Staff Software Engineer, Trading

As a Staff Software Engineer on the Trading team at Ridgeline, your responsibilities include designing, building, and optimizing core features for the trading platform. You will develop real-time pricing and trading systems and will work throughout the entire software development lifecycle, gathering requirements, architecting, implementing, and deploying solutions.

To succeed as a Staff Software Engineer at Ridgeline, you should have at least 6 years of experience in full-stack engineering and a degree in Computer Science or a related field. Familiarity with modern front-end frameworks, back-end development using AWS, and strong SQL database skills are crucial for this role.

At Ridgeline, a Staff Software Engineer will work with modern front-end frameworks like React, back-end services on AWS, and tools such as GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT. You will also be involved in using CI/CD pipelines, automation tools, and event-driven architectures to create efficient and scalable systems.

Ridgeline promotes a culture that values speed, autonomy, and collaboration among its Staff Software Engineers. As part of a start-up environment, you'll have the opportunity to take ownership of your work and influence decisions, while also benefiting from mentorship and opportunities for career advancement.

The starting salary range for a Staff Software Engineer at Ridgeline typically falls between $165,000 and $200,000. In select locations like New York City, this range may be higher, reflecting the market rates and the value of your experience and expertise.

In preparing for this question, highlight your specific experience in designing and implementing real-time systems. Discuss any relevant projects and the technologies you used, such as AWS, and explain how you ensured speed and reliability.

When answering this, emphasize your systematic approach to debugging, including using tools for performance monitoring, analyzing logs, and gathering metrics to identify bottlenecks. Providing an example can demonstrate your method effectively.

Detail your hands-on experience with frameworks like React, including specific projects where you implemented these technologies. Talk about how you maintained performance and scalability while adhering to the latest best practices.

Discuss your methods for maintaining code quality, such as code reviews, automated testing, and implementing CI/CD pipelines. Providing examples of how these practices contributed to successful project outcomes will strengthen your answer.

Elaborate on your collaborative approach, including how you integrate feedback from product managers and designers into your workflow. Highlight any specific processes or tools you rely on to enhance team collaboration.

Share your strategies for keeping your skills current, such as attending workshops, following industry leaders, or participating in online courses and coding communities. This helps illustrate your commitment to continuous learning.

Be specific about the CI/CD tools you've utilized, like Jenkins or CircleCI, and explain how you set up automation to improve deployment processes. Providing an example can showcase your hands-on experience in this area.

Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answer. Clearly delineate the problem, your role in addressing it, and the outcome, emphasizing your problem-solving and technical skills.

Reflect on a significant challenge that required both technical and soft skills. Discuss how you navigated it, adapted to changing circumstances, and what you learned from that experience.

Tailor your response to reflect your career aspirations and align them with Ridgeline's mission and values. Express enthusiasm about contributing to innovative fintech solutions and being part of a people-first company.