This role is expected to operate at a senior engineer level with hands on coding, influencing architecture, mentoring junior engineers, and driving system reliability for mission‑critical investment platforms.
Core Responsibilities
Backend & Platform Engineering
Design and build scalable backend services and APIs supporting portfolio construction, optimization, trading, and analytics workflows
Develop high‑performance, production‑grade systems using Java and/or Python with strong focus on reliability and maintainability
Architect and implement microservices and event‑driven systems to support high‑volume, latency‑sensitive workloads
Ensure application performance, scalability, resiliency, and cost efficiency across distributed systems
Integrate internal and third‑party systems, ensuring seamless interoperability and data consistency
Technical Leadership & System Design
Provide senior‑level system design, architecture guidance, and technical direction across backend and platform components
Lead design and code reviews, ensuring alignment with engineering standards and architectural principles
Evaluate and recommend technology solutions, design patterns, and implementation approaches
Anticipate system and platform risks; proactively design solutions to prevent production issues
Mentor engineers and elevate technical execution across the team
Investment Systems & Domain Alignment
Develop a deep understanding of investment management workflows, including portfolios, trading lifecycle, and data pipelines
Design systems that support front, middle, and back office functions while maintaining strong controls and auditability
Translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions aligned with investment processes
Ensure systems meet accuracy, consistency, and regulatory expectations for financial applications
Cloud & Engineering Practices
Build and operate cloud‑native services on AWS using containerized architectures and Kubernetes
Drive adoption of CI/CD, automated testing, and infrastructure‑as‑code practices
Improve observability, monitoring, and operational readiness across platform components
Contribute to architectural evolution toward scalable, cloud‑native systems
SDLC & Operational Excellence
Ensure the viability and quality of investment systems deliverables through rigorous testing and validation
Lead and participate in design, code, and test inspections across the SDLC
Support production systems, including incident response, root cause analysis, and remediation
Ensure compliance with Information Technology and Information Security policies
Promote continuous improvement in engineering practices, standards, and system reliability
Additional Responsibilities
Develop and maintain deep knowledge of Vanguard’s platform ecosystem and integration points
Collaborate with cross‑functional teams and stakeholders to deliver high‑impact capabilities
Participate in special initiatives supporting the growth and scalability of the VPI platform
Qualifications
Minimum of 8+ years of experience, including significant experience building investment, wealth management, or financial systems
Strong backend engineering expertise in Java and/or Python
Deep understanding of investment domain concepts including portfolios, trading workflows, market data, and investment analytics
Proven experience designing and building scalable distributed systems and APIs
Experience with microservices architectures, messaging systems, and asynchronous processing patterns
Strong experience with cloud‑native platforms, particularly AWS
Experience with containerization and orchestration (Kubernetes preferred)
Demonstrated ability to provide technical leadership and influence system design decisions
Strong problem‑solving and production support experience in high‑availability environments
Education
Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience
Special Factors
Sponsorship
Vanguard is offering visa sponsorship for this position.
About Vanguard
At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.
To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.
Future of Work
During the pandemic, we transitioned to a work from home model for the majority of our crew and we continue to interview, hire, and on-board future crew remotely.
As we have developed the path forward, we have taken a thoughtful approach that both maximizes the advantages of working remotely and the many benefits of coming together and collaborating in a shared workspace. We believe that in-person interactions among our crew are important for preserving our unique culture and advantageous for the personal development of our crew.
When our Crew return to the office, many will work in our hybrid model. A smaller proportion of our crew will operate in the Work from Home work model (for example, field sales crew); or in the Work from Office model (for example, portfolio managers).
The working model that your role falls into will be communicated to you in the interview process – please do ask if you are unsure. We encourage you to make the decision regarding your job interview and offer knowing which model your role will fall into. We will test and learn as our ways of working evolve and will continue to evaluate working models along the way.
Salary Range:
$100,000.00 - $180,000.00