Contractual Junior Python Developer Jobs in California

The Company
PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy.
We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third-party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers.
We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards. Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade.
Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day. We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do - and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.
Job Summary:
At PayPal, Backend Software Engineers play a pivotal role in building the systems that power millions of global transactions every day. As a Backend Python Engineer, you will architect and develop large-scale, high-performance backend solutions that directly enhance customer experiences and business outcomes. You'll lead and mentor engineering teams, champion technical excellence, and drive innovation across the platform. This role demands strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to define complex challenges, interpret data, and deliver impactful, scalable solutions.
Job Description:
Essential Responsibilities:

• Delivers complete solutions spanning all phases of the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) (design, implementation, testing, delivery and operations), based on definitions from more senior roles.
• Advises immediate management on project-level issues
• Guides junior engineers
• Operates with little day-to-day supervision, making technical decisions based on knowledge of internal conventions and industry best practices
• Applies knowledge of technical best practices in making decisions

Minimum Qualifications:

• 3+ years relevant experience and a Bachelor's degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Responsibilities & Preferred Qualifications:
Additional Qualifications

• Strong foundation in programming concepts, data structures, and algorithms.
• Proficiency in Python and experience with frameworks such as Django or Flask.
• Build scalable, fault-tolerant systems that meet high availability and performance requirements.
• Collaborate with product managers, architects, and other engineers to deliver impactful business outcomes.
• Participate in code reviews, design discussions, and contribute to improving development processes.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues across distributed systems.
• Continuously optimize system performance and reliability through proactive improvements.
• Understanding of web services, REST APIs, and Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA).
• Familiarity with relational and/or NoSQL databases.
• Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git) and collaborative development workflows.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with identity and authentication technologies, including OAuth2 and secure token management.
• Exposure to large-scale, high-performance distributed systems.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure.
• Awareness of the payments industry and related compliance or regulatory standards.

About the Team
The Consumer Engineering team powers the experiences that millions of PayPal customers use every day to send, spend, and manage their money safely and effortlessly. We design and build reliable, high-performance systems that drive trust and simplicity across PayPal's global ecosystem. Our team partners closely with product, design, and data science to deliver innovative, customer-first solutions that advance PayPal's mission to make financial services more accessible, inclusive, and empowering for people everywhere.
Subsidiary:
PayPal
Travel Percent:
0
The base pay for this role will depend on where you work and the relevant experience and expertise you bring. The expected range of pay for this role by location is:
Primary Location | Pay Range:
San Jose, California | ($143,500.00 - $212,850.00 Annually)
Additional Location(s) | Pay Range:
No other locations are assigned to this requisition currently.
Additional compensation for this role may include an annual performance bonus, equity, or other incentive compensation, as applicable.
PayPal does not charge candidates any fees for courses, applications, resume reviews, interviews, background checks, or onboarding. When making an application directly, we will never ask you to share passwords, one-time passcodes (OTP), or verification codes. Any such request is a red flag and likely part of a scam. All communication regarding your application will come from official PayPal email domains. If you suspect fraudulent activity, please report it immediately. To learn more about how to identify and avoid recruitment fraud please visit https://careers.pypl.com/contact-us.
For the majority of employees, PayPal's balanced hybrid work model offers 3 days in the office for effective in-person collaboration and 2 days at your choice of either the PayPal office or your home workspace, ensuring that you equally have the benefits and conveniences of both locations.
Our Benefits:
At PayPal, we're committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. And we can't do this without our most important asset-you. That's why we offer comprehensive, choice-based programs, to support all aspects of personal wellbeing-physical, emotional, and financial-delivering meaningful value where it matters most. We strive to create a flexible, balanced work culture with a holistic approach to benefits, including generous paid time off, healthcare coverage for you and your family, and resources to create financial security and support your mental health.
Who We Are:
Click Here to learn more about our culture and community.
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at paypalglobaltalentacquisition@paypal.com.
Belonging at PayPal:
Our employees are central to advancing our mission, and we strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work with a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging at PayPal means creating a workplace with a sense of acceptance and security where all employees feel included and valued. We are proud to have a diverse workforce reflective of the merchants, consumers, and communities that we serve, and we continue to take tangible actions to cultivate inclusivity and belonging at PayPal.
Any general requests for consideration of your skills, please Join our Talent Community.
We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates. Please don't hesitate to apply.