At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and build high-performance trading services for our API ecosystem.
- Company: Join a leading fintech company revolutionising finance for the next generation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, health benefits, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic team environment with a focus on ethics and high performance.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of financial innovation and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in backend engineering with experience in low-latency systems.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
Join us in building the future of finance. Our mission is to democratize finance for all. An estimated $124 trillion of assets will be inherited by younger generations in the next two decades. The largest transfer of wealth in human history. If you’re ready to be at the epicentre of this historic cultural and financial shift, keep reading.
About the team & role: We are building an elite team, applying frontier technologies to the world’s biggest financial problems. We’re looking for bold thinkers, sharp problem-solvers, and builders who are wired to make an impact. Robinhood isn’t a place for complacency; it’s where ambitious people do the best work of their careers. We’re a high-performing, fast-moving team with ethics at the centre of everything we do. Expectations are high, and so are the rewards.
The Core Exchange team is responsible for all trading interfaces — including the Exchange REST API, FIX API, WebSockets, and market data services. The team’s mission is to deliver a best-in-class trading experience for API users, with a relentless focus on latency, reliability, and data correctness.
As a Staff Software Engineer, you will help scale our trading infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of our most sophisticated users. This is a high-impact role for engineers who love low-latency systems, deeply care about precision, and want to directly shape the tools used by active traders worldwide. This role is based in our London office, with in-person attendance expected at least 3 days per week. Requires participation in an on-call rotation to support business needs.
What you’ll do:
- Design and build performant, reliable, and scalable services for our API trading ecosystem.
- Optimize low-latency data flows and trading paths, ensuring correctness under pressure.
- Own and evolve core components of our REST, FIX, and WebSocket APIs.
- Collaborate with product, infrastructure, and frontend teams to deliver seamless API solutions.
- Participate in the team’s on-call rotation, supporting mission-critical systems used by our most active clients.
- Continuously measure, monitor, and improve the trading API experience.
What you bring:
- 10+ years of backend engineering experience.
- Proven experience designing high-performance systems with low-latency and high-throughput requirements.
- Familiarity with cloud infrastructure, especially AWS services.
- Solid database experience: SQL (MySQL) and/or NoSQL (DynamoDB).
- Experience working on or with production-grade trading APIs or high-volume systems.
- Structured thinker with strong communication skills and a customer-first mindset.
Nice to have:
- You’ve built or operated your own automated trading bot or trading system.
- Hands-on experience with the FIX protocol and order management systems.
Staff Software Engineer employer: Robinhood
At Robinhood, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions innovation and inclusivity in the heart of London. Our dynamic work culture fosters collaboration and creativity, empowering our employees to grow through challenging projects and continuous learning opportunities. With a commitment to ethical practices and a focus on making a meaningful impact in the finance sector, we offer a rewarding environment for ambitious individuals ready to shape the future of trading.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Staff Software Engineer
✨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 Robinhood 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 Robinhood.
✨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 Robinhood.
✨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 Robinhood 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 Staff Software Engineer
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 Robinhood.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Robinhood 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 Robinhood
✨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 Robinhood 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.
