At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and develop high-performance trading systems using Java and cutting-edge technologies.
- Company: Join a leading prediction markets trading firm with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, attractive bonuses, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team at the forefront of financial technology.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in financial markets while working with top-tier engineers.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in software engineering with strong Java and distributed systems experience.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 95000 £ per year.
Senior individual contributor role in a high-growth prediction markets trading firm.
Core stack: Java, Kafka, Aeron, FIX Protocol exchange and clearing infrastructure.
Salary: £80,000 - £95,000 + highly attractive bonus package.
5+ years experience required - strong fintech or financial markets background essential.
About the Company:
Our client is a specialist prediction markets trading firm, operating at the frontier of financial markets in partnership with major institutional players. They are building the premier prediction market platform, empowering traders to take positions on real-world events and generating market-driven forecasts for decision makers. The engineering team is lean, highly skilled, and building infrastructure that operates at genuine exchange scale.
The Role:
As a Java Technical Specialist you will contribute to the development of a high-throughput matching engine and clearing system at the core of the firm's trading platform. Working alongside Staff Engineers, you will take full ownership of significant components and features, with genuine input into architectural decisions. This role suits an engineer who is comfortable working in a production financial environment, motivated by complex performance challenges, and ready to operate with a high degree of autonomy.
Key Responsibilities:
- Contribute to the design and architecture of core exchange and clearing infrastructure.
- Design and implement features within the matching engine, order management systems and clearing workflows.
- Build ultra-low-latency messaging architecture using Aeron and related frameworks.
- Implement customer-facing API interfaces using FIX, REST and WebSocket protocols.
- Build fault-tolerant distributed systems using Kafka, PostgreSQL and in-memory data structures for hot-path processing.
- Profile, benchmark and tune system performance at the JVM level.
- Participate in on-call rotations and respond to production incidents requiring deep technical troubleshooting.
- Collaborate with product and business stakeholders to translate requirements into production-quality implementations.
What You'll Need:
Essential:
- 5+ years of professional software engineering experience building high-performance distributed systems.
- Strong Java proficiency including concurrency, memory management, JVM behaviour and performance optimisation.
- Experience with Kafka and relational databases, specifically PostgreSQL.
- Familiarity with low-latency or high-throughput production environments (10,000+ messages/second, low-millisecond latencies).
- Understanding of network protocols with experience implementing REST and WebSocket APIs.
- Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or a related discipline.
- Eligibility to work in the US on a permanent, indefinite basis (no visa sponsorship available).
Desirable / Nice to Have:
- Experience with Aeron or other low-latency messaging frameworks.
- FIX protocol experience in a trading or exchange environment.
- Exposure to derivatives, futures, options or prediction markets.
Why Apply?
- £80,000 - £95,000 salary with a highly attractive bonus and benefits package.
- Genuine architectural ownership at component level not a ticket-driven role.
- Work on exchange-grade infrastructure at real production scale.
- Join a well-backed, high-growth firm at an early and formative stage.
- Build alongside senior engineers from top-tier financial markets backgrounds.
Java Technical Specialist (Low Latency) employer: Ocho People
Ocho People is an excellent employer that fosters a dynamic and supportive work culture in Belfast, perfect for those looking to advance their careers in finance. With a commitment to employee growth, we offer study support alongside competitive salaries and benefits, ensuring our team members thrive both professionally and personally in a fast-paced environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Java Technical Specialist (Low Latency)
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Ocho People or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Ocho People.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Ocho People.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Ocho People that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Java Technical Specialist (Low Latency)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Ocho People.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Ocho People and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ocho People
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Ocho People uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
