design and implement microservices-based systems supporting high-volume, real-time financial transactions Partner with engineers, product managers, and business stakeholders across global teams to deliver end-to-end solutions Act as a trusted domain expert for Bill Payments, guiding technical direction and system evolution Improve system reliability, performance, and scalability through deep technical analysis and hands-on optimization Ensure architecture and implementations meet enterprise-grade standards for security, compliance, and resilience Translate complex business requirements into elegant, scalable, and maintainable technical solutions Champion engineering best practices including CI/CD, automated testing, and modern Agile delivery practices Contribute to strengthening engineering culture through collaboration, mentorship, and technical leadership Explore and evaluate emerging technologies, including AI-enabled development tools, to enhance engineering efficiency and system intelligence Role Requirements Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field with 8+ years of experience, or master’s degree with 6+ years of experience Strong hands-on software engineering experience in Java/J2EE, frameworks such as Spring Boot, Strong hands-on experience with AWS, RDS, Postgres Deep expertise in computer science fundamentals including data structures, algorithms, OOP, and system design Proven experience designing and delivering distributed, microservices-based architectures at scale Strong experience with SQL databases, data modeling, and building reliable data-driven systems Hands-on experience building APIs, web services, and enterprise system integrations (XML/JSON) Solid experience with AWS cloud services and cloud‑native application design Strong experience with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing frameworks, and Test-Driven Development (TDD) Demonstrated ability to lead architecture design discussions and influence technical direction across teams Experience working in Agile environments with iterative, fast-paced delivery cycles Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to thrive in complex and ambiguous environments Experience collaborating across globally distributed engineering teams and time zones Ability to operate effectively as a hands-on engineer while driving architectural strategy in an IC role Strong communication skills with ability to influence and align technical and business stakeholders Hands-on experience using AI coding tools and agents to accelerate development Ability to write high-quality prompts and critically validate AI-generated output Judgment on where automation helps vs. where human expertise is required Advocates for developer productivity without compromising quality or safety Nice to have experience in financial services, payments, or highly regulated domains Nice to have experience with hybrid cloud architecture Nice to have exposure to AI platforms, prompt engineering, explainable AI, or applied AI in enterprise engineering workflows Nice to have experience modernizing monolithic or legacy systems into cloud-native, distributed architectures *Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Western Union will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position. Work Shift HYBRID - Western Union values in-person collaboration, problem solving, and ideation whenever possible. We believe this fosters common ways of working and supports how we execute initiatives for our customers. The expectation is to work from the office a minimum of three days a week. Location : 11902 Burnet Rd., Suite 350, Austin, TX 78758 BENEFITS AND OTHER DETAILS Benefits You will also have access to short-term incentives, multiple health insurance options, accident and life insurance, and access to best-in-class development platforms, to name a few ( https://careers.westernunion.com/global-benefits/ ). Please see the benefits below specific to your country. If applicable, additional role-specific benefits will be mentioned during your interview process or in an offer of employment. Your United States specific benefits include:  Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance  Tuition Assistance Program  Employee Discount Program Parental Leave  401K Plan For residents of Colorado, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania: Please do not respond to any questions on this initial application that may seek age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You may also redact this information from any materials you submit during the application process. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information. Salary The base salary range is $125,000 - $155,000 per year; total on-target earnings include a base salary and short-term incentives that align with individual and company performance. Actual salaries will vary based on candidates’ q