Principal Software Engineer – Data Distribution in London

ISS STOXX is seeking a Principal Software Engineer on Data Distribution to bring expert‑level technical leadership to the development and deployment of our financial data distribution platform. We are re‑architecting our distribution ecosystem into a modern, componentized set of solutions using GCP. In this hands‑on IC role, you will collaborate with Product to shape direction and with Engineering to design, build, validate and migrate to a new platform serving business‑critical data at scale. You’ll be passionate about delivering incremental value. You bring experience applying modern (including Generative AI‑enabled) SDLC approaches to turn complex requirements into scalable solutions, and are comfortable operating in matrixed environments where influence, not hierarchy, drives direction. You will collaborate globally, sharing best practices and continuously improving how teams design, build and deliver. You are a humble expert who leads by example—using data, proof‑of‑concepts, and pragmatic decision‑making to bring others along. You balance personal ownership with enabling others, raising the bar across teams while staying deeply hands‑on. Success in this role means consistently delivering value in complex, evolving environments—helping teams progress with clarity despite ambiguity, avoiding big‑bang delivery, and building systems that scale with both the business and the organisation.

Responsibilities

• Co‑own the evolution of our data distribution architecture with peer Principal Engineers
• Design, build and operate business‑critical data ecosystems with a focus on scalability and resilience
• Translate product needs and enterprise policies into clear technical delivery
• Remain hands‑on, leading through execution
• Guide teams on distribution patterns, including APIs, streaming, events, file/object delivery and marketplace channels
• Optimise performance through approaches such as caching and CDNs where appropriate
• Drive best practice across identity, access and entitlement‑aware data delivery
• Support iterative delivery of complex programmes, balancing speed, risk and value
• Advocate for architectural principles, using data and feedback to continuously refine solutions
• Mentor and support engineering peers; contribute to hiring where needed
• Stay current on emerging trends in cloud data platforms and distribution technologies

Requirements

• 10+ years’ experience, including 5+ years in senior data/platform engineering roles
• Proven experience designing, building and running large‑scale, business‑critical data ecosystems
• Strong experience with data distribution architectures and associated trade‑offs
• Experience delivering complex programmes iteratively, with a focus on value and managing uncertainty
• Hands‑on experience with real‑time and batch pipelines, APIs, and distributed systems
• Experience with user identity and entitlement management in data access contexts
• Strong cloud experience (GCP exposure required)
• Experience delivering complex migration programmes across systems and processes
• Ability to influence technical direction without formal authority
• Strong communication and collaboration skills in global environments
• Focus on simplicity, reuse, automation and observability
• Proficiency in Python, Golang, SQL and modern API frameworks (e.g. Apigee)
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or related field

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