Senior Java Engineering Architect

Senior Java Engineering Architect – Banking, Payments & AI-Driven Engineering

Location

London / (4 days/week from office; 1 day/week from home)

Contract OR FTE

Role Summary

We are seeking a highly experienced Java Engineering Architect to lead the architecture, design, and delivery of next-generation Banking and Payment platforms. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in payment engines, banking operations, messaging architecture, integration patterns, cloud-native engineering, and AI-driven software delivery.

This role requires a strong technology leader who can define enterprise architecture, drive engineering excellence, lead large backend engineering teams, and leverage AI-powered development practices to accelerate software delivery and innovation.

Key Responsibilities

Payments & Banking Domain

• Design and architect high-volume, mission-critical payment processing platforms.
• Provide deep expertise in: Payment engines, Payment orchestration, Real-time payments, SWIFT
• ISO 20022, Settlement and clearing systems, Banking operational workflows, Reconciliation systems
• Regulatory and compliance-driven architecture
• Collaborate with business and operations teams to modernize banking platforms.

Messaging & Integration Architecture

• Architect enterprise messaging hubs and event-driven ecosystems.
• Define integration strategies leveraging: Kafka / NATS, Event Streaming Platforms, Microservices Event-Driven Architecture
• Drive architecture patterns for asynchronous processing and large-scale distributed systems.
• Design highly decoupled and configurable integration frameworks.

AI-Led Engineering & SDLC Transformation

• Champion AI-powered software engineering practices across the SDLC.
• Drive adoption of Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Cursor
• LLM-powered engineering tools
• Define AI-first engineering frameworks enabling accelerated delivery while maintaining engineering quality.

Cloud Native & Platform Engineering

• Design and govern cloud-native application platforms using Kubernetes, Docker
• Ensure platforms support high availability, resilience, scalability, and operational excellence.

Required Skills & Experience

Core Architecture

• 15+ years of software engineering experience.
• 8+ years in Solution Architecture, Enterprise Architecture, or Principal Engineering roles.
• Proven experience delivering enterprise-scale Banking and Payment solutions.

Java & Backend Engineering

Expert-level knowledge of: Java, Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, Microservices

Messaging & Integration

Deep expertise in Messaging Hub architecture.

• Strong experience with: Kafka, NATS, Event Streaming Platforms
• Expert understanding of: Integration patterns, Enterprise Integration Architecture, Messaging patterns, API architecture, Event-driven architecture

Databases

• Strong expertise in: Oracle, PostgreSQL
• Data modelling, performance tuning, HA/DR architecture, and transaction-heavy systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Banking or Financial Services industry background.
• Experience with large-scale modernization and transformation programs.
• TOGAF, Kubernetes, Cloud, or Architecture certifications.
• Experience building AI-enabled engineering organizations.
• Exposure to GenAI and Enterprise LLM integration patterns.

Salary: 110 - 120 GBP Per annum