Garda is looking to hire a Senior Software Engineer (AI Tooling) to be a part of our Research and Technology (R&T) group to design and build systems that integrate modern AI capabilities across the firm. The selected candidate will lead technical projects, architect backend infrastructure, and create applications that enable research, trading, and operations teams to leverage AI tools effectively. 

This is a senior engineering role focused on building production systems and internal platforms—not ML research or model development. You'll design API gateways, build vector search infrastructure, create AI-powered internal applications, and work with business stakeholders to translate requirements into robust technical solutions. The ideal candidate is excited about the practical applications of AI but wants to focus on software engineering, system design, and delivery. Experience in financial services or capital markets is strongly preferred.

Position Responsibilities

• Design and lead implementation of backend infrastructure for AI capabilities (LLM gateways, vector databases, chat services, monitoring systems)
• Build internal applications that integrate AI into research, trading, and operations workflows
• Architect data processing pipelines and API integrations for AI-powered features
• Own complete projects from design through production deployment
• Evaluate new AI platforms and tools; build proofs-of-concept and convert successful ones to production
• Provide technical consultation to business stakeholders and translate their needs into practical solutions
• Make architectural decisions for systems integrating AI capabilities with existing infrastructure
• Build automation workflows that reduce manual processes using AI tools
• Develop integrations between internal systems, vendor platforms, and AI services
• Establish patterns and best practices for AI application development across the firm
• Mentor other engineers and contribute to technical standards
• Collaborate with infrastructure and security teams on deployment, scaling, and governance

Qualifications & Desired Skills

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Finance, or related field
• 5+ years of software engineering experience
• Strong programming skills in Python (primary language) with experience in other languages a plus 
• Proven experience designing and building backend services, APIs, and internal platforms
• Experience with cloud platforms, containerization, or distributed systems
• Strong interest in AI applications and modern development tools; no ML/deep learning background required
• Ability to evaluate new technologies, build prototypes, and make pragmatic technical decisions
• Experience with fixed income, trading systems, or investment management operations strongly preferred
• Capital markets knowledge is a significant advantage
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to learn new technologies rapidly
• Strong communication skills with ability to work effectively across technical and business teams
• Self-directed with ability to drive projects independently from concept to production
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with evolving requirements
• Excited about building practical tools that deliver real business value