Software engineer - payroll

About Rippling

Rippling gives businesses one place to run HR, IT, and Finance. It brings together all of the workforce systems that are normally scattered across a company, like payroll, expenses, benefits, and computers. For the first time ever, you can manage and automate every part of the employee lifecycle in a single system.

Take onboarding, for example. With Rippling, you can hire a new employee anywhere in the world and set up their payroll, corporate card, computer, benefits, and even third-party apps like Slack and Microsoft 365—all within 90 seconds.

Based in San Francisco, CA, Rippling has raised $1.4B+ from the world’s top investors—including Kleiner Perkins, Founders Fund, Sequoia, Greenoaks, and Bedrock—and was named one of America's best startup employers by Forbes.

We prioritize candidate safety. Please be aware that all official communication will only be sent from @Rippling.com addresses.

About the role

Payroll is the most critical financial transaction between a company and its people. The Rippling Payroll Calculations team is the engine at the heart of this process, responsible for accurately calculating every component of a paycheck—from earnings and deductions to complex taxes and withholdings—for employees worldwide. This engine is mission-critical, processing billions of dollars and integrating deeply with HRIS, Benefits, and Time & Attendance.

As a Software Engineer II on this team, you will help design and build the next-generation rules engine that powers our global platform. You'll tackle one of the most complex challenges in fintech—creating flexible, high-performance systems that navigate complex compensation structures to ensure perfect payroll accuracy. If you’re excited about complex algorithmic challenges with a massive real-world impact, this is the team for you.

What you will do

• Design and build the sophisticated payroll calculation rules engine that handles complex logic for overtime, benefit deductions, and tax compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
• Collaborate with Product Management, Compliance, and other engineering teams to translate complex payroll regulations into elegant, maintainable, and scalable code.
• Contribute to system reliability and performance optimization, ensuring seamless operation for systems that hundreds of thousands of employees depend on for their paychecks.
• Identify and resolve technical issues, participate in code reviews, and contribute to system maintenance, ensuring high-quality standards in a fast-paced environment.
• Learn and grow by participating in architecture discussions and tackling high-complexity technical problems with mentorship from senior engineers.

What you will need

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 3+ years of professional software development experience, with a strong proficiency in a backend language like Python, Java, or Go.
• Strong problem-solving skills and computer science fundamentals (data structures, algorithms).
• A passion for building robust and scalable systems that directly impact businesses and customers.
• Ability to thrive in a product-focused environment where customer impact is a top priority.
• Preferred experience in our technology stack: Python, Django, and MongoDB.

Additional Information

Rippling is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or any other legally protected characteristics, Rippling is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities who need assistance during the hiring process. To request a reasonable accommodation, please email [email protected]

Rippling highly values having employees working in-office to foster a collaborative work environment and company culture. For office-based employees (employees who live within a defined radius of a Rippling office), Rippling considers working in the office, at least three days a week under current policy, to be an essential function of the employee's role.

This role will receive a competitive salary + benefits + equity. The salary for US-based employees will be aligned with one of the ranges below based on location; see which tier applies to your location here.

A variety of factors are considered when determining someone’s compensation–including a candidate’s professional background, experience, and location. Final offer amounts may vary from the amounts listed below.