Senior Java Engineer – AI Enablement

Senior Java Engineer – AI Enablement

IG Group is a FTSE250 FinTech company building mobile, web and desktop platforms for trading. We are forming a Service Modernisation & AI team to pioneer AI‑first development practices in financial services.

About the Team

You will join a small squad of 5–6 senior engineers and an embedded architect, scaling with contractors as needed.

Responsibilities

Service Modernisation (50%)

• Modernise legacy services using AI: analyse codebases, understand dependencies, extract clean APIs.
• Work on high‑impact legacy services that block delivery speed.
• Implement strangler‑fig patterns and other proven migration approaches.
• Deliver modernised services with comprehensive tests, documentation, and multi‑instance deployment.
• Complete modernisations in fast cycles with monthly milestones.
• Use AI to accelerate analysis, refactoring, testing, and documentation.
• Hand off modernised services to Platform Services or divisions with clear ownership.
• Demonstrate measurable improvements: faster APIs, better performance, higher reliability.

AI Implementation & Automation (50%)

• Build AI‑powered development infrastructure.
• Implement Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers for service discovery, dependency mapping, and architecture compliance.
• Create AI‑assisted CI/CD pipelines with automated code review, security scanning, and test generation.
• Build automation using Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, and LLM APIs.
• Develop reusable AI tooling for other engineers.
• Use AI for all coding tasks: refactoring, test creation, documentation, debugging.
• Document patterns and share learnings.
• Train teams during service handoffs on AI‑enabled workflows.
• Demonstrate when to use AI vs human judgment.

Qualifications

Backend Engineering

• 8+ years of software engineering with Java backend expertise.
• Experience modernising production systems at scale.
• Strong API design and microservices architecture knowledge.
• Understanding of strangler‑fig patterns, service decomposition, and legacy migration strategies.

AI/LLM Implementation (Critical Differentiator)

• Hands‑on experience building with Model Context Protocol (MCP).
• Demonstrated use of Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, or similar AI development tools in production.
• Experience implementing AI in CI/CD pipelines (code review, testing, security scanning).
• Built agentic AI solutions or AI‑powered automation tools.
• Understanding of prompt engineering, model selection, and LLM capabilities/limitations.

Proven AI Impact

• Achieved measurable productivity improvements using AI in development.
• Implemented AI‑assisted refactoring, test generation, or documentation at scale.
• Experience with AI code analysis and automated remediation.
• Track record of shipping production systems built with AI assistance.

Culture & Leadership Style – What Matters Most

• Delivery‑focused: Ship working modernised services, not just build tools.
• Hands‑on: Write code daily, not just architect or advise.
• Pragmatic: Use AI to go faster, not to be clever.
• Teacher through doing: Others learn by seeing your PRs and shipped work.
• Measurement‑driven: Track AI productivity gains and share data.
• Collaborative: Work across divisions and time zones professionally.

Work Model

Hybrid working model with three days in the office.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and flexible benefits package (12%).
• Private medical cover for you and your family.
• Life insurance.
• Gym membership contributions.
• 25 days holiday plus one birthday day and two additional days for voluntary work (28 days total).
• Option to buy or sell holiday days.
• Unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning.
• Onboarding process.
• Employee‑led networks (LGBTQ+, Women’s, Black, Parents & Carers) with budget for events.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and shared parental pay and leave.
• ESG initiatives through IG Brighter Future Fund.

Diversity & Inclusion

We believe diversity is vital to success. We encourage applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

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