At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design of innovative, AI-ready architectures for large-scale systems.
- Company: Join a dynamic team at London Stock Exchange Group, a leader in financial markets.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, healthcare, and opportunities for personal growth.
- Other info: Collaborative culture that values your individuality and encourages new ideas.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping the future of technology in finance.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in software engineering with strong architectural skills required.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 88000 £ per year.
We are seeking an expert Architect to drive the technical vision, system design, and architectural governance for a large-scale, technically diverse engineering program. Operating across multiple complex domains, you will serve as the premier technical authority, designing mission-critical enterprise systems, overarching data ecosystems, and leading our artificial intelligence (AI) integration strategy. The successful candidate will set the architectural target state, establish design patterns for highly resilient systems, and ensure technical coherence across a highly heterogeneous technology stack. You will partner with business stakeholders and engineering management to translate strategic objectives into robust, scalable, secure, and AI-ready architectures, navigating the complexities of a highly regulated, high-expectation environment.
What You’ll Bring (Experience & Competencies)
- Extensive Architectural Experience: 8+ years of hands-on experience in software engineering, with at least 3+ years acting as a Principal or Senior Architect designing large-scale, high-throughput, and mission-critical enterprise distributed systems.
- Deep Technical Breadth & Depth: Advanced data architecture experience using Databricks, Microsoft Fabric, and large-scale data processing (Data Mesh/Lakehouse patterns). Strong background in data integration and relational platforms. Proven experience designing highly available Hybrid and Multi-Cloud architectures (Azure & AWS).
- AI & Machine Learning Exposure: Experience designing architectures that support AI/ML workloads, including integrating Large Language Models (LLMs), predictive analytics, and vector search into enterprise applications.
- Enterprise Governance & Security: Deep understanding of security architecture, secure SDLC practices, data privacy, and compliance requirements typical of the London financial services sector.
- Resilience & SRE: Advanced knowledge of building fault-tolerant architectures leveraging modern SRE principles, robust observability, and cloud-native resilience patterns.
- Matrix Leadership: Exceptional stakeholder and client communication skills, with a track record of influencing cross-functional engineering pods, product managers, and C-level executives without requiring direct reporting lines.
Key Responsibilities
- Architecture & Technical Strategy: Define and own the end-to-end target state architecture across diverse systems, data platforms, and cloud integrations. Publish, maintain, and champion architectural blueprints, design patterns, and engineering excellence standards. Lead the Architecture Review Board (ARB) process for the domain, ensuring technical designs strictly adhere to non-functional requirements (NFRs) such as scalability, maintainability, performance, latency, and security.
- AI Strategy & Adoption: Lead the architectural design for integrating AI and Machine Learning capabilities (including Generative AI) into existing and new enterprise products. Establish secure guardrails, data privacy controls, and ethical compliance standards for AI consumption within a highly regulated environment. Champion the adoption of AI-driven engineering tooling (e.g., AI coding assistants, automated testing generation) to enhance developer velocity and code quality across the portfolio. Architect robust, scalable data pipelines (MLOps/LLMOps) to support reliable model training, fine-tuning, and low-latency inference.
- Technical Leadership & Governance: Act as a senior technical leader and mentor to Principal Engineers and Tech Leads across multiple engineering domains. Ensure architectural coherence across a diverse technology stack, balancing the need for enterprise standardization with the autonomy of agile delivery teams. Take ownership of technical debt management strategies and long-term platform health, preventing fragmented or sub-optimal legacy solutions.
- Complex Problem Solving & Hands-on Contribution: Lead technical investigations into complex performance bottlenecks, major systemic incidents, and architectural pivots. Remain heavily hands-on in the R&D space; write prototype code, execute Proof-of-Concepts (PoCs), and directly validate architectural assumptions (specifically around new AI tools or cloud services) before scaling them to development teams.
- Stakeholder Alignment & Commercial Awareness: Collaborate closely with business leadership, product owners, and Development Managers to translate strategic commercial objectives into executable technical roadmaps. Act as a trusted advisor, articulating complex technical trade-offs, risk mitigation strategies, and system capabilities in clear, business-centric language.
Technology Environment
You will be architecting solutions within a broadly evolving and heterogeneous technology landscape, notably encompassing:
- Compute & Services: Java, .NET, Python, Cloud-native microservices
- Data & Analytics: Databricks, Microsoft Fabric, AWS Glue, Athena, Event Streaming (e.g., Kafka)
- AI & ML: Azure OpenAI, LLM Integration patterns, Vector Databases
- Integration & Storage: Azure Data Factory (ADF), SQL Server, Enterprise relational platforms
- Infrastructure: Azure, AWS, and Hybrid Cloud networks
Candidates are not expected to be absolute experts in every single technology listed but must demonstrate the architectural abstraction skills to design systems spanning varied stacks and the ability to rapidly build context.
What This Role Is (and Is Not)
This is not solely an "ivory-tower" architecture role; pragmatic execution, hands-on prototyping, and deep collaboration with delivery teams are essential. This is a role for a visionary technologist who thrives under pressure, sets uncompromising engineering standards, and naturally commands the technical respect of a large engineering organization.
Architect, ADC/Quant in London employer: London Stock Exchange Group
At London Stock Exchange Group, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. As a Lead Java Engineer in our Risk Platform team, you will have access to unparalleled growth opportunities, working alongside industry experts in a vibrant London setting that champions diversity and professional development. Join us to make a meaningful impact while enjoying competitive benefits and a supportive environment that values your contributions.
Contact Details:
London Stock Exchange Group Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Architect, ADC/Quant in London
✨Get Your Portfolio Game On Point
As an aspiring architect, your portfolio is your golden ticket. Make sure it's not just a collection of your best work, but tells a story about your design process and creative thought. Showcase a range of projects, from conceptual sketches to final renderings—think of it as a visual CV!
✨Slide into Networking Events
Architecture thrives on community connections, so keep an eye out for local architecture meetups, exhibitions, and lectures. These events are gold for meeting industry professionals, and who knows? You might just bump into someone from London Stock Exchange Group who can give you the insider scoop on their hiring process!
✨Learn the Software Inside Out
Make sure you're up to speed with design software like AutoCAD, Revit, and SketchUp. Being able to discuss your proficiency during interviews can really set you apart. Plus, if you can mention particular projects where you’ve used them, you’ll demonstrate both skill and practical experience.
✨Refine Your Interview Skills
Interviews for architecture roles can get quite technical, so practice answering questions about your design process and decision-making strategies. Prepare for potential design challenges they might put forward in interviews—show them you can think on your feet and come up with innovative solutions!
We think you need these skills to ace Architect, ADC/Quant in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Design Skills:Architecture is all about creativity and technical skills, so make sure your portfolio is front and centre! Include a range of your best projects, showcasing different styles and techniques. Don't forget to explain your design process and the challenges you overcame for each project – it gives hiring managers a glimpse into your thought process!
Tailor Your CV to Architecture:When putting together your CV, highlight relevant experience in architectural design software, like AutoCAD or Revit. Plus, if you have any internships or coursework that involved real-world projects, be sure to mention them. We want to see not just what you've done, but how it relates directly to this role at London Stock Exchange Group!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to express your passion for architecture and what drew you to London Stock Exchange Group. Talk about specific projects or values of theirs you admire, and how you see yourself contributing to their team. We want to feel your enthusiasm – let it shine through your words!
Use Professional Terminology:Don't shy away from using industry-specific jargon that demonstrates your expertise! Terms like 'sustainability', 'scale', and 'aesthetics' can not only show your knowledge but also help you connect with the hiring team. Just ensure it's done in a way that's relatable and not overly technical, so we can see your passion clearly!
How to prepare for a job interview at London Stock Exchange Group
✨Master the Technical Questions
In an architecture interview, be ready to tackle some technical questions about building codes, design principles, and software like AutoCAD or Revit. Brush up on your knowledge of materials and components, as you might even face scenarios to solve during the interview that showcase your problem-solving skills in real-time.
✨Bring Your Portfolio to Life
Your portfolio is your golden ticket! Make sure it not only showcases your best work but also highlights your design thinking process, from sketches to final outputs. During the interview, be prepared to discuss the projects in detail—what challenges you faced, how you overcame them, and what you learnt.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion for Sustainability
In today's architecture landscape, sustainability is key. Be sure to highlight any projects that involved eco-friendly designs or your understanding of sustainable practices. This will show that you’re not just familiar with the trends but are genuinely passionate about creating a better future through your designs.
✨Engage with Your Interviewers
Architecture is a collaborative field, so showing that you're a team player is essential. When conversing with the interviewers, actively listen and respond to their ideas. This isn’t just about you showing off your skills, but also about connecting and demonstrating how well you’d fit into their team at London Stock Exchange Group.
