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 London employer: Wave Group
As a Founding Data Engineer at this innovative start-up in Old Street, you'll be part of a dynamic team dedicated to transforming unstructured financial data into actionable insights for major financial institutions. With a strong focus on employee growth and a culture that values ownership and creativity, you will enjoy profit sharing and equity opportunities while working in a collaborative environment that encourages pushing the boundaries of AI technology. This role offers a unique chance to take full control of data infrastructure from day one, paving the way for your leadership journey in a rapidly growing company.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Data Engineer in 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 AI 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 products. Be ready to discuss how you can scale their data infrastructure and contribute to their ambitious goals. Confidence is key!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always on the lookout for talented individuals like you. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our team and the exciting journey ahead.
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Data Engineer in 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 genuinely AI-native, 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 their goals.
✨Demonstrate Ownership and Leadership
This role offers full ownership from day one, so be prepared to talk about times when you’ve taken charge of a project or function. Share specific instances where you’ve made architecture decisions or led a small team, showcasing your ability to thrive without a safety net.
✨Align with Their Vision
Understand the company's ambitious revenue goals and their approach to processing financial documents. Be ready to discuss how your skills can contribute to scaling their operations and achieving those targets. Showing that you’re aligned with their vision will set you apart.
