As a Staff Engineer in the Broker Dealer team at Betterment, you will play a pivotal role in defining and executing the technical vision for backend systems that handle millions of dollars daily with strict regulatory compliance. Your responsibilities include mentoring junior engineers, driving project timelines while maintaining high standards, and scaling systems to meet growing demands. You will work extensively with Java, SQL, and other object-oriented languages, leveraging your expertise in algorithms, data structures, and large-scale distributed systems to optimize performance and stability. This role requires a deep understanding of backend software design, experience leading cross-team projects, and the ability to make strategic trade-offs for timely delivery without compromising quality or security.
Define and drive the technical vision and long-term strategy for the Broker Dealer team.
Design, build, scale, and maintain core backend software components to ensure regulatory compliance.
Optimize large-scale distributed systems to enhance system stability and efficiency.
Mentor engineers and spread knowledge across the organization to improve engineering practices.
Lead projects spanning multiple teams, balancing quality, performance, and security with delivery timelines.
What we're looking for
10+ years of professional experience in object-oriented programming, preferably Java.
Extensive experience (7+) with SQL and relational databases for schema design and query writing.
Expertise in algorithms, data structures, and scaling large-scale distributed systems.
Proven track record of leading cross-team projects while balancing quality, performance, and security.
Strong mentorship skills to guide and develop other engineers within the organization.
Understanding of trade-offs necessary for timely project delivery without compromising quality.
Appreciation for agile methodologies and pragmatic approaches in software development.
Market check
Salary context
This
$210,000–$245,000
range sits above
84%
of similar postings on FindRole.
Peer median band
$143,000–$253,500
Median floor and ceiling across peers.
Typical midpoint (25–75%)
$170,000–$214,500
Middle half of comparable postings.
Based on 240 comparable postings.*
* 240 is the maximum number of comparable postings sampled.
Employer
About Betterment
Betterment is an automated investment service (robo-advisor) that uses technology to provide personalized investment management, retirement planning, and savings optimization at low cost for retail investors. Industry: Financial Technology & Wealth Management
Betterment currently has
16 open roles
on FindRole.
Listed pay typically runs
$200,000–$221,500
across 16 roles with salary data.