Principal Engineer, Java Development (Trading)

Job Description Summary

• We are seeking a hands-on, technically exceptional Principal Engineer to join our high-performing Trading Services engineering team. This is a unique opportunity to help architect and deliver world-class services that power the mission-critical trading applications that empower Raymond James financial advisors and drive innovation in the financial services industry. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise with leadership, thrives in fast-paced environments, and champions clean, modular architecture. You will write production-grade code, optimize complex systems, mentor engineers, and drive innovation through secure, resilient, and high-performance software solutions that shape the future of our trading platforms.

Job Description

This position follows our hybrid workstyle policy: Expected to be in a Raymond James office location a minimum of 10-12 days a month.

Please note: This role is not eligible for Work Visa sponsorship, either currently or in the future.

Responsibilities:

• Write production-grade code and enforce engineering best practices through hands-on leadership

• Architect and implement resilient, high-throughput microservices using Java and Spring Boot

• Drive containerization strategy and deployment modernization using Docker and Kubernetes

• Design and optimize event-driven architectures leveraging JMS, IBM MQ, and Kafka

• Implement advanced caching strategies with Ignite and Redis for low-latency performance

• Optimize data persistence with Oracle and NoSQL databases using JPA/Hibernate and performance tuning techniques

• Apply generative AI to enhance application intelligence and accelerate developer workflows

• Establish robust observability frameworks using Datadog, Dynatrace, and Splunk for proactive monitoring

• Collaborate in Agile environments to deliver scalable, high-quality software solutions

• Mentor engineers, conduct rigorous code reviews, and influence technical strategy and architecture

• Provide production support during releases and incident resolution

• Continuously evaluate and adopt emerging technologies to maintain technical leadership

Skills & Qualifications:

• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills

• Proven ability to lead complex technical initiatives and shape architectural strategy

• Deep expertise in Java, Spring Framework, and designing scalable microservices architectures

• Strong understanding of RESTful API design principles and event-driven system patterns

• Proven understanding of Java concurrency, including thread management, synchronization, and performance tuning, with in-depth knowledge of JVM internals (garbage collection, memory management, runtime profiling)

• Proficiency in messaging systems such as JMS and Kafka, including message-driven design and integration

• Hands-on experience with containerization and orchestration using Docker and Kubernetes

• Extensive experience with Oracle databases, including schema design and integration via JPA, JDBC, and Hibernate

• Solid grasp of Agile methodologies (TFS), source control (Git), CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins), and DevOps practices

Preferred Qualifications:

• Background in financial services domains such as trading or wealth management is highly desirable

• Hands-on experience with generative AI tools, including OpenAI ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and GitHub Copilot

• Working knowledge of monitoring and observability platforms such as Datadog, Dynatrace, and Splunk

• Expertise in API management using Apigee for secure, scalable integrations

• Practical experience deploying and managing applications on cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Education

Bachelor’s: Computer and Information Science (Required), Bachelor’s: Information Technology, Master's: Computer and Information Science

Work Experience

General Experience – 10 to 15 years, Manager Experience - 6 to 10 years

Certifications

Travel

Workstyle

Hybrid

At Raymond James our associates use five guiding behaviors (Develop, Collaborate, Decide, Deliver, Improve) to deliver on the firm's core values of client-first, integrity, independence and a conservative, long-term view. 

We expect our associates at all levels to:
•  Grow professionally and inspire others to do the same
•  Work with and through others to a