Fintech & PaymentsDirect Greenhouse career site

Principal Software Engineer, Trading Systems

Pay: $195,000 – $220,000 per year
Location: Chicago, IL · On-site
Job type: Full-time
Level: Lead / Staff
Education: Bachelor's degree
Listed: 30 days ago

Skills & highlights for this role

Scala
Akka
JVM tuning
FIX protocol
WebSockets

Also useful

Kafka
Kubernetes
Docker
low-latency design

Stated benefits & perks

Health
Dental
Vision
401k match
Generous pto

What you'll do

In this pivotal role on our Trading Services team, you will design, evolve, and optimize our core trading infrastructure.
You will help scale and enhance our highly scalable, low-latency trading system, ensuring it meets the highest standards of performance, scalability, and reliability.
Your work will directly impact our ability to support rapid growth in the retail futures trading space.

In this role you will

Design, develop, and optimize our Scala-based trading services for high-volume, low-latency, 24x7 environments
Lead architectural strategy for future-state scalability and performance optimization
Mentor and guide junior engineers, promoting best practices and technical excellence
Collaborate cross-functionally with product, engineering, operations, and security teams to translate business requirements into robust and secure technical solutions
Optimize system performance, with focus on JVM tuning for Scala/Akka-based distributed system
Enhance monitoring and observability of services for real-time trade execution and operational transparency
Ensure compliance with security policies, regulatory standards, and industry best practices

What we look for

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field (or equivalent experience)
Extensive experience with high-performance, high-concurrency distributed trading systems
Proven expertise in JVM and performance tuning for high-performance environments
Experience supporting 24/7 production systems, ideally in trading environments
Deep knowledge of networking and protocols (HTTP/HTTPS, WebSockets, DNS, TCP/IP)
Experience with CI/CD tools (Jenkins, GitHub Actions)
Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills in high-pressure, real-time conditions
Excellent communication skills, capable of clearly articulating technical concepts to diverse stakeholders
Experience in functional programming languages within exchange/trading environments

Bonus Points for

Experience in low-latency, lock-free development and design
Strong experience with multithreading and concurrency in high-performance environments
Familiarity with binary or custom trading protocols
Strong knowledge of messaging frameworks (Kafka, RabbitMQ) and network protocols (UDP, TCP)
Hands-on experience implementing HTTP/WebSockets, REST APIs, OAuth, gRPC, and Redis APIs
Deep understanding of order handling/matching engines
Extensive experience with FIX or other market data/order-entry protocols
Practical hands-on experience with cloud-native technologies (Kubernetes and Docker)
Solid grasp of network communications, particularly IP multicast and TCP protocols used in market data feeds

Compensation

The salary range for this role will be $195,000.00 - $220,000.00 USD annually. In addition, this position will also receive an annual target bonus of up to 15%. Bonus pay at NinjaTrader is based on individual performance (50%) as well as company/team performance (50%).

Salary and bonus earnings are only two components of the total compensation package offered by NinjaTrader. Additional details on our total compensation package and benefits are listed below.

Our Core Benefits Include

Generous PTO
7 Paid Holidays Annually + 5 Conditional Holidays Annually
1 Service Day Annually
401k with 3.5% Company Match
Paid Parental Bonding Leave
Health, Vision, Dental Coverage
Life and Disability Insurance Covered 100% by NinjaTrader

Equal opportunity and legal notices

Please be advised that the most accurate and up-to-date information about our open roles-including job descriptions, compensation, and benefits-can only be guaranteed on our official job board.

JOIN US ON OUR MISSION TO BECOME THE #1 RETAIL TRADING PLATFORM IN THE WORLD

Welcome to the dynamic world of NinjaTrader! As an industry-leading trading platform and futures broker, we're empowering traders to take control of their financial destiny. How do we do it? We provide cutting-edge products and services that enhance the trading journey. Whether a seasoned pro or just starting out, NinjaTrader equips traders with award-winning software and brokerage services to navigate the world's leading financial markets with confidence.

Our growth story is nothing short of exhilarating. Since 2003, NinjaTrader has been dedicated to understanding and supporting traders on their journey toward trading triumph. Through those efforts, our user base has grown to over 2 million users and we have become the number one rated futures brokerage worldwide.

But we're not stopping there. We're constantly evolving, pushing boundaries, and modernizing the futures industry. Our commitment to innovation means users will always have access to dynamic tools, real-time support, and a community of like-minded traders.

So, why work at NinjaTrader? Here, you're not just part of a team; you're part of a movement. We empower employees to reach new heights in their careers by providing a dynamic culture focused on social connection, professional development, and employee recognition initiatives. Sounds too good to be true? Take it from our employees.

Join us as we redefine what's possible in trading, advocate for our customers, and continue our journey toward becoming the world's top retail-focused trading platform in the world.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

Read the original posting

From NinjaTrader's careers page, first listed on Rolev.ai on October 10, 2026. Rolev.ai is not the employer.

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Common questions

What is the salary for the Principal Software Engineer, Trading Systems role at NinjaTrader?

The Principal Software Engineer, Trading Systems posting at NinjaTrader states compensation of $195,000 – $220,000 per year. It is listed as a full-time position. Final pay may depend on location, experience, and interview evaluation on NinjaTrader's official career site.

Where is the Principal Software Engineer, Trading Systems job at NinjaTrader located?

This Principal Software Engineer, Trading Systems position at NinjaTrader is located in Chicago, IL (On-site). Always check NinjaTrader's application page for specific state eligibility or relocation policies.

What qualifications are required for Principal Software Engineer, Trading Systems at NinjaTrader?

For the Principal Software Engineer, Trading Systems role, NinjaTrader highlights a bachelor's degree; experience with Scala, Akka, JVM tuning, FIX protocol, WebSockets. Rolev.ai can score your existing resume against these requirements and show any skill gaps before you apply.

How do I apply for the Principal Software Engineer, Trading Systems position at NinjaTrader?

This listing links directly to NinjaTrader's Greenhouse application page. You can apply directly on NinjaTrader's site, or use Rolev.ai to check your resume fit, generate a zero-hallucination tailored resume and cover letter for this posting, and autofill the Greenhouse application form in 1 click with the Rolev.ai Chrome extension. You always review the form and press Submit yourself.

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