Senior Software Engineer

Location: London, UK Department: Engineering Work Model: Hybrid (8 days per month onsite) Position Type: Full-time, Permanent Industry: Energy Data, Commodities & Financial Technology (FinTech) Reports To: Director of Engineering, London Visa Sponsorship: Not available. REQ: 0030 About Us Founded in 1995, Zema Global Data Corporation empowers organizations to simplify complexity, reduce risk, and make faster, more confident decisions that drive measurable results. Over the past two years, Zema Global has accelerated its growth through strategic investment and acquisition to strengthen our global leadership. Together we’re helping our customers gain a Decisioning Advantage - one bold idea at a time. With a presence across global energy, commodity, and financial markets, Zema Global empowers customers to simplify complexity, reduce risk, and make faster, more confident decisions that drive measurable results. At Zema Global, we Think Big, Make It Happen, and Win as One. We thrive on collaboration, creativity, and respect, united by a shared drive to innovate and deliver meaningful impact for our customers and communities. If you’re inspired by solving complex challenges and contributing to a culture that values purpose and performance, we invite you to join us. Overview Zema Global is embarking on a transformational journey to modernize our data infrastructure through the Data Surface Programme with a strategic vision to build a cloud-native AWS Lakehouse architecture. Zema Global’s Data Surface will enable: Unified data governance with full lineage, metadata visibility, and automated quality checks Scalable, elastic architecture with decoupled compute and storage optimized for AI/ML workloads Enhanced security, compliance, and multi-tenant support with RBAC and encryption Real-time and batch data processing supporting both human-in-the-loop and fully automated AI workflows Self-service analytics and ML capabilities through open data formats and extensible APIs AI and machine learning on our own data through AWS platforms such as Amazon Bedrock and SageMaker, made possible by storing data in open source Apache Iceberg format We are building a UK-based team to own the technical delivery of this programme. You will collaborate with our global engineering teams across the UK, US, Canada, and India, working with cutting-edge cloud-native technologies to shape the future of commodities data infrastructure as part of an ambitious, forward-thinking organization. Our team operates using an innovative AI-driven development methodology, leveraging Claude Code to accelerate development cycles and enhance code quality. Working in weekly sprints, you will experience a modern, efficient approach to software engineering that combines the best of agile practices with AI-assisted development tools. Position Overview We are looking for a Senior Software Engineer to be a key technical contributor to our Data Surface programme. You will implement critical components of our AWS Lakehouse infrastructure, working with modern cloud-native technologies including Apache Iceberg, Apache Spark, and AWS services to build scalable, reliable data pipelines. As a Senior Engineer, you will have significant influence over technical decisions, mentor junior team members, collaborate with global colleagues across the UK, US, Canada, and India, and help establish engineering excellence for a greenfield data platform. Working in weekly sprints with Claude Code and AI-assisted development tools, you will contribute to the foundation for Zema Global’s next generation of products and services. What You'll Be Doing Design and implement data ingestion pipelines from DynamoDB and Oracle into Apache Iceberg tables on S3 using no-code capabilities. Use Claude Code to generate specifications and design documents, and review specifications produced by other team members to ensure AI-generated code accounts for all operational nuances of the technologyDevelop Bronze-Silver-Gold data transformation layers using Apache Spark and AWS GlueBuild streaming data ingestion from Kinesis/Kafka into the Lakehouse with near-real-time processingImplement data quality frameworks, schema validation, and automated monitoring systemsCreate RESTful APIs and data access layers for consuming lakehouse data in downstream applicationsOptimize query performance using Iceberg features (partitioning, clustering, compaction)Build the data access and serving layers that allow AWS AI/ML services, including Amazon Bedrock and SageMaker, to consume Iceberg data directlyIntegrate data governance capabilities including metadata management, lineage tracking, and access controlCollaborate on architectural decisions and contribute to technical design documentationMentor mid-level and junior engineers through code reviews and technical guidanceImplement infrastructure as code using Terraform, CloudFormation, or similar toolsDesign and deploy containerized applications and data processing workloads on EKS Essential What You'll Bring: 5+ years of software engineering experience with strong focus on data engineering and distributed systemsDeep expertise in Python and/or Java/Scala for building production data pipelinesExtensive hands-on experience with AWS services (S3, EKS, Glue, Kinesis, Lambda, EMR, Athena), or equivalent Lakehouse architecture builds.Strong experience with Apache Spark for batch and streaming data processingHands-on experience with Apache Iceberg, or an equivalent open table format such as Delta Lake or Hudi, including partitioning, compaction, and table maintenanceProficiency in SQL and experience optimizing complex analytical queriesSolid understanding of data modeling, schema design, and database performance tuningExperience with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and modern DevOps practicesStrong problem-solving skills and ability to debug complex distributed systemsBachelor's in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field Desirable Familiarity with data governance tools (Apache Atlas, AWS Glue Data Catalog)Experience working as an ML engineer, or exposure to AWS AI/ML services such as Amazon Bedrock and SageMakerUnderstanding of SQL query engines (Trino, Presto, Athena, Oracle, Postgres)Experience in financial services, commodities, or energy markets, and/or working with timeseries data.AWS certifications (Solutions Architect, Developer, etc.)Background in migrating Oracle workloads to cloud-native architecturesExperience with Kubernetes and EKS for container orchestrationTrack record in scale-up or fast-growth technology companies with product-focused delivery Why Join Zema Global? Global Impact Shape the future of energy, commodities, and financial markets through innovative technology. Innovation at Scale Work with cutting-edge software, advanced analytics, and complex data that solve real-world challenges. Career Growth Join a fast-growing global organization where your ideas, development, and career progression are valued. Exceptional People Collaborate with talented colleagues and industry experts across North America, Europe, and Asia. Meaningful Ownership Take ownership of your work, influence strategic initiatives, and make a measurable impact on our customers and business. One Global Team Be part of a collaborative culture built on trust, respect, and our values: Think Big. Make It Happen. Win as One. Application Information Please submit your CV in PDF format. If your experience aligns with our requirements, our Talent Acquisition team will contact you regarding the next steps. Please note: *Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.* Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Zema Global is committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates regardless of background or protected characteristic.