At a Glance
- Tasks: Develop and support financial applications while collaborating with traders and researchers.
- Company: Join a leading private equity firm in a dynamic London environment.
- Benefits: Competitive contract rate, potential for extension, and hands-on experience with AI tools.
- Other info: Opportunity to work on exciting projects with excellent career growth potential.
- Why this job: Make an impact in finance by building innovative solutions with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in software development, preferably in financial services, with strong Python or Java skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Contract length: 6 months (with potential to extend)
Location: London
Working Environment: On-site
You will be joining a private equity firm as a senior software engineer, to work across the following responsibilities:
- Develop and support P&L, accounting, and returns-calculation applications across trading books
- Build and extend our Client Reporting Framework
- Add instrument and asset class coverage in our Trade Repository system
- Manage data exchange with third-party vendors via SFTP and AWS S3
- Use AI coding assistants (Claude, Cursor, GitHub Copilot) to compress delivery timelines while maintaining full code ownership and quality accountability
- Collaborate with quant researchers and traders to translate complex financial requirements into auditable, production-grade code
- Provide production support, working with Platform and SRE teams as needed
Key Requirements:
- Technical: ~8+ years commercial experience in Python or Java across the full development lifecycle
- ~5+ years in financial services (buy-side strongly preferred)
- Solid relational database skills; MS SQL Server a strong plus
- Snowflake experience required
- Familiarity with AWS (S3, Lambda, EC2, Glue or similar)
- Proficiency with Git, CI/CD pipelines, and observability tooling (e.g. Datadog)
AI & Tooling:
- Proven, hands-on experience shipping production code using AI coding assistants such as Claude, Cursor, or GitHub Copilot
- Demonstrable examples where AI tooling reduced delivery time by 2x or more on a meaningful task
- Strong prompt engineering skills and the ability to critically evaluate AI-generated code for correctness, security, and financial accuracy
Desirable, but not essential:
- Experience with Apache Airflow or similar workflow schedulers
- REST or GraphQL API design experience
- Knowledge of fixed income, FX, or derivatives products and associated P&L/risk methodologies
Contract Senior Software Engineer (Java or Python) in City of London employer: SoCode Recruitment
Contact Detail:
SoCode Recruitment Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Contract Senior Software Engineer (Java or Python) in City of London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance and tech sectors. Attend meetups or webinars related to software engineering in financial services. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those involving Python or Java in financial contexts. Highlight any work with AI coding assistants and how they’ve helped you deliver faster. This will make you stand out!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge and problem-solving skills. Be ready to discuss your experience with AWS, databases, and any relevant financial products. Practice coding challenges to keep your skills sharp!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always looking for talented individuals like you. Make sure to tailor your application to highlight your experience in financial services and your proficiency with the required technologies.
We think you need these skills to ace Contract Senior Software Engineer (Java or Python) in City of London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the role. Highlight your experience with Python or Java, especially in financial services. We want to see how your skills match up with what we're looking for!
Showcase Your Projects: Include specific examples of projects where you've used AI coding assistants like GitHub Copilot. We love seeing how you've compressed delivery timelines while maintaining quality, so don't hold back!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use bullet points for your achievements and responsibilities to make it easy for us to read. We appreciate a well-structured application!
Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at SoCode Recruitment
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your Java or Python skills, especially in the context of financial services. Be ready to discuss your experience with relational databases and AWS, as well as any AI coding assistants you've used. Prepare specific examples of how you've applied these technologies in past projects.
✨Showcase Your Financial Acumen
Since this role is within a private equity firm, it's crucial to demonstrate your understanding of financial concepts. Be prepared to talk about your experience with P&L, accounting applications, and any relevant financial products like fixed income or derivatives. This will show that you can translate complex requirements into effective code.
✨Prepare for Collaboration Questions
You'll be working closely with quant researchers and traders, so expect questions about teamwork and collaboration. Think of examples where you've successfully worked with cross-functional teams to deliver projects. Highlight your communication skills and how you ensure everyone is on the same page.
✨Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Skills
Be ready to tackle some technical challenges during the interview. Practice coding problems that might relate to the responsibilities of the role, such as data exchange or building reporting frameworks. Show your thought process and how you approach problem-solving, especially when using AI tools to enhance your work.