Senior Principal Backend Engineer, Crypto and Alternative Trading Products

Jobtailor; Toronto; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Questrade seeks an experienced backend architect to design and maintain scalable crypto and alt trading services. You will build robust APIs, lead crypto infrastructure initiatives, and work with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality solutions.

You will mentor engineers, drive best practices, and stay ahead of blockchain trends to keep our platforms competitive in a fast-paced FinTech environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years backend software development experience building scalable and resilient systems.
• Proficiency in one or more modern backend languages (C#, Java, Go, Python, Node.js).
• Experience designing RESTful and WebSocket APIs is desirable.
• Strong understanding of OOP and SOLID principles.
• Experience with relational and/or NoSQL databases and optimizing for large datasets.
• Experience with event-driven architecture and messaging (Pub/Sub, Kafka, RabbitMQ).
• Experience with cloud platforms (GCP, Azure, AWS) and containers (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience with unit testing frameworks and practices.
• Proven ability to design high-availability systems with performance, security, and maintainability.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Architect, design, develop, and maintain backend services for crypto and alt trading platforms.
• Expand crypto infrastructure across products with high performance and scalability.
• Lead development and launch of new crypto capabilities from ideation to deployment.
• Document secure APIs (RESTful and WebSocket) for crypto transactions and integrations.
• Mentor junior team members and promote best practices in development.

Skills

C#

Java

Go

Python

Node.js

OOP

SOLID

Relational Databases

NoSQL Databases

Unit Testing

Security Practices

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Software Engineering

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Pub/Sub

Kafka

RabbitMQ

Angular

React Native

Job description

• Architect, design, develop, and maintain robust, scalable, and secure backend services for Questrade's retail crypto and alternatives trading platforms, leveraging modern architectural patterns and best-in-class technologies.


• Drive the expansion of crypto infrastructure across various Questrade products, ensuring seamless integration, high performance, and future scalability.


• Lead the development and launch of new crypto capabilities for clients and internal teams, from ideation to deployment, with an emphasis on speed-to-market and quality.


• Contribute to the architecture, build, and delivery of other new alternative trading products within the dedicated Growth Portfolio entity, actively identifying and adopting emerging technologies.


• Provide expert support for all crypto trading and transfer solutions, ensuring system stability and reliability through proactive monitoring and incident resolution.


• Create and meticulously document clear, efficient, and secure APIs (including RESTful and WebSocket APIs) to facilitate all aspects of crypto and alternatives transactions, setting standards for integration and developer experience.


• Coach and mentor junior and intermediate team members, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, knowledge sharing, and adoption of innovative development practices within the software development team.


• Identify opportunities to automate workflows, optimize system performance, and enhance development pipelines to boost team efficiency and accelerate delivery cycles.


• Diagnose and troubleshoot complex technical issues, ensuring high availability and optimal performance of crypto and trading systems.


• Work closely with product owners, front-end developers, QA engineers, and other stakeholders to translate business requirements into cutting-edge technical solutions.


• Stay abreast of the latest trends and technologies in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space, actively bringing innovative solutions and new tools to the team to maintain our competitive edge.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in backend software development, with a strong focus on building scalable and resilient systems.


• Proficiency in one or more modern backend programming languages (e.g., C#, Java, Go, Python, Node.js).


• Experience designing and building RESTful and WebSocket APIs is desired.


• Solid understanding of object-oriented programming (OOP) and SOLID principles.


• Experience with relational and/or NoSQL databases, and optimizing applications for large datasets.


• Experience with event-driven architecture and message queues (e.g.,PubSub, Kafka, RabbitMQ).


• Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., GCP, Azure, AWS) and containerization technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).


• Experience with unit testing frameworks and practices.


• Proven ability to design and architect complex, high-availability systems with a focus on performance, security, and maintainability.


• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a keen eye for detail and a proactive approach to issue resolution.


• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.


• A strong team player who thrives in a collaborative environment and is eager to share knowledge and expertise, fostering a culture of continuous learning.


• A self-starter with a proactive mindset and a relentless drive to deliver high-quality solutions and push technological boundaries.


• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.


• Proficiency in Java and Spring Boot is desired.


• Experience integrating common crypto platform vendors (hot wallets, custodians, execution management service, payment processors) is a plus.


• Experience in the financial services or FinTech industry.


• Familiarity with security best practices in blockchain and financial applications.


• Experience launching new products from 0 to 1.


• Experience in Angular, and React Native is a bonus.

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in backend software development, focusing on scalable and resilient systems, with proficiency in modern programming languages and API design. Capable of leading teams, mentoring junior members, and driving the integration of innovative technologies in the crypto and financial services domain.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Backend Software Development


• RESTful and WebSocket API Design


• Cloud Platforms (GCP, Azure, AWS)


• Event-Driven Architecture


• Proficiency in Java and Spring Boot

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• C#


• Java


• Go


• Python


• Node.js


• Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)


• SOLID Principles


• Relational and NoSQL Databases


• Unit Testing Frameworks


• Security Best Practices

Soft Skills

• Analytical Problem-Solving


• Excellent Communication


• Team Collaboration


• Proactive Mindset


• Mentoring and Coaching

Industry Keywords

• Financial Services


• FinTech


• Crypto Trading


• Blockchain


• Product Launch

Tools & Technologies

• Docker


• Kubernetes


• PubSub


• Kafka


• RabbitMQ


• Angular


• React Native