How to apply for Senior Software Engineer (Remote)

About GiveDirectly

GiveDirectly is a nonprofit that has delivered over $1B in unconditional cash transfers to more than 2 million people in extreme poverty across 15 countries since 2011. It is one of Time100's Most Influential Companies of 2026 and has been covered by The Economist, NPR, TED, and The Washington Post. The culture is candid, analytical, and non-hierarchical, with high ownership and real professional growth.

About the role

As a senior software engineer, you will build and maintain the technology that delivers billions of dollars a year directly to people in extreme poverty. The role is remote but requires at least 3 hours of overlap with East Africa Time and US Eastern Time (8am-6pm). You will work on systems that scale cash transfers, likely involving payments, data, and field operations.

A typical day

A typical day might include a morning stand-up with teammates in East Africa and the US, writing or reviewing code for a payment or data system, and collaborating with field operations or research staff. You will have autonomy to set your schedule as long as you overlap with the team. The work is analytical and candid, with frequent feedback and high ownership.

Who GiveDirectly is looking for

• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience, including senior-level ownership of complex systems.
• Strong backend skills (e.g., Python, Java, Go) and experience with databases, APIs, and cloud infrastructure.
• Comfort working remotely with distributed teams and overlapping with East Africa and US Eastern time zones.
• Interest in international development, cash transfers, or nonprofit technology, and comfort with candid, analytical feedback.

Tips for this application

• Confirm you are based in one of the countries on GiveDirectly's approved list and can overlap with East Africa Time and US Eastern Time by at least 3 hours. State this clearly in your application.
• Read GiveDirectly's CEO essay on scaling to billions and reference specific points in your cover letter to show you understand the technical challenge.
• Review GiveDirectly's values and mention how you have worked in non-hierarchical, high-ownership environments.
• Highlight any experience with payments, mobile money, or data systems at scale, as these are likely relevant to cash transfer delivery.
• Note that GiveDirectly cannot sponsor U.S. or U.K. work visas. If you require sponsorship, do not apply.

What to cover in your cover letter

Explain why you want to build technology for cash transfers rather than a typical tech company. Describe a time you owned a complex system end-to-end. Show you understand the scale challenge of delivering billions of dollars a year. Confirm your time zone overlap and country of residence.

Research before applying

• Read GiveDirectly's CEO essay on what it will take to deliver billions of dollars a year.
• Review GiveDirectly's values page and employee testimonials to understand the culture.
• Look up the research behind cash transfers that GiveDirectly cites, such as studies on cost-effectiveness and dignity.
• Check GiveDirectly's current country list to confirm you are eligible to apply.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you design a system to deliver cash transfers reliably to millions of people across 15 countries?
• Tell us about a time you disagreed with a teammate or manager and how you handled it in a non-hierarchical culture.
• What experience do you have with payment systems, mobile money, or financial data?
• How do you prioritize technical debt versus new features when building for a nonprofit with limited resources?
• Why do you want to work at GiveDirectly specifically, and what do you know about our research on cash transfers?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying without confirming you are in an eligible country or can meet the time zone overlap.
• Writing a generic cover letter that does not mention GiveDirectly's mission, scale, or values.
• Focusing only on technical skills without showing interest in international development or cash transfers.