Investment Systems Application Engineer - IV

Vanguard; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanguard is seeking a full-stack engineer with strong UI specialization to build the next generation of user interfaces. This role involves designing and developing applications for investment workflows while ensuring usability and performance.

Ideal candidates will have over eight years of experience including front-end expertise with modern frameworks and back-end development in Java or Python. Sponsorship available for this position.

Qualifications

• Minimum of eight years related work experience, including 5+ years in software engineering.
• Strong front-end development experience with modern frameworks like Angular or React.
• Experience in building full-stack applications with Java/Python backend.

Responsibilities

• Design and build responsive user interfaces for investment workflows.
• Develop end-to-end features spanning UI, APIs, and backend services.
• Partner with stakeholders to translate requirements into user-centric designs.

Skills

Front-end development

Full-stack application development

Investment workflows understanding

API design and integration

Cloud-native systems experience

Education

Undergraduate degree in a related field

Tools

Angular

React

Java

Python

AWS

Job description

Vanguard Personalized Indexing (VPI) is a rapidly growing business within Financial Advisor Services. We enable financial advisors to deliver tax‑efficient, customized direct indexing portfolios at scale. Our platform manages thousands of investor accounts and evaluates portfolios daily to support tax‑loss harvesting, customization, and investment research workflows. VPI operates at the intersection of investment management, cloud‑native platforms, and advanced analytics engineering. The technology we build directly supports investment research, portfolio construction, and data‑driven decision‑making that impacts client outcomes.

We are seeking a full‑stack engineer with strong UI specialization to help build the next generation of user interfaces for VPI—supporting portfolio managers, operations teams, and investment workflows. The ideal candidate brings experience building user interfaces for investment or wealth management systems and has a strong understanding of investment workflows and user needs across front, middle, and back office functions.

Core Responsibilities

UI / Front‑End Engineering

• Design and build modern, responsive user interfaces for investment workflows
• Develop rich, data‑driven applications supporting portfolio analysis and operations
• Create reusable UI components and design patterns

Full‑Stack Development

• Develop end‑to‑end features spanning UI, APIs, and backend services
• Provide expert level system analysis, design, development, and implementation of investment applications and databases
• Integrate third‑party products and ensure application performance levels are achieved
• Ensure performance, scalability, and usability across applications

Product & User Experience

• Partner with business stakeholders (PMs, Ops, Research) to translate requirements into user‑centric designs
• Thoroughly understand client investment business functions and technology needs
• Improve usability and efficiency of workflows by replacing legacy/manual processes
• Support iterative development and continuous feedback loops

Cloud & Engineering Practices

• Build applications deployed on AWS using modern CI/CD practices
• Ensure code quality, testing, and maintainability
• Contribute to architectural discussions and UI platform evolution
• Be well versed on the latest technologies and tools supporting software development in the industry

SDLC

• Ensure the viability of investment systems IT deliverables. Conduct testing, including functionality, technical limitations, and security
• Elevate code into the development, test, and production environments on schedule and provide follow‑up production support
• Participate in design, code, and test inspections throughout the life cycle to identify issues and explain technical considerations at relevant meetings, including those with internal clients
• Perform systems analysis activities
• Develop a broad and deep understanding of Vanguard’s technologies, tools, and applications, including those that interface with business areas and systems
• Comply with Information Technology and Information Security policies and procedures, and verify that deliverables meet requirements

Qualifications

• Minimum of eight years related work experience, with at least 5+ years of software engineering experience building investment, wealth management, or financial applications
• Undergraduate degree in a related field
• Strong front‑end development experience (modern frameworks such as Angular or React)
• Experience building full‑stack applications (Java/Python backend)
• Solid understanding of investment workflows and user personas (portfolio managers, trading operations, research analysts)
• Understanding of API design and integration
• Experience working with cloud‑native systems (AWS preferred)
• Ability to contribute as an individual contributor while guiding design decisions, degree or equivalent combination of training and experience

Sponsorship

Vanguard is offering visa sponsorship for this position.