At a Glance
- Tasks: Own and scale data infrastructure for cutting-edge AI processing.
- Company: Innovative start-up transforming financial data with AI.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, profit share, and equity options.
- Other info: Join a small, dynamic team with clear leadership progression.
- Why this job: Be a founding member and shape the future of data processing.
- Qualifications: 3-6 years in data pipelines, AI-native experience, and Python fluency.
The predicted salary is between 100000 - 120000 € per year.
Salary: up to ~£120k + profit share
Equity: 0.75 - 1%
Location: Old Street (4-5 office days/week)
Company: Data processing AI Agents
Team: ~5
Funding: Pre-seed
About the company:
This early stage start-up is processing hundreds of thousands of unstructured financial documents into clean, structured datasets for some of the world's largest financial institutions - producing the output of 50, with a team of 5. Forecasting £1.5m revenue within their first 12 months, they have immense potential - not based on hype or inflated valuations, but rather achieving mega productivity through intelligent application of AI agents. Their mid-term goal is ~£50m revenue with a sub-30 person team.
What's in it for you?
Profit share. Cash in your account on a regular basis - not a promise of a huge payout IF the company succeeds and sells.
About the role:
You'll own data infrastructure end-to-end - ingestion, transformation, storage, delivery. The current agent system works. Your job is to scale it: more documents, more asset classes, more clients. You'll make architecture decisions, push the boundaries of agentic tooling and ship data as a product to institutional buyers who rely on it for decisions that move millions. Full ownership from day one, with a genuine progression trajectory for the right person. This is a predominantly backend/infra DE role. No dashboards, no stakeholder reporting - just the engine that powers everything. You'll be the most senior person in your domain from day one, with no one above you in this function - and a clear path to leadership later down the line.
Must have requirements:
- Roughly 3-6 years experience building performant data pipelines and ML systems in production at a company where data is the core product, not a support function
- Genuinely AI-native experience: Claude Code, Cursor or equivalent as your daily environment - not occasional experiments
- Python, Postgres, async, queues - fluent and battle-tested
- Experience in a small team (2-30 people) where you owned the whole function without a safety net
- Data quality obsessive - inconsistencies bother you until they're fixed, not flagged and forgotten
Bonus points for:
- Experience at a financial data provider (Bloomberg, Refinitiv, Preqin, FactSet etc.) or quant finance
- Experience with LLMs in production / agentic workflow design
- Web scraping and document parsing at scale
- Staff/Principal-level IC ownership at a larger org
VISA sponsorship is available if needed (but you need to be already living in the UK).
Founding Data Engineer in City of London employer: Wave Group
As a Founding Data Engineer at our innovative start-up in Old Street, you'll be part of a dynamic team dedicated to transforming unstructured financial data into actionable insights for leading financial institutions. We offer a unique opportunity for full ownership of your work from day one, alongside competitive profit sharing and equity options, fostering a culture of collaboration and rapid growth. With a clear path to leadership and the chance to shape the future of our data infrastructure, this role is perfect for those seeking meaningful impact in a fast-paced environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Data Engineer in City of London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those who work at start-ups or in data engineering roles. Use platforms like LinkedIn to connect and engage with them; you never know who might have a lead on your dream job!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those involving data pipelines and ML systems. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can do and set you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical skills and understanding the company’s tech stack. Be ready to discuss your experience with Python, Postgres, and any AI tools you've used. Confidence is key!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining us. Tailor your application to highlight how your experience aligns with our mission and the role of Founding Data Engineer.
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Data Engineer in City of London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Data:When writing your application, let us see your enthusiasm for data engineering! Share specific examples of projects you've worked on that highlight your experience with data pipelines and ML systems. We want to know what drives you in this field!
Tailor Your CV and Cover Letter:Make sure your CV and cover letter are tailored to the Founding Data Engineer role. Highlight your relevant skills in Python, Postgres, and your AI-native experience. We love seeing how your background aligns with our needs, so don’t hold back!
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application clear and to the point. We appreciate straightforward communication, so avoid jargon and fluff. Focus on your achievements and how they relate to the role. Remember, we’re looking for someone who can make an impact from day one!
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 it gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at this exciting stage of growth!
How to prepare for a job interview at Wave Group
✨Know Your Data Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the specifics of data pipelines and ML systems. Brush up on your experience with Python, Postgres, and async programming. Be ready to discuss how you've tackled data quality issues in the past, as this role demands a keen eye for detail.
✨Showcase Your AI Experience
Since the company is looking for someone with genuine AI-native experience, prepare examples of how you've used tools like Claude Code or Cursor in your previous roles. Highlight any projects where you’ve pushed the boundaries of agentic tooling, as this will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Demonstrate Ownership and Leadership
This role offers full ownership from day one, so be ready to share instances where you’ve taken charge of a project or function. Discuss how you’ve thrived in small teams and made impactful decisions without a safety net, showcasing your readiness for leadership.
✨Prepare for Technical Challenges
Expect technical questions that test your problem-solving skills. Practice coding challenges related to data ingestion, transformation, and storage. Being able to think on your feet and demonstrate your technical prowess will set you apart from other candidates.
