Staff Software Engineer

About the Company

Nelo is a leading fintech in Mexico reimagining credit to expand consumer buying power. Founded in 2019 by former Uber international growth team leads Kyle Miller and Stephen Hebson, Nelo offers credit cards, BNPL loans, bill payments, and its own marketplace — all under one app — designed from first principles for a mobile-first, real-time payments world.

With $100M in annual revenue, $1B in annualized GMV, and $140M+ raised in equity and debt, Nelo is one of the most capital-efficient consumer fintech companies in Latin America. The company is profitable — positive operating profit in both 2024 and 2025. It runs lean and technical: 60 employees, 8 engineers, with AI driving underwriting, collections, and operations.

• HQ: Mexico City, Mexico; commercial and people operations in New York City

• Founded: 2019

• Team size: 60 FTEs

• Open roles: 10+

• Website: nelo.mx

• Stage: Post-Series A; $100M credit facility (Victory Park Capital, 2022); profitable

• Benefits: 401k, open PTO, medical, dental, vision, STD, LTD, fertility

Company values:

• Be your best selves: ambition, hard work, intellectual curiosity

• Everyone is an owner: all employees receive equity including customer support; 10-year option expiration; equity refreshers

• Customer first: product decisions grounded in customer benefit

• Open and honest communication: quarterly financials and board presentations shared company-wide; low tolerance for bureaucracy or gossip

• Move fast, learn fast: hundreds of experiments run monthly; rigorous experimentation culture

Why this Role is Different

Most "Senior" roles are just maintenance jobs in disguise. You get handed a ticket, you write the code, you go home.

This isn’t that.

You are joining a company where the problems are getting harder, not easier. We are transitioning architectures while processing millions in transactions. This role offers a high degree of autonomy and trust, appealing to those who value independence and the ability to make decisions without constant oversight. You won't just be executing; you'll be building a solid foundation for your career with experiences that will prepare you for future opportunities.

What You'll Do

• Architect for Scale: You will design and ship backend systems that can handle our rapid growth without falling over. Larger projects and ambitious goals will help make the job more interesting.

• Evolve the Tech: You’ll lead the charge in moving us from a Kotlin monolith to smarter microservices. Access to this technology streamlines work processes and allows you to stay at the forefront of your field.

• Raise the Bar: You will mentor other engineers, not by lecturing them, but by coding well and reviewing hard. Helping others learn new things is often the biggest single thing candidates are interested in.

• Solve Real Problems: You'll work with product and data teams to turn abstract ideas into working software. This allows you to see the direct impact of your work.

Who You Are

• You’ve been around the block. You have 5+ years of backend engineering experience and you’ve built (and broken) real distributed systems.

• You value rigor. You are comfortable with Kotlin and Spring (or similar), and you know your way around AWS and Terraform. You understand that better resources and tools reduce frustration.

• You think in systems. You don't just look at lines of code; you look at how the whole machine operates.

• You have an opinion. You care about performance and data integrity, and you aren't afraid to speak up when you see a "quick fix" that will hurt us later.

What's on the Table

• Equity: You’ll be motivated with performance bonuses/equity that reflect your impact.

• Healthcare: 100% medical, dental & vision insurance coverage for you (50% for dependents).

• Time Off: Unlimited PTO and extended maternity/paternity leave. Companies that offer flexible hours and generous leave policies attract more of the right people.

• Future Security: 401(k) for US employees / PTU for MX employees.

About the Process

We don't believe in 7-stage interview marathons. We respect your time.

1. Chat with the Hiring Manager: A quick conversation to see if we're a match.

2. Business Case/Technical Assessment: Show us how you think.

3. Onsite Interview: Meet the team you'll be working with.

4. Offer: If it’s a yes, we move fast.