Investment Systems Engineer - Vanguard Indexing

Salary: $100,000 - 180,000 per year Requirements:

• We require at least 8 years of experience, with significant hands-on work in investment, wealth management, or financial systems.
• We need strong backend engineering expertise in Java and/or Python.
• We require a deep understanding of investment concepts, including portfolios, trading workflows, market data, and investment analytics.
• We need proven experience designing and delivering scalable distributed systems and APIs.
• We require experience with microservices architectures, messaging platforms, and asynchronous processing patterns.
• We need strong experience with cloud-native platforms, especially AWS.
• We require experience with containerization and orchestration, with Kubernetes preferred.
• We need demonstrated ability to provide technical leadership and shape system design decisions.
• We require strong problem-solving skills and production support experience in high-availability environments.
• We require an undergraduate degree or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

• We design and build scalable backend services and APIs that support portfolio construction, optimization, trading, and analytics workflows.
• We develop high-performance, production-grade systems using Java and/or Python, with a focus on reliability and maintainability.
• We architect and implement microservices and event-driven systems for high-volume, latency-sensitive workloads.
• We ensure application performance, scalability, resilience, and cost efficiency across distributed systems.
• We integrate internal and third-party systems to maintain smooth interoperability and data consistency.
• We provide senior-level system design, architecture guidance, and technical direction across backend and platform components.
• We lead design and code reviews to ensure alignment with engineering standards and architectural principles.
• We evaluate and recommend technology options, design patterns, and implementation approaches.
• We anticipate platform and system risks and proactively design solutions to help prevent production issues.
• We mentor engineers and raise technical execution across the team.
• We build a deep understanding of investment management workflows, including portfolios, the trading lifecycle, and data pipelines.
• We design systems that support front, middle, and back office functions while maintaining strong controls and auditability.
• We translate business needs into scalable technical solutions aligned with investment processes.
• We ensure systems meet accuracy, consistency, and regulatory expectations for financial applications.
• We build and operate cloud-native services on AWS using containerized architectures and Kubernetes.
• We drive adoption of CI/CD, automated testing, and infrastructure-as-code practices.
• We improve observability, monitoring, and operational readiness across platform components.
• We contribute to the evolution toward scalable, cloud-native systems.
• We ensure the quality and viability of investment system deliverables through rigorous testing and validation.
• We lead and participate in design, code, and test inspections across the SDLC.
• We support production systems through incident response, root cause analysis, and remediation.
• We ensure compliance with Information Technology and Information Security policies.
• We promote continuous improvement in engineering practices, standards, and system reliability.
• We develop and maintain deep knowledge of Vanguards platform ecosystem and integration points.
• We collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to deliver high-impact capabilities.
• We participate in special initiatives that support the growth and scalability of the VPI platform.

• AWS
• Architect
• Backend
• CI/CD
• Cloud
• Support
• Java
• Kubernetes
• Python
• Security
• microservices

More:

We are collaborating on a senior backend engineering role within Vanguard Personalized Indexing, a fast-growing business in Financial Advisor Services. Our platform helps financial advisors deliver tax-efficient, customized direct indexing portfolios at scale, supporting thousands of investor accounts and daily portfolio evaluation for tax-loss harvesting, customization, and investment research workflows. We work at the intersection of investment management, cloud-native platforms, and advanced analytics engineering, building technology that supports research, portfolio construction, and data-driven decisions that affect client outcomes. We offer visa sponsorship for this position, and the salary range is $100,000.00 to $180,000.00. We continue to interview, hire, and onboard remotely, and depending on the role, the working model may be hybrid, work from home, or work from office.

last updated 37 week of 2026