Senior Lead Software Engineer - KDB+ / Q Vice President

Location: LONDON, LONDON, United Kingdom

Job Family: Software Engineering

About the Role

At JP Morgan Chase, we are at the forefront of financial innovation, leveraging cutting-edge technology to power global markets and deliver unparalleled value to our clients. As a Senior Lead Software Engineer - kdb+ / Q Vice President in our London office, you will play a pivotal role in our Corporate & Investment Bank division, driving significant business impact through the development of high-performance, real-time data solutions. This position offers the opportunity to tackle a diverse array of challenges spanning multiple technologies and applications, from optimizing trading platforms to enhancing risk analytics in a fast-paced financial services environment. You will lead initiatives that ensure our systems handle massive volumes of market data with precision and speed, contributing directly to JP Morgan's leadership in investment banking and asset management. In this senior leadership role, you will architect and implement advanced kdb+ applications using the Q language to support critical functions such as algorithmic trading, surveillance, and portfolio management. Collaborating with elite teams of engineers, quants, and business leaders, you will translate complex financial requirements into scalable software solutions that adhere to stringent regulatory standards like MiFID II and Dodd-Frank. Your expertise will be instrumental in modernizing legacy systems, integrating with emerging technologies, and fostering innovation to maintain JP Morgan's competitive edge in global financial markets. Expect to mentor emerging talent, champion best practices in software engineering, and drive cross-team projects that amplify our technological capabilities. We value engineers who thrive in dynamic, high-stakes settings and are passionate about the intersection of finance and technology. Joining JP Morgan Chase means becoming part of a world-class organization committed to your professional growth, with access to unparalleled resources and a culture that rewards bold ideas and impactful results. If you are ready to lead transformative projects in one of the most influential financial institutions, this role in London offers an exciting platform to shape the future of banking.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and optimization of kdb+ based applications to support high-frequency trading and risk management systems at JP Morgan Chase
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including traders, quants, and data scientists to deliver innovative financial solutions that drive business impact
• Mentor and guide junior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and knowledge sharing within the team
• Architect scalable, real-time data pipelines using Q language to handle petabyte-scale financial datasets
• Identify and resolve performance bottlenecks in kdb+ systems, ensuring low-latency processing for market-critical applications
• Drive the adoption of best practices in software engineering, including CI/CD pipelines and automated testing for financial software
• Engage with stakeholders to translate complex business requirements into robust technical implementations
• Contribute to strategic initiatives, such as migrating legacy systems to modern kdb+ architectures
• Monitor and maintain production systems, ensuring compliance with JP Morgan's security and regulatory standards
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends to enhance JP Morgan's competitive edge in financial services

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field; advanced degree preferred
• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience, with at least 5 years focused on kdb+ and Q programming
• Proven track record of leading engineering teams in high-stakes financial environments, delivering scalable data solutions
• Deep expertise in time-series databases and real-time data processing for financial applications
• Strong understanding of financial markets, trading systems, and regulatory requirements in the banking sector
• Experience with agile methodologies and DevOps practices in a large-scale enterprise setting
• Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to handle complex, ambiguous challenges

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in a quantitative field such as Finance, Mathematics, or Data Science
• Prior experience at a major financial institution, ideally with exposure to investment banking or asset management
• Familiarity with cloud platforms like AWS or Azure for deploying kdb+ solutions
• Certifications in kdb+ development or related financial technologies
• Experience integrating kdb+ with other big data tools like Hadoop or Spark

Required Skills

• Expertise in kdb+ and Q programming languages
• Proficiency in time-series data analysis and manipulation
• Strong knowledge of financial databases and real-time analytics
• Experience with SQL and NoSQL databases
• Skills in Python or Java for integration with kdb+ systems
• Understanding of financial instruments, derivatives, and market data feeds
• Leadership and team management abilities
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Problem-solving in high-pressure, deadline-driven environments
• Familiarity with version control systems like Git
• Knowledge of cloud computing and containerization (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes)
• Agile and Scrum methodologies
• Risk assessment and compliance in financial software development
• Performance tuning and optimization techniques
• Analytical mindset for handling large-scale data challenges

Benefits

• Competitive base salary and performance-based bonus structure aligned with financial industry standards
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance coverage for employees and dependents
• Generous retirement savings plan with company matching contributions
• Paid time off including vacation, sick leave, and parental leave policies
• Professional development opportunities through internal training programs and tuition reimbursement
• Wellness programs including gym memberships, mental health support, and employee assistance services
• Flexible hybrid work arrangements to support work-life balance in London
• Access to JP Morgan's global mobility programs for career advancement opportunities

JP Morgan Chase is an equal opportunity employer.