Senior Software Engineer - Identity

As a Senior Software Engineer - Identity at Alpaca, your key responsibilities include building and scaling systems for user onboarding and identity verification processes. You will contribute to developing backend services that handle financial identity verification, risk management, and account management while ensuring high automation and reliability in the processes.

To qualify for the Senior Software Engineer - Identity position at Alpaca, candidates should have at least three years of experience working on scalable systems. Strong coding skills in Go, familiarity with cloud platforms like Google Cloud, and experience with microservices architecture are essential. Candidate must also demonstrate excellent problem-solving abilities and proactive mindset.

Alpaca boasts a globally distributed team, providing a rich diversity of perspectives and ideas that can greatly benefit a Senior Software Engineer - Identity. You will collaborate with talented developers from various backgrounds to solve complex problems and implement innovative solutions, allowing for personal and professional growth in your role.

A Senior Software Engineer - Identity at Alpaca should be well-versed in coding, preferably using Go. Familiarity with containerization tools like Kubernetes, cloud platforms like Google Cloud, and communication through messaging queues is also beneficial. Experience with relational databases, specifically PostgreSQL, will be advantageous for this role.

The Senior Software Engineer - Identity plays a pivotal role in creating systems that millions of users rely on for secure and efficient trading experiences at Alpaca. Your innovations will contribute to building a robust identity verification service that enhances user trust, simplifies onboarding, and seamlessly integrates with financial services.

When answering this question, focus on specific projects where you successfully designed or improved scalable systems. Share metrics or outcomes that demonstrate your impact and your thought process behind architectural decisions.

Highlight systematic approaches you take to diagnose and resolve issues, including tools you use (like logging frameworks or monitoring tools) and your experience collaborating with other team members to pinpoint root causes.

Discuss practices such as code reviews, writing comprehensive tests, and adhering to coding standards. You can also mention any tools or frameworks you utilize for code quality assessment.

Provide examples of projects where you've developed or deployed microservices. Discuss your understanding of the benefits and challenges of a microservices approach and how you addressed them in your work.

Share your philosophy on API design, emphasizing best practices like RESTful design principles and security considerations. Include examples where your API design has led to improved integrations and user experiences.

Choose a specific event where you encountered a difficult problem. Detail the steps you took to resolve it, who you collaborated with, and what ultimately resulted from your actions—ensuring to highlight your problem-solving skills.

Discuss your method for gathering requirements from stakeholders, prototyping or planning a solution, and iterating based on feedback. Highlight the importance of collaborating with team members and aligning with business goals.

Explain your strategies for effective communication and collaboration in a remote environment, including tools you use and ways you stay organized. Highlight any past experiences where you thrived while working asynchronously.

Share specific steps you take to stay informed, such as following blogs, attending webinars or conferences, and engaging with professional networks. Highlight how this knowledge has influenced your work.

Describe the project in detail, outlining your role, the technologies used, and the outcomes. Emphasize any unique challenges faced regarding compliance or user experience, and how your solutions added value to the organization.