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Staff Software Engineer

swap

Krakow
Development

Job Score

80 pts
On-site model (+70) Development (+10)

About Swap

Swap is the infrastructure behind modern agentic commerce. The only AI-native platform connecting backend operations with a forward-thinking storefront experience.

Built for brands that want to sell anything - anywhere, Swap centralises global operations, powers intelligent workflows, and unlocks margin-protecting decisions with real-time data and capability. Our products span cross-border, tax, returns, demand planning, and our next-generation agentic storefront, giving merchants full transparency and the ability to act with confidence.

At Swap, we’re building a culture that values clarity, creativity, and shared ownership as we redefine how global commerce works.

About the role

We’re growing our engineering team in Kraków, and we’re looking for a Staff Software Engineer to join us. You’ll be a technical leader on the team you join, helping us build products that merchants and shoppers rely on every day.

You’ll set direction for several engineering teams, take on the hardest cross-cutting problems, and stay hands-on in the code that matters most. You’ll work closely with Product, Design, Data, and engineering leadership to turn ambitious goals into practical plans, and you’ll help the engineers around you do their best work.

Responsibilities

  • Lead large initiatives that run for several quarters and involve multiple teams, from first scoping through to production.

  • Write exemplar code in critical paths, setting the implementation bar for the wider group.

  • Review important designs from other teams, helping engineers balance quality, speed, reliability, and long-term maintainability.

  • Define and uphold operational standards for the group: monitoring, availability, scalability, security, release safety, and cost awareness. Help lead serious incidents and follow through on the right fixes.

  • Lead tool evaluations and architecture migrations, making build-vs-buy trade-offs explicit.

  • Use AI well beyond the basics, and push back on AI-generated complexity so code health holds as we speed up.

  • Own the business result of your work. Define success metrics, monitor after launch, and challenge constructively when something won’t move the needle for merchants.

  • Mentor Senior Engineers and below, and lead or join senior-level interviews.

  • Write and improve the documentation others rely on, such as architecture direction, decision records, and runbooks.

Requirements

  • Significant experience (typically 8+ years) building and shipping production software, with a record of leading complex initiatives that cross team lines.

  • Deep expertise in TypeScript/JavaScript and Node.js, including architecting REST and/or GraphQL APIs and distributed systems.

  • Comfort outside your home language and stack. We expect Staff engineers to be T-shaped.

  • Strong relational database, data modelling, and SQL skills, plus familiarity with NoSQL.

  • Experience designing for reliability and scale in the cloud, with solid CI/CD, observability, and incident-response practices.

  • Hands-on experience with LLMs or agentic systems, or a track record of picking up new technology fast and applying it sensibly.

  • Daily use of AI coding tools, with a sense for when to trust them and when not to.

  • Experience in eCommerce systems and platforms is preferred.

  • Excellent written and verbal communication. You can explain trade-offs in business terms to any audience.

  • A team player with a bias for ownership: you bring a solution along with the problem, and work isn’t done until it’s live and stable.

What we offer

💰 Competitive base salary: Pay that reflects your experience and the impact you’ll have, reviewed regularly as you grow with us.

📈 Stock options: Own a piece of what we’re building. As a high-growth scale-up, you’ll share in the upside as the company grows.

🏖️ Generous PTO: Competitive annual leave, with public holidays on top, plus your birthday off so you can celebrate properly.

🏥 Private healthcare: Comprehensive private medical cover, so you can get the care you need quickly.

🏦 Pension contributions: Company contributions to help you build long-term financial security.

🧘 Wellness benefits: Support for your physical health and wellbeing, so you can look after yourself in the way that works for you.

💚 Mental health support: Access to mental health resources and support, because looking after your mind matters as much as your body.

👶 Enhanced maternity and paternity leave: Extra support when you’re growing your family, so you can focus on what matters most.

🏡 Flexible working: Choose how and where you do your best work, with the trust and autonomy to manage your own time.

✈️ Work abroad for 4 weeks a year: Take your laptop somewhere new for up to four weeks each year, whether that’s family, travel, or a change of scenery.

🎉 Quarterly team offsite budget: A dedicated budget each quarter for your team to get together, connect, and have fun.

🍻 Thursday happy hour: Wind down the week with your colleagues at our Thursday happy hour, held across all of our locations.

🥞 Breakfast Mondays: Start the week with a good meal and good company.

Diversity & Equal Opportunities:

We embrace diversity and equality in a serious way. We are committed to building a team with a variety of backgrounds, skills, and views. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. Creating a culture of equality isn't just the right thing to do; it's also the smart thing.

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About Software Development

Software Development is one of the most dynamic and constantly evolving fields in the job market. Professionals in this area are responsible for creating, maintaining, and optimizing web, mobile, and desktop applications that impact millions of users daily.

Key languages and frameworks include JavaScript (React, Node.js, Vue.js), Python (Django, Flask), Java (Spring), PHP (Laravel), and TypeScript. Demand for full-stack developers continues to grow, especially in tech companies and startups.

Salaries range from entry-level to senior positions, with growing opportunities for remote work and international freelancing.

Discover Other Areas

Understand the scope of work, key skills, and tools used in different career areas.

About Backend

The Backend area is responsible for all server logic, APIs, databases, and infrastructure that support web and mobile applications. Backend professionals ensure that systems are scalable, secure, and performant.

Key skills include languages like PHP, Java, Python, Ruby, Go, and Node.js, frameworks like Laravel, Spring Boot, Django, and Express, databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis), software architecture (clean architecture, DDD, microservices), and API security (OAuth, JWT).

Backend developers in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master microservices architecture, cloud computing, and high-scale performance. The field offers opportunities from junior developer to software architect, with a focus on scalability, security, and efficiency.

About Traffic Manager

The Traffic Manager is the professional responsible for planning, executing, and optimizing paid media campaigns across various digital platforms. With the competitiveness of the digital market, paid traffic professionals are essential for generating qualified leads and maximizing return on advertising investment.

Key skills include campaign management on Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, and TikTok Ads, media planning, metrics analysis (ROAS, CPA, CPC, CTR), A/B testing, remarketing, and landing page creation. Tools like Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Hotjar, and automation platforms are essential.

Traffic managers in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master performance marketing, conversion funnel optimization, and scaling strategies. The field offers opportunities from media analyst to head of performance, with a focus on growth, budget efficiency, and return on investment.

About Project Management

Project Management is essential to ensure strategic initiatives are delivered on time, within scope, and with quality. PM professionals coordinate teams, manage risks, and communicate with stakeholders.

Key methodologies include PMBOK, PRINCE2, Scrum, and Kanban. Tools like Jira, Asana, Monday, and MS Project are widely used in daily work.

Certifications like PMP and PgMP are important differentiators in the market, with growing demand in technology and consulting companies.

About Marketing

The Marketing area is strategic for the growth and positioning of any company. It encompasses traditional marketing, brand management, market research, trade marketing, product marketing, and market intelligence. Marketing professionals are responsible for planning and executing strategies that connect brands to their target audience.

Key skills include brand management, market research, competitive analysis, product marketing, trade marketing, pricing, relationship marketing, and channel development. Knowledge of research tools (Nielsen, Kantar, Ipsos), BI, and advanced spreadsheets is a differentiator.

Marketing professionals in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master product marketing, go-to-market strategy, and data-driven marketing. The field offers opportunities from analyst to CMO, with a focus on growth, brand positioning, and return on investment.

About Data

The Data field has undergone a radical transformation with the rise of Generative AI. Data professionals are fundamental for evidence-based decision-making across all industries.

Key specializations include Data Engineering, Data Science, Business Intelligence, Machine Learning Engineering, and Analytics. Tools like SQL, Python, Spark, dbt, and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) are essential.

The data market continues with high demand and salaries among the most competitive in the technology sector, with many remote work opportunities.

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Administration Career Guide

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Product Career Guide

Product Management, Product Ownership, Agile, Scrum, and OKRs. From strategy to execution.

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Tech & Remote Glossary

Stop getting lost in interviews and job descriptions

The job market, especially within tech and global companies, has developed its own dialect. Not understanding these acronyms can make you lose valuable opportunities or poorly negotiate your contract. To end this problem, we created the Definitive Glossary for the Remote Professional.

🏢 Work Models & Routine

Async (Asynchronous Work)
A communication model where responses don't need to be immediate. Instead of back-to-back meetings, the team relies on well-structured documents, threads, and messages. It's the gold standard for global companies spanning multiple time zones.
Sync (Synchronous Work)
The opposite of Async. It requires the team to be online and available at the same time for meetings, live chats, and real-time collaboration.
Daily / Stand-up
A quick daily meeting (usually 15 minutes) common in Agile (Scrum) methodologies. The team answers three questions: What did I do yesterday? What will I do today? Are there any blockers?
All-Hands / Town Hall
A company-wide meeting involving all employees. Usually led by the founders (C-Levels) to present results, new goals, and answer team questions.
1:1 (One-on-One)
A recurring individual meeting between a professional and their direct manager. It is used for career alignment, feedback, and problem-solving, not just for project status updates.

💰 Contracts, Benefits & Compensation

PTO (Paid Time Off)
Instead of strict, categorized leave policies, modern US companies usually offer a flexible pool of days (e.g., 20 days of PTO, or even "Unlimited PTO") that you can use for vacations, sick days, or personal matters, while receiving your regular compensation.
Equity / Stock Options
Company ownership. The startup offers you the right to buy shares at a heavily discounted strike price in the future. If the company grows, goes public, or is acquired, these shares can be highly lucrative.
Vesting (Vesting Schedule)
The rule that controls your Equity. It usually lasts 4 years. You don't get all the shares on day one; you "earn" them gradually as you stay with the company. A "1-year Cliff" means you must stay for at least one year to receive your first batch of shares.
RSUs (Restricted Stock Units)
Unlike Stock Options (where you have the right to buy the stock), RSUs are actual shares the company grants you as a bonus or part of your compensation package, following a strict Vesting schedule.
Independent Contractor (1099 / B2B)
The most common international hiring model for global talent working for US companies. You act as a service provider (business-to-business), receiving the gross salary (often six-figure compensation) without standard local payroll tax deductions at the source.

🤖 Recruitment & Hiring Process

ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
The "robot" that reads your resume. Software like Greenhouse, Ashby, and Workday are used to filter candidates by keywords before a human even looks at the document. (Pro tip: this is why your resume must be clean, semantic, and have the right keywords).
JD (Job Description)
The document that lists the responsibilities, technical requirements, and benefits of the open position.
Cultural Fit
The interview stage that evaluates if your core values, communication style, and worldview align with the company's culture. This is the ultimate test of your Soft Skills.
Onboarding
The integration process. It's the period of your first few weeks at the company, where you get your access credentials, learn about the culture, study the internal documentation, and understand how the product works.

🚀 How to use this to your advantage?

The secret isn't just knowing what these acronyms mean, but using them actively. If during an interview for a premium tech role you ask, "How does your PTO policy and Vesting schedule work?", the recruiter will immediately perceive you as a high-level professional, familiar with the global market standards.

The remote job market requires preparation. And having the right vocabulary is the first big step to securing six-figure proposals and standing out among thousands of applicants.

Expert Tip

Why the Data Era Has Never Been More Profitable

Discover how BI professionals are shaping the corporate future, driving strategic decision-making, and landing the best global remote jobs in the market.

Reading time: 5 minutes | Category: Data / BI

The Data Market Explosion

A decade ago, oil was considered the world's most valuable resource; today, that title indisputably belongs to data. However, raw data without interpretation is just noise. It is exactly at this turning point that the Business Intelligence (BI) market exploded in demand and financial valuation.

Companies of all sizes, from agile startups to global unicorns, have realized they can no longer base their decisions on guesswork. The BI professional has become the architect of financial and operational predictability. According to Gartner, in its annual reports on the Magic Quadrant for Analytics and BI, adopting business intelligence platforms is no longer a competitive advantage, but a matter of corporate survival.

The Required Profile: Way Beyond the Dashboard

The biggest mistake professionals make when trying to transition into Business Intelligence is believing the job comes down to creating pretty visual panels (Dashboards). Today's market, especially international companies paying six-figure salaries, requires a deep analytical mindset combined with solid technical skills.

Tech Recruiters are configuring their ATS systems (like Greenhouse and Ashby) to filter candidates who master the following verticals:

  • Data Modeling and ETL: The ability to Extract, Transform, and Load data from multiple sources into a Data Warehouse or Data Lake.
  • Query Languages: Advanced proficiency in SQL remains the backbone of any data operation.
  • Advanced Visualization: Tools like Microsoft Power BI (with deep knowledge in DAX), Tableau, and Looker are mandatory requirements.
  • Critical Thinking & Business Acumen: As highlighted by the Harvard Business Review, data professionals must translate technical complexity into clear answers for C-Level executives.

Compensation and the Global Job Route (US Remote)

The Business Intelligence market is perfectly adaptable to the Remote Worldwide model. Because the work essentially deals with cloud infrastructure and logical analysis, geographical barriers have been completely eliminated.

"The ability to analyze massive volumes of data and extract actionable insights is the most valued skill in the new digital economy. The global market is literally buying intelligence."

For global professionals, this represents a golden opportunity. North American and European startups are actively seeking Senior BI talent to work remotely, offering compensation in strong currencies (USD and EUR) through B2B contracts. Base salaries that easily surpass the $80,000 to $120,000+ range (six-figure compensation) are a common reality for Mid-level and Senior analysts who have fluent English and a robust analytical portfolio.

How to Stand Out in the Technical Interview

To break through the technical interview barrier for premium BI positions, candidates must prepare a problem-oriented portfolio. Instead of presenting a generic sales dashboard, showcase a documented case study. Show the data source, how the SQL was structured for cleansing, which predictive or statistical models were applied, and, most importantly, what was the financial impact (ROI) of that analysis.