Senior Java Developers

About the Company: Our client is a fast-growing global trading firm with deep expertise across traditional and digital asset markets. Built by technologists and financial engineers, their platforms are designed for scale, resiliency, and high performance. They are now establishing a new engineering hub in Belfast as part of a long-term investment to build core trading systems and infrastructure locally. The Belfast engineering team will initially focus on building real-time exchange connectivity and a data synchronisation layer that will underpin a planned trading platform launch in 2026. The Role: They are forming the first core engineering pod in Belfast starting with a Senior Java Developer who will define technical direction and engineering standards, followed by two mid-level developers. This pod will be responsible for designing and implementing a high-performance exchange connector layer capable of synchronising market data and order flow across multiple global crypto exchanges in real time. As the team matures, they will add QA, DevOps, and Support Engineering roles to build a fully autonomous delivery function in Belfast. This is a rare opportunity to join at the very start, shaping architecture, tooling, systems design, and engineering culture. Key Responsibilities: Design and implement the exchange connector layer to interface with multiple external exchanges. Build real-time data synchronisation pipelines that ensure accuracy, speed, and operational robustness. Optimise JVM performance for throughput, latency, and reliability in event-driven architectures. Work closely with trading, risk, and operations teams to understand system requirements and deliver high-quality solutions. Contribute to software design standards, code quality practices, and architectural decisions as the hub scales. Ideal Candidate Profile (Initial Senior Developer): Strong back-end development experience Java preferred for the senior role. Mid-level hires may come from other back-end language backgrounds if they can learn Java quickly. Demonstrated experience tuning and optimising performance on the JVM. Familiarity with AWS and event-driven or streaming architectures (e.g., Kafka, Kinesis). Experience with financial systems, exchange connectivity, or distributed high-throughput systems is highly desirable. Knowledge of crypto trading, digital assets, or market data feeds is an advantage but not essential. Essential Criteria: 6-10+ years of experience in software engineering, ideally focused on back-end or distributed systems. Strong Computer Science fundamentals and sound software architecture instincts. Hands-on experience building and deploying systems in cloud environments (AWS preferred). Ability to work in a fast-moving, collaborative engineering environment with real ownership. Degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent professional experience. Why Join: Shape the engineering culture and technical direction of a new Belfast hub. Build complex, high-performance real-time systems used in live trading environments. Direct access to technical decision-makers - flat structure, no heavy bureaucracy. Flexibility, autonomy, and a culture focused on technical excellence and continuous improvement. How to Apply: If you believe you meet the criteria for this role and are excited about the opportunity to help build a cutting-edge engineering hub in Belfast, please apply via this link. Alternatively, you can reach out to Phil Gamble directly for an informal chat via LinkedIn or WhatsApp. About Phil Gamble: Phil Gamble has over 20 years of experience in the Tech recruitment industry, successfully delivering on challenging IT recruitment campaigns in global IT software companies in the US, UK, and Ireland. He takes a personalised approach to understanding candidates and has garnered praise for his professionalism and dedication to their career goals. Recent LinkedIn Testimonials: "I cannot recommend Phil and Ocho enough...Phil is a professional who does not treat his candidates as resources..." "Phil was by far the best recruiter I have ever dealt with...I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Phil to my friends or colleagues." "Phil has helped me find new roles more than once...Phil takes the time to understand what it is I'm looking for..." Skills: JAVA LATENCY AWS