Sr. Backend Developer

Sr. Backend Developer – Trading Platforms / Equities Engineering

A leading global financial services organization is seeking a Sr. Backend Developer to join its Equities Engineering team supporting mission-critical trading platforms and front-office applications. This role is focused on building scalable, high-performance backend systems and modernizing enterprise architecture across Order Management, Execution, Pricing, Risk, and P&L platforms.

The ideal candidate will be a hands-on engineer with deep expertise in Java, distributed messaging systems, cloud-native application development, and low-latency system design. This role will play a key part in platform modernization initiatives, including OMS consolidation efforts, microservices architecture, and cloud migration programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain mission-critical backend trading and operational applications within the Equities domain
• Build and support trading channels and messaging integrations with brokers, venues, exchanges, and downstream systems
• Develop scalable backend services using Java, Spring Boot, and distributed messaging technologies
• Support platform modernization initiatives involving:
• Microservices architecture
• Cloud-native deployments
• OMS consolidation
• AI-assisted development workflows
• Deliver low-latency, high-throughput solutions focused on scalability and performance optimization
• Design and maintain integrations using industry-standard messaging protocols including:
• Kafka
• MQ
• FIX
• FpML
• Coordinate internal testing procedures and production release activities
• Collaborate closely with Product, Trading, Operations, and Engineering teams
• Provide second-level production support and troubleshoot issues in high-pressure trading environments
• Mentor junior developers and contribute to engineering standards and best practices
• Support trade data feed management and downstream system integrations

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of software development experience in enterprise application environments
• Strong hands-on backend development experience with:
• Java
• Spring Framework
• Spring Boot
• Spring Integration
• SQL
• Git
• Strong expertise with distributed messaging technologies such as:
• Kafka
• IBM MQ
• FIX
• FpML
• Experience designing scalable, low-latency distributed systems
• Strong understanding of data modeling and enterprise data standards
• Experience with cloud platforms such as:
• AWS
• Azure
• GCP
• Experience working within Linux and Windows environments
• Familiarity with DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and modern SDLC methodologies
• Strong analytical, debugging, and troubleshooting capabilities
• Experience using AI-assisted development tools such as:
• GitHub Copilot
• Cursor
• Windsurf
• Claude Code
• Similar AI coding assistants
• Strong communication and stakeholder collaboration skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within financial services, capital markets, or trading environments
• Exposure to Equities trading systems and trade lifecycle workflows
• Hands-on experience with:
• Order Management Systems (OMS)
• Smart Order Routers (SOR)
• Trade data feeds
• Experience supporting OMS consolidation or platform modernization initiatives
• Familiarity with in-memory caching technologies such as:
• Hazelcast
• GemFire
• Experience with application profiling, performance tuning, and latency optimization
• Understanding of regulatory considerations within trading platforms
• Familiarity with Angular and/or Python is a plus
• Production support experience supporting business-critical trading applications