Software Engineer, Experimental Projects

Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. Millions of companies—from the world’s largest enterprises to the most ambitious startups—use Stripe to accept payments, grow their revenue, and accelerate new business opportunities. Our mission is to increase the GDP of the internet, and we have a staggering amount of work ahead. That means you have an unprecedented opportunity to put the global economy within everyone’s reach while doing the most important work of your career.

Stripe's Experimental Projects team is our in-house innovation lab where we rapidly transform ideas into working prototypes. We operate as an idea incubator, building and testing new concepts with real users, sometimes going from concept to functional prototype in just days.

As a Software Engineer on the Experimental Projects team, you'll be at the forefront of innovation at Stripe, turning promising ideas into tangible solutions that could shape the future of our platform. You'll have the autonomy to identify opportunities, rapidly build prototypes, and work directly with users to validate and iterate on your solutions.

This role combines technical excellence with creative problem-solving – you'll work across our entire technology stack to bring ideas to life, sometimes in just days.

Your work will help us discover new ways to empower businesses worldwide, contributing directly to Stripe's mission of increasing the GDP of the internet. Whether it's creating new developer tools, exploring novel payment experiences, or inventing entirely new products, you'll have the freedom to experiment and the resources to make a significant impact.

• Drive projects from ideation to implementation, taking ownership of the full development lifecycle
• Build full-stack solutions including intuitive web frontends, clean APIs, and robust backend systems
• Work across various technologies and languages (Type Script, Ruby, Python, Java, etc.) based on project needs
• Collaborate directly with users to understand their needs and gather feedback
• Prototype and validate ideas quickly, pivoting or adjusting based on real-world usage
• Partner with teams across Stripe to integrate with existing systems and infrastructure

We’re looking for someone who meets the minimum requirements to be considered for the role. If you meet these requirements, you are encouraged to apply. The preferred qualifications are a bonus, not a requirement.

• Excel at rapid prototyping while maintaining appropriate quality standards
• Demonstrate strong product intuition and user empathy
• Have experience building and shipping customer facing products from scratch

• Are comfortable with ambiguity and fast-paced environments
• Have a passion for working on side-projects, open source, or similar self-driven initiatives you’re proud of
• Bring energy and enthusiasm that inspires collaboration

Office-assigned Stripe employees in most of our locations are currently expected to spend at least 50% of the time in a given month in their local office or with users. This expectation may vary depending on role, team and location. For example, Stripe employees in our Bucharest, Romania site have an 80% in-office expectation, and those in Stripe Delivery Center roles in Mexico City, Mexico and Bengaluru, India work 100% from the office.

Also, some teams have greater in-office attendance requirements, to appropriately support our users and workflows, which the hiring manager will discuss. This approach helps strike a balance between bringing people together for in-person collaboration and learning from each other, while supporting flexibility when possible.

The annual US base salary range for this role is $190,400 - $285,600. For sales roles, the range provided is the role’s On Target Earnings ("OTE") range, meaning that the range includes both the sales commissions/sales bonuses target and annual base salary for the role. This salary range may be inclusive of several career levels at Stripe and will be narrowed during the interview process based on a number of factors, including the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and location.

Applicants interested in this role and who are not located in the US may request the annual salary range for their location during the interview process.

Additional benefits for this role may include: equity, company bonus or sales commissions/bonuses; 401(k) plan; medical, dental, and vision benefits; and wellness stipends.

At Stripe, we're looking for people with passion, grit, and integrity. You're encouraged to apply even if your experience doesn't precisely match the job description. Your skills and passion will stand out—and set you apart—especially if your career has taken some extraordinary twists and turns. At Stripe, we welcome diverse perspectives and people who think rigorously and aren't afraid to challenge assumptions.

Join us.