Principal Software Engineer, APAC

Back to all rolesPrincipal Software Engineer, APACApplyJob detailsDepartments / BackendHong Kong, SingaporeFull-time$160,000 USD - $240,000 USDJoin a team of engineers and cryptographers building the infrastructure behind the next generation of financial systems.We’re hiring a Principal Software Engineer based in APAC (Hong Kong or Singapore) to lead the design and evolution of our core backend systems. You will drive the architecture of the services powering wallet operations, transaction processing, and integrations across multiple blockchains. Your work will help ensure our systems remain fast, reliable, and secure as they scale across global financial markets. This role goes beyond implementation. You will guide architectural decisions, raise engineering standards, and mentor senior engineers across the team. You will work closely with product, security, and leadership to align technical execution with company priorities and ensure our infrastructure performs under real-world financial workloads.ResponsibilitiesLead the design and development of scalable, secure backend services and APIs.Define and evolve architecture for databases, microservices, and integrations.Own mission-critical projects end to end, from requirements to production and iteration.Troubleshoot and resolve complex performance and reliability challenges at scale.Collaborate with leadership to shape roadmap priorities and long-term technical vision.Mentor engineers, promote best practices, and represent Dfns in client discussions.Requirements10+ years of backend software engineering, with leadership in fintech or blockchain.Mastery of TypeScript, proven track record building scalable APIs and dev tools.Deep expertise with databases (PostgreSQL, DynamoDB, NoSQL) and cloud (AWS).Strong knowledge of microservices, CI/CD pipelines, observability, and SSDLC.Familiar with public key infrastructure and secure backend architectures.Exceptional problem-solving, communication, and ability to influence technical direction.Recruitment processIntro call with Co-CEO (30 min)Personality and cognitive tests (45 min)Coding test in a language of your choiceFocus interviews with the hiring panel (180 min)Code reviewArchitecture reviewSecurity fundamentalsCulture check fitFinal interview with CTO (30 min)Reference calls and background checksTermsTitle: Principal Software Engineer, APACSalary: $160,000–240,000 per year (full-time)Equity: 150–300 stock options vested over 4 yearsBenefits: Healthcare and travel expensesLocation: Hong Kong or Singapore (remote-first, office optional)Equipment: MacBook Pro + essentialsUpload your resume to autofill the applicationUploadFirst name *Last name *Email *Dial codePhone numberLinkedIn profile *Please upload your resume (preferably as a PDF file) *Click or drag file to uploadSupported file format: .PDF; Maximum file size: 10.49 MB; Maximum file: 1;Untitled sectionCover letterYour answer0/10000AI disclaimerThis application process may use AI-enabled systems to support candidate evaluation based on factors such as experience, technical skills, and qualifications. All processing is carried out in accordance with applicable data protection, AI governance, and labour laws. Human oversight is maintained at all stages, and final hiring decisions are made by people. Personal data submitted as part of this application is not used to train AI models.I have read and understood the privacy policy and acknowledge that my personal data will be processed as part of this application.ApplyApplyHire withPrivacy Policy