Principal Engineer

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: Information Technology, High School (HS) (Required), Master's: Computer and Information Science

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

Certifications
Travel
Less than 25%

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 achieve desired outcomes
• Make prompt, pragmatic choices and act with the client in mind
• Take ownership and hold themselves and others accountable for delivering results that matter
• Contribute to the continuous evolution of the firm

At Raymond James – as part of our people-first culture, we honor, value, and respect the uniqueness, experiences, and backgrounds of all of our Associates. When associates bring their best authentic selves, our organization, clients, and communities thrive. The Company is an equal opportunity employer and makes all employment decisions on the basis of merit and business needs.