A VP-level Lead Java Developer on Citi's FX Risk technology team in London, architecting and delivering low-latency, high-throughput Java applications for real-time FX risk management. The role blends Core Java/JVM tuning, Apache Ignite, MongoDB, Oracle, and Kafka/Solace with daily use of GenAI tools (Copilot, Devin, Citi's internal LLM platform).
Compensation
Not disclosed
Location
London, United Kingdom
Work setup
Hybrid
Seniority
C level
Employment
Full time
Experience
3+ years
Category
Software engineering
Posted
Skills
accessibility
agentic-ai
agile
ai
api
artifactory
aws
azure
ci-cd
cloud
devops
distributed-systems
docker
flink
generative-ai
github
github-copilot
java
jira
jvm
kafka
kubernetes
linux
llm
mongodb
multithreading
observability
openai
openshift
oracle
prompt-engineering
scrum
sdlc
slack
sql
tdd
Must have
Proven hands-on Java development with strong focus on Core Java and multithreading in high-load, high-throughput systems
Deep understanding of JVM performance optimisation (memory profiling, GC tuning)
Solid grasp of distributed systems architecture and in-memory computing concepts
Proven production experience with Apache Ignite at scale
Strong MongoDB skills: CRUD operations, indexing strategies, production performance tuning
Deep SQL knowledge and query optimisation in Oracle
Solid experience with messaging technologies (Apache Kafka and/or Solace)
Proficiency in Linux environments and scripting
Experience deploying and maintaining applications on cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or similar)
Genuine passion for Test-Driven Development (TDD)
Readiness to engage in L3 production support and own release activities end-to-end
Nice to have
Experience in financial services technology, particularly risk, trading, or capital markets
Familiarity with FX products (spot, forwards, options, derivatives)
Understanding of real-time risk calculation systems or market data platforms
Exposure to low-latency, high-throughput distributed systems
Full description
FX Risk Lead Java Developer + AI (VP)
Engineer the future of global finance. At Citi, our Tech team doesn’t just support finance – we are helping to redefine it. Every day, $5 trillion crosses through our network. We do business in 180+ countries operating at a scale few can match. From deploying advanced AI to helping shape global markets, we build systems that matter. Look to join a team where your work helps influence economies, your ideas can drive innovation and outcomes, and your growth is backed by mentorship, continuous learning and flexibility with potential hybrid work opportunities. Help solve real-world challenges that touch millions and get the opportunity to build the future of finance with Citi Tech.
What We do / The Team
This isn’t just another Java developer role. As a Lead Java Developer – Vice President within Citi’s FX Risk technology team, you’ll be at the intersection of high-stakes financial engineering and the next generation of AI-powered software development.
At Citi, we are actively redefining how technology drives global finance — every day, $5 trillion crosses our network. You’ll architect and deliver the systems that power real-time FX risk management for one of the world’s largest financial institutions, working in an environment where AI is not a future ambition — it’s how we work today.
You’ll have hands‑on access to Citi’s internal GenAI ecosystem: from GitHub Copilot and Devin.AI for agentic code generation, to Citi Squad for automated code reviews, to Stylus Workspaces — Citi’s in‑house GenAI platform powered by top‑tier LLMs including Gemini, OpenAI, Claude, Llama, and local models. You’ll use Prompt Engineering, Workflow Design, and GenAI Optimisation techniques as part of your everyday engineering practice.
This is the next generation of Lead Java Development — where your engineering instincts are amplified by AI, your decisions shape a strategically critical platform, and your impact is felt across global markets.
Role Overview/What will you do:
Lead end‑to‑end delivery of complex, high‑performance Java applications supporting FX risk management across global markets
Architect scalable, low‑latency solutions that process real‑time risk data at scale — designing for resilience, performance, and security from day one
Drive technical direction and key decisions — from system design and architectural choices to setting engineering standards across the team
Translate complex business requirements into robust, high‑quality code — working closely with quantitative analysts, traders, and business stakeholders
Craft high‑quality, scalable software in an agile environment, leveraging AI‑powered coding tools to accelerate delivery without compromising standards
Share expertise and raise the bar — act as a technical reference point for the team, influencing engineering quality through example, guidance, and knowledge sharing (this is an individual contributor role with no direct reports)
FX Risk Lead Java Developer + AI (VP) at Citigroup Inc. (London, United Kingdom) — aijobsearch
Champion innovation — actively evaluate, propose, and adopt new technologies and frameworks; this team has the mandate and appetite to bring in better tools
Own quality — participate in mandatory cross‑team code reviews, supported by Citi Squad AI reviewers and peer engineers, ensuring adherence to security, quality, and compliance standards
Operate in production — take ownership of L3 production support issues, provide timely resolutions, and deliver long‑term remediation fixes that address root causes — not just symptoms
Support testing cycles and post‑production deployment — from writing TDD‑first code to validating releases in a weekly cadence
Contribute to Citi’s technology strategy, influencing how the firm approaches risk technology at a global scale
Your AI‑Powered Toolkit
At Citi, almost all of our 240,000 staff have access to AI tools — and our engineering teams are at the forefront of that adoption. Our FX Risk team has been actively using Citi’s internal AI ecosystem for over a year. These are live, battle‑tested tools embedded into our daily engineering workflow — not pilots, not promises:
Coding & Code Generation
GitHub Copilot — multi‑model AI coding assistant (GPT, Claude, Gemini) integrated directly into your IDE for code completion, generation, and explanation
Devin.AI — agentic code generation for complex, multi‑step development tasks
Prompt Engineering & GenAI Optimisation — techniques actively used to get the best out of every model in the stack
Code Review & Quality
Citi Squad — Citi’s internal automated code review platform, catching issues before they reach production
AI‑assisted cross‑team peer reviews — mandatory, structured, and supported by tooling that flags security risks, missing tests, and policy violations
LLMs & Stylus Workspaces
Large Language Models: Gemini, OpenAI, Claude, Llama, and Local Models
Stylus Workspaces — Citi’s in‑house GenAI platform (powered by Gemini), connected to internal systems including Jira, GitHub, Slack, and Teams — enabling agentic AI workflows across the SDLC
Monitoring Tooling — production observability built in from day one
This is what it means to be a next‑generation Lead Java Developer at Citi.
The Platform You’ll Be Building On
This role is centred around a greenfield application — built from scratch, now 3 years in production, and with a 10+ year strategic commitment from the business. You won’t be wrestling with decades of legacy code. Instead, you’ll be:
Working on a modern, purposefully designed codebase that the team is proud of — with wide exposure to technologies across all aspects of the SDLC
Contributing to a platform with long‑term investment and roadmap certainty — this is not a project, it’s a strategic product
Empowered to introduce and champion new technologies — the team has a genuine mandate to evolve the stack, not just maintain it
Delivering weekly releases in a structured Scrum environment with daily stand‑ups, keeping the team aligned and shipping consistently
Benefiting from structured learning paths, mentorship, and continuous development — your growth is backed by the team and the wider Citi engineering community
Gaining exposure to cloud strategy — contributing to cloud adoption initiatives, deploying Citi APIs on AWS and Azure
Working with event streaming and messaging systems including Kafka, Flink, and Solace at enterprise scale
This is a rare opportunity in financial services — a stable, well‑funded platform with the freedom to keep building it better, backed by one of the world’s most ambitious technology organisations.
Key Skills and Experience required
Proven hands‑on Java development experience with strong focus on Core Java and multithreading in high‑load, high‑throughput systems
Deep understanding of JVM performance optimisation — memory profiling, GC tuning, and squeezing performance where it counts
Solid grasp of distributed systems architecture and in‑memory computing concepts
Proven production experience with Apache Ignite — you’ve used it at scale, not just evaluated it
Strong MongoDB skills — CRUD operations, indexing strategies, and performance tuning in production environments
Deep SQL knowledge and query optimisation in Oracle — you know how to make queries fast and keep them that way
Solid experience with messaging technologies — Apache Kafka and/or Solace
Proficiency in Linux environments and scripting — comfortable on the command line and automating where it matters
Experience deploying and maintaining applications on cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or similar)
A genuine passion for Test‑Driven Development (TDD) — you write tests first and mean it
Readiness to engage in L3 production support and own release activities end‑to‑end
Any Beneficial / Nice to have skills and experience
Experience in financial services technology, particularly in risk, trading, or capital markets
Familiarity with FX products — spot, forwards, options, or derivatives
Understanding of real‑time risk calculation systems or market data platforms
Exposure to low‑latency, high‑throughput distributed systems
What we’ll provide you
By joining Citi, you will not only be part of a business casual workplace with a hybrid working model (up to 2 days working at home per week), but also receive a competitive base salary (which is annually reviewed), and enjoy a whole host of additional benefits such as:
27 days annual leave (plus bank holidays)
A discretional annual performance related bonus
Private Medical Care & Life Insurance
Employee Assistance Program
Pension Plan
Paid Parental Leave
Special discounts for employees, family, and friends
Access to an array of learning and development resources
Visit our About Us | Culture, Values & Benefits page to learn more.
Job Family Group
Technology
Job Family
Applications Development
Time Type
Full time
Most Relevant Skills
Please see the requirements listed above.
Other Relevant Skills
For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.
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