Lead Software Engineer, Payments at Chalkboard

About Chalkboard: Chalkboard is building the future of sports gaming. Our mission is to blur the line between watching and playing by turning real-money sports gaming into a social, immersive experience built for fans who play to win. We're not just creating another betting app. We're reimagining how sports fans engage with the games they love. At our core, we’re a team of sports-obsessed builders who value clarity, fairness, and the thrill of helping fans turn insight into action. The Role: We’re looking for a Tech Lead, Payments to join Chalkboard and take technical ownership of one of the most critical systems in the business. This is a principal-level, highly technical role responsible for the reliability, scalability, and evolution of our payments platform. You’ll act as the technical authority for payments, owning architecture, integrations, security, and performance all while partnering closely with Product, RevOps, and Engineering leadership. If you thrive in complex, high-stakes systems and enjoy leading through deep technical expertise, this role is for you Your Game Plan: You’ll take ownership of Chalkboard’s payments platform, improving reliability, scalability, and security while leading integrations with current and future payment partners. Level Up Our Game: - Take end-to-end technical ownership of Chalkboard’s payments systems and integrations - Improve payment flows, system architecture, and security posture across the platform Scale payment processing from current volumes (~250k daily transactions) toward significantly higher throughput - Evaluate, implement, and onboard new payment providers and integrations - Reduce operational and communication friction caused by time zone differences with offshore teams Play Like a Captain: - Act as the primary technical point of contact for payment partners (e.g., NewWay, AeroPay, Pushcash, and future providers) - Lead recurring syncs with payment providers to ensure system health and alignment - Coach and support engineers on the payments pod through strong technical leadership - Partner closely with Product Managers to align technical decisions with business priorities Find a Way to Win: - Navigate startup ambiguity and move quickly without perfect information - Identify risks, gaps, and improvement opportunities in payment architecture and processes Make clear technical decisions and move forward confidently, rather than waiting for consensus - Build systems that are resilient, observable, and easy to evolve We Are Better Together: - Establish clear, durable technical documentation where little exists today - Build trust quickly with Product and RevOps by delivering reliable outcomes - Raise the bar for technical decision-making and ownership across the payments domain What You Bring to the Team: - ~8+ years of experience across backend and frontend engineering - Microservices architecture experience - Full stack experience with Node.js, React.js, React Native, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and GCP - Deep understanding of databases, system design, and large-scale data processing - Proven experience building and operating high-volume payment systems Background in fintech and/or sports betting environments - Experience working in both startup and larger company settings - Comfort processing and reasoning about hundreds of thousands of daily payment transactions Pro Points: - Direct experience with payments providers or complex financial integrations - Sports betting or gaming industry background - Prior ownership of mission-critical, revenue-impacting systems Why Chalkboard: We care about results, but also how we get there. Our core tenants aren’t slogans here, they’re how we operate. As Chalkboard grows, so do you. New problems, bigger plays, and opportunities to step up when it matters most happen often here. We want our team performing at their best, so here’s how we support our players: - Employee Sponsored medical, dental, & vision coverage starting within 30 days. We cover 80% for employees and 70% for dependents. - 401(k) with company match - Lunch on us everyday with a corporate DoorDash account - Refuel in the office with protein shakes, energy drinks, and a snack buffet - Flexible time off policy, plus 10 company holidays, WFH during the holidays Chalkboard is an equal opportunity employer: We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Chalkboard does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Work Authorization: We welcome applicants who are currently authorized to work in the United States. At this time, we’re unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role.