Harrington Starr

Software Engineering Recruitment for Fintech

Securing the Software Engineering Expertise that Powers Growth, Reliability, and Competitive Advantage

Powering Innovative Software Solutions With Top-Class Recruitment

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Recruiting Exceptional Software Engineers For Fintech Firms

Harrington Starr has recruited software engineers into fintech since 2010. Our Software Engineering desk works only within financial technology, banking, and capital markets, so a brief for a C++ engineer on a low-latency trading system is treated differently from a brief for a React developer on a client-facing banking app: the technical bar, the interview process, and the candidate pool are not the same, and our software engineering recruitment process reflects that from the first call.

A generalist tech recruiter working a C++ role will typically screen for years of experience and past job titles. Our consultants also check for exposure to specific constraints: kernel bypass and network stack tuning for latency-sensitive systems, FIX protocol experience for trading connectivity, or regulatory audit requirements for engineers on compliance-adjacent systems. That's the distinction between a software engineering recruitment specialist and a recruiter working from a generic tech shortlist.

Specialist Software Engineering Recruitment Services

Harrington Starr partners with fintech vendors, banks, hedge funds, trading firms, and exchanges to deliver software engineering recruitment across permanent, contract, and executive search. Our consultants recruit across:

  • Backend engineering: Java, Python, C++, C#, Golang, Rust
  • Frontend and UI engineering: JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Angular
  • Low-latency and high-performance systems for trading and market data
  • Cloud-native and distributed systems engineering
  • Engineering leadership: Heads of Engineering, CTOs, VPs of Engineering

A typical brief starts with the system, not the job title: what the engineer will build, what it connects to, and what happens if it fails. From there, our software engineering recruitment consultants map the realistic pool of engineers with that specific combination of language, domain, and seniority, which, for niche combinations (e.g. Rust plus market data experience), can be a shortlist of single-figure candidates.

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Software Engineer Jobs We Cover

We work with engineers at every career stage, from graduate hires to CTO-level appointments. Our software engineer jobs span:

  • Junior and graduate software engineering roles
  • Mid-level and senior backend, frontend, and full-stack roles
  • Principal engineer and staff engineer positions
  • Engineering management and leadership roles


Job Search

If you're looking at software engineer roles in fintech, the questions worth asking a recruiter before you engage are specific: what's the tech stack, what's the release cadence, and does the team sit closer to product engineering or infrastructure? Our consultants can answer all three for the roles we recruit for, because we take the brief directly from the hiring engineering manager, not from a job spec alone.

Featured Jobs

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Our Functional Expertise

We connect businesses to the right skills and people through experience, data, and a network built over decades in Financial Technology.
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Application Support

We are passionate about connecting businesses with skilled professionals who play a pivotal role in ensuring the seamless operation of financial systems. With expertise in application support within the fintech industry, we streamline the recruitment process, contributing to the stability and efficiency of our client's financial technology infrastructure. 
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Change and Transformation

Our Change and Transformation team specialise in placing project managers and business analysts within fintech, recognising their crucial role. We source talented individuals with the strategic vision and technical expertise needed for successful projects, empowering organisations to achieve their fintech objectives.

Cyber Security and IT Risk

We bridge the gap between top-tier cybersecurity and IT professionals and leading fintech companies. Our team recognises the vital role these specialists play in fortifying cybersecurity measures, neutralising potential threats, and protecting the sensitive data entrusted to our fintech clients. Drawing on our in-depth knowledge of the ever-evolving fintech landscape, we excel at matching businesses with the ideal cybersecurity talent to meet their unique requirements.
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Data

Data underpins everything from investment decision-making to customer experience in financial technology. We recruit data engineers, analysts, and scientists who build the infrastructure for insight, automation, and commercial intelligence. These capabilities support firms across asset management, banking, and high-growth fintech.
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DevOps and Cloud Engineering

Our DevOps and Cloud Engineering team understands the importance of agility, scalability, and reliability in today's digital world. We're dedicated to finding skilled professionals in DevOps practices and cloud technologies. Our consultants closely match top candidates with clients' infrastructure needs, including expertise in AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud and containerisation, orchestration, and CI/CD pipelines.
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Infrastructure Support

Our Infrastructure Support team sources skilled professionals in network and system administration, virtualisation, and server management. We address challenges in maintaining performance and security for financial institutions. Whether clients need support for on-premises or cloud-based infrastructures, we connect them with experts for smooth IT operations, driving business growth in the financial technology space. 
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Network Engineering

Our Network Engineering recruitment team specialises in the financial technology sector, recognising the crucial role of robust network infrastructure in secure transactions. We're dedicated to sourcing skilled professionals in network design, implementation, and maintenance, ensuring compliant, high-speed networks for financial institutions.
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Product Management

Our Product Management team recognises the vital role of product managers in innovation and customer value. We're dedicated to finding skilled individuals in product strategy and development lifecycle management. Our consultants deeply understand the challenges financial institutions face in delivering innovative fintech solutions while navigating regulations.
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QA Testing

We recognise the importance of quality assurance in financial software reliability and compliance. Our consultants specialise in sourcing skilled professionals experienced in testing financial applications, offering support in various testing methodologies to ensure software integrity and functionality.
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Quantitative Finance

Quantitative finance is a vital area for fintech firms looking to harness the power of statistical analysis to enhance decision making and optimise financial processes. With influential trends like the rise of AI, the growth of big data, and an ever-more complex regulatory landscape increasing the demand for highly skilled quantitative finance professionals, it is important for fintech businesses to gain an edge over the intensifying competition.
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Sales and Marketing

As sales and marketing recruitment experts, our consultants take pride in helping companies to source the brightest and best candidates for their all-important sales and marketing positions. In a climate of increasingly complex regulations and swiftly evolving marketing landscapes, securing exceptional talent can be a difficult undertaking. But by leveraging our sales recruitment expertise, fintech companies will be well-equipped to build high-performing sales and marketing teams.

Software Engineering

Our Software Engineering team prioritises recruiting professionals adept in building fintech solutions, with expertise in UI/UX design and languages like C++, Python, Java, and C#. We connect clients with skilled software engineers to develop trading platforms, risk management systems, and customer-facing applications. Our consultants leverage their industry expertise to build tailored, high-performing teams for the fast-evolving world of fintech.

Meet Our Leading Software Engineering Consultants

Name: Ollie Bluck
Job Title: Recruitment Consultant
Team: Software Engineering
Ollie contributes significantly to our team here at Harrington Starr, drawing from our encouraging environment, Ollie envisions his career progressing by deepening his expertise in the FinTech and Financial Services realm, ultimately establishing himself as a trusted consultant in this domain. When advising those seeking their next career move, Ollie emphasizes the importance of thorough research. Utilizing platforms like LinkedIn and company websites provides invaluable insights into potential roles and organizations, crucial for demonstrating motivation—a trait highly regarded by hiring managers. Ollie's journey with Harrington Starr is guided by his aspiration to learn from industry experts and thought leaders, allowing him to refine his understanding of FinTech and Financial Services. His decision to join Harrington Starr stemmed from the desire to be part of a dynamic recruitment company with a wealth of experience and insight, particularly within the City of London.
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Name: Ciara Clarke
Job Title: Associate Vice President
Team: Software Engineering
Ciara is a specialist recruiter focused on placing C++, Rust, Java, Python and Golang engineers within the financial markets, working closely with hedge funds, trading firms, and fintech businesses. Sector: Associate Vice President within the Software Engineering practice, specialising in high-performance engineering, trading systems, market data, and low-latency development for hires across financial services. Companies: Works with a range of firms, including hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, exchanges, asset managers, sports betting and crypto and financial technology companies. Candidates: Partners with software engineers across C++, Rust, Java, Python and Golang, particularly those working in high-performance, distributed, or real-time systems within financial environments. Market Interests: Ciara has a strong interest in the evolution of high-performance engineering within financial markets, including low-latency systems, trading infrastructure, and how modern technologies are shaping the next generation of financial platforms.
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Name: Con Lam
Job Title: Associate Vice President
Team: Software Engineering
Con works with a broad range of financial services firms, from large global institutions to high-growth fintech startups. This includes hedge funds, asset managers, investment banks, trading firms, market data providers, and emerging technology-led businesses. He focuses on helping these organisations build high-performing engineering teams that support trading systems, internal platforms, and scalable data infrastructure. His focus is on hiring mid to senior-level software engineers across Python, Java, C++, and C#, as well as engineering leaders working on distributed systems, low-latency environments, and cloud-native platforms. Many of the roles he supports sit at the core of business-critical systems, including execution platforms, market data pipelines, and internal tooling.
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Name: Hari Sopal
Job Title: Vice President
Team: Software Engineering
Hari started his career in recruitment in 2007 and has since built an outstanding network within the financial technology sector. With a focus on UI based roles covering technologies within the JavaScript ecosystem, Hari delivers a specialist service to some of the major players in the marketplace. We asked Hari to reflect on his career journey, and asked: What drew you to this sector? "The UI market has always been of interest. As our Development Desk grew bigger and bigger over the years the UI market become a focus and needed a dedicated person to operate within in. It was the perfect market to take on and develop. JavaScript ecosystem is a big playground and some very interesting and smart people work within this space so I am privileged to work with such talent. Post Covid we’ve seen this market become bigger that it has ever been with new Frameworks being released. I predict the 2021 UI market will be the biggest hiring market from an Engineering perspective."
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Ollie Bluck
Recruitment Consultant
Ciara Clarke
Associate Vice President
Con Lam
Associate Vice President
Hari Sopal
Vice President

Our Software Engineering Recruitment Process

We take the requirements directly from the engineering manager or CTO, covering the stack, architecture, team structure, and the specific problem the hire needs to solve. This is also where we agree what "good" looks like for the role and where there's flexibility on seniority versus specific domain exposure.

We identify candidates with that stack-and-domain combination, including engineers who are not actively applying for roles. For niche combinations, Rust with market data experience, for example, this can mean building a shortlist from a candidate pool of single figures, rather than working from an existing applicant database.

Consultants check for the specific exposure the brief calls for (e.g. FIX protocol, kernel-level tuning, SOC 2-adjacent build pipelines) before a CV is submitted, so time isn't spent interviewing candidates who look right on paper but haven't worked in the environment the role demands.

We run the shortlist through your interview process, including feedback on technical assessments and take-home tests, and manage scheduling and candidate communication so nothing stalls between stages.

We handle offer negotiation and counteroffer management through to the start date, whether the requirement is a single senior hire or a 10-person build-out for a new trading desk.

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Placing Tech Talent Into Software Engineering Roles

From junior developers seeking entry-level positions to senior engineers looking for rewarding software engineering jobs within the financial technology space, we are passionate about supporting candidates at all career stages. Our Software Engineering recruitment team loves to work with highly talented engineers who possess a combination of outstanding coding abilities, in-depth knowledge of UI and UX best practices, and effective communication skills. 

If you meet these criteria and you are looking for a rewarding opportunity in the fintech industry, you’re in the right place. Enabling us to become your job search partner will provide you with a range of key advantages, including unrivalled industry expertise, a vast network of potential employers, and ongoing support. Through this partnership, we make sure that you will be offered opportunities that align with your unique skills and career goals. 

Get in touch and explore our candidate services today to find out how we can help you to unlock your potential. 

Speak to an Expert

FAQs

Fintech engineering roles often carry constraints, low-latency requirements, regulatory sign-off, audit trails, that a generalist recruiter won't know to screen for. A specialist agency checks for that exposure before a candidate is put forward.

Our software engineering recruitment specialists cover Java, Python, C++, C#, Golang, Rust, JavaScript/TypeScript, and cloud-native architectures across backend and frontend disciplines.

Yes, both. We support contract and permanent software engineer jobs from junior engineers through to CTO-level appointments.

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