Senior Software Engineer - C++/Python

Northern Trust • Chicago, IL

3d

About The Position

We are looking for a highly motivated Senior Software Engineer to design, build, and support mission-critical back-office post-trade processing applications. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in C++, Python, and SQL with strong problem-solving, communication, and ownership skills. You will work closely with business stakeholders, operations teams, architects, and fellow engineers to develop scalable, reliable, and high-performance solutions supporting critical financial workflows. We value engineers who embrace modern development practices and leverage AI tools such as GitHub Copilot and Claude to improve productivity, code quality, and innovation.

Requirements

• 12+ years of software development experience building enterprise applications.
• Strong expertise in modern C++ (C++11/14/17/20 preferred).
• Solid experience with Python for automation, tooling, and application development.
• Strong SQL and database performance tuning skills.
• Experience designing scalable, maintainable, and resilient distributed systems.
• Strong Linux and Windows troubleshooting and administration skills.
• Experience with Git, CI/CD pipelines, and modern software development practices.
• Excellent debugging, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work effectively with both technical and business teams.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in financial services, capital markets, or post-trade processing systems.
• Familiarity with Azure cloud services, monitoring, and observability tools.
• Experience with messaging platforms such as Kafka, MQ, or event-driven architectures.
• Knowledge of microservices, containerization, and modern application architectures.
• Experience using AI-powered developer tools such as GitHub Copilot, Claude, or similar technologies.
• Strong ownership mindset with excellent execution skills.
• Able to quickly understand complex business and technical concepts.
• Exceptional troubleshooting and root-cause analysis capabilities.
• Continuously learning new technologies, frameworks, and engineering practices.
• Collaborative team player with strong mentoring and communication skills.
• Comfortable working in fast-paced environments supporting critical business systems.
• Passionate about delivering reliable, maintainable, and high-quality software.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain high-performance server-side applications using modern C++ and Python.
• Build scalable and reliable solutions supporting reconciliation related financial workflows.
• Design and optimize SQL queries, database interactions, and data processing components.
• Implement engineering best practices including logging, monitoring, caching, exception handling, performance tuning, and automated testing.
• Investigate and resolve complex production issues using application, database, and infrastructure diagnostics.
• Participate in architecture discussions, code reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Leverage AI-assisted development tools such as GitHub Copilot and Claude to enhance development efficiency and software quality.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to a culture of technical excellence and collaboration.

Benefits

• retirement benefits (401k and pension)
• health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision, spending accounts and disability)
• paid time off
• parental and caregiver leave
• life & accident insurance
• other voluntary and well-being benefits
• discretionary bonus program that may include an equity component

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed