At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and develop high-performance Java applications for real-time trading systems.
- Company: Join MARGO, a tech-native consultancy in the financial services industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, skill development, and a supportive work environment.
- Why this job: Work on cutting-edge technology in fast-paced trading environments and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: Strong Java skills and experience in performance-critical environments required.
- Other info: Great opportunities for career growth and close support from a human-sized team.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Join MARGO in the UK (London) – Perm & Contracting Opportunity. MARGO is a tech-native consultancy delivering high value-added IT expertise to the financial services industry. We specialise in complex software engineering environments where performance, robustness and scalability are critical: low latency systems, real-time data processing, distributed architectures and high-volume flows.
You will join the Front Office / Trading IT environment of one of our tier-1 investment banking partners. The teams design and maintain mission-critical Java systems supporting electronic trading activities across multiple asset classes (e.g. Equities, Fixed Income, Commodities, FX, Derivatives).
- Real-time and event-driven architectures
- High performance and low-latency constraints
- Close interaction with trading, quantitative and risk teams
- Short delivery cycles and high engineering standards
We are looking for an experienced Java Developer to work on real-time trading and risk systems. The role is primarily technical, focused on software engineering excellence rather than business analysis. Candidates are expected to have prior exposure to Front Office, Trading or Risk environments, regardless of the underlying asset class.
Key Responsibilities- Design & Development
- Design, develop and maintain high-performance Java applications
- Work on real-time data processing (market data, pricing, orders, analytics)
- Implement multithreading and concurrency patterns adapted to performance-critical systems
- Participate in system design, architecture discussions and technical specifications
- Continuously optimise performance (latency, throughput, memory, GC behaviour)
- Engineering & Delivery
- Contribute to the full software lifecycle: design, development, testing and release
- Produce clean, maintainable and well-tested code
- Participate in sprint planning, estimations and technical reviews
- Collaborate closely with developers, quant and infrastructure teams
- Production & Support
- Provide 3rd line support on production systems when required
- Participate in production releases (including occasional out-of-hours interventions)
- Contribute to system stability, monitoring and incident prevention
- Core Technologies
- Java (expert level)
- Multithreading & concurrency
- Performance optimisation & low latency techniques
- Garbage Collection awareness
- Linux / UNIX environments
- Distributed systems and messaging architectures
- Performance monitoring and profiling tools
- Valued Technical Exposure
- Event-driven or real-time systems
- Messaging middleware (Kafka, Solace or equivalent)
- FIX or other market connectivity protocols
- Networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, multicast)
- Essential
- Strong experience as a Java Developer in performance-critical environments
- Proven background in low-latency or high-throughput systems
- Solid understanding of concurrency, threading and memory management
- Experience working in Front Office, Trading or Risk IT environments
- Comfortable working in Linux production environments
- Clear communication and structured problem-solving skills
- Valued (but not restrictive)
- Exposure to one or more asset classes (Equities, Fixed Income, Commodities, FX, Derivatives)
- Experience in trading, pricing, risk or market data systems
Why Join MARGO:
- Access to multi-asset Front Office environments
- Highly technical and challenging engineering assignments
- Strong emphasis on skill development and long-term career progression
- Human-sized consultancy with close support and high-quality missions
Please note - We do not offer visa sponsorship for this position. Interested? Motivated? Apply on our website or at staff.uk@margo.com
Java Developer – Front Office / Trading Systems employer: Margo
Contact Detail:
Margo Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Java Developer – Front Office / Trading Systems
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance and tech sectors. Attend meetups, webinars, or even casual coffee chats. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings at MARGO or other companies.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your Java projects, especially those related to low-latency systems or real-time data processing. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your multithreading and concurrency knowledge. Practice coding challenges that focus on performance optimisation. We want to see how you tackle real-world problems!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining MARGO and being part of our dynamic team.
We think you need these skills to ace Java Developer – Front Office / Trading Systems
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience with Java and any performance-critical environments. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t be shy about showcasing your achievements in low-latency systems!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re passionate about working in Front Office and Trading IT environments. We love seeing candidates who are genuinely excited about the role and the impact they can make.
Showcase Relevant Projects: If you've worked on real-time data processing or multithreading projects, make sure to mention them! We’re keen to see examples of your work that demonstrate your technical prowess and problem-solving skills.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Margo
✨Know Your Java Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your Java skills, especially around multithreading and performance optimisation. Be ready to discuss specific projects where you've implemented these concepts, as they'll want to see your hands-on experience in action.
✨Understand the Trading Environment
Familiarise yourself with Front Office and Trading systems. Knowing how real-time data processing works and being able to talk about your experience in low-latency environments will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect deep technical questions related to concurrency, memory management, and system design. Practise explaining your thought process clearly and concisely, as communication is key in a collaborative environment like MARGO's.
✨Show Your Problem-Solving Skills
Be ready to tackle hypothetical scenarios or past challenges you've faced in production systems. Highlight your structured approach to problem-solving and how you’ve contributed to system stability and incident prevention.