
Valtech · Sofia
Why Valtech? We’re the experience innovation company - a trusted partner to the world’s most recognized brands. To our people we offer growth opportunities, a v...
Why Valtech? We’re the experience innovation company - a trusted partner to the world’s most recognized brands. To our people we
offer growth opportunities, a values-driven culture, international careers and the chance to shape the future of experience.
At Valtech, you’ll find an environment designed for continuous learning, meaningful impact, and professional growth. Whether
you're pioneering new digital solutions, challenging conventional thinking or building the next generation of customer
experiences, your work will help transform industries.
The role
We are looking for an experienced Senior Data Engineer to design, build, and optimize modern, cloud-based data platforms that
power analytics, AI, and data products across the organization. Beyond technical delivery, we're looking for someone genuinely
curious about the business problems behind the data — someone who can apply common sense thinking, detailed analysis, and
experience-based recommendations to help derive and shape business requirements, not just implement them as given.
You will work on scalable batch, streaming, and near-real-time pipelines, enabling high-quality, curated datasets while ensuring
robust data governance, security, and observability across the data ecosystem. You will also play a key role in supporting AI and
GenAI systems, enabling pipelines for machine learning, causal modeling, and LLM-powered applications such as RAG and agent-based
systems.
Our preferred platforms are Microsoft Azure / Fabric (primary), GCP, AWS, Databricks, and Snowflake, with Azure experience being
highly transferable to Fabric. You will collaborate closely with data scientists, ML engineers, and platform teams to ensure the
data foundation supports production-grade, decision-oriented AI systems.
Role responsibilities
Build & Data Platform Engineering
Design and implement scalable data platforms and pipelines across cloud environments (Azure/Fabric, AWS, GCP, Databricks,
Snowflake). This includes developing reliable batch, streaming, and near-real-time pipelines using technologies such as Spark and
Delta Lake, and building ingestion, transformation, and curation workflows for both structured and unstructured data.
You will implement modern data architectures including lakehouse patterns and medallion layering (bronze, silver, gold), ensuring
systems are reusable, scalable, and aligned with enterprise needs.
Enable AI, GenAI & Data Products
Deliver high-quality datasets that support analytics, machine learning, causal modeling, and optimization systems. You will enable
data pipelines for GenAI use cases (including LLMs, RAG pipelines, and vector-based data flows), as well as agent-based
architectures and intelligent workflows, ensuring that data is model-ready and production-grade.
Data Modeling, Orchestration & Automation
Design scalable logical and physical data models for analytical and operational use cases, ensuring consistency across domains.
Orchestrate workflows using tools such as Airflow, dbt, Lakeflow, or equivalents, with strong focus on automation, reliability,
and maintainability of end-to-end pipelines.
Architecture, Governance & Observability
Apply modern architecture patterns including event-driven and streaming architectures, and ensure adherence to best practices in
data governance, lineage, quality, and access control (RBAC/ABAC).
Establish strong data observability, including monitoring of data freshness, pipeline reliability, and SLA adherence, ensuring
systems remain trustworthy and production-ready.
Data Serving, Integration & Optimization
Enable data serving layers (APIs, feature inputs, analytical endpoints) to support downstream systems, including ML and AI
platforms. Continuously monitor and optimize pipelines and infrastructure for performance, scalability, and cost efficiency.
Requirements Discovery & Business Partnership
Bring genuine curiosity to every engagement — ask the right questions to understand not just what stakeholders are asking for, but
why. Apply common sense thinking, detailed analysis, and experience-based recommendations to help derive and refine business
requirements, surfacing gaps or better alternatives where they exist rather than simply executing a brief as written.
Collaboration
Work closely with data scientists, ML engineers, analysts, and business stakeholders to translate requirements into robust data
solutions. Support adoption of data products and contribute to best practices across the data and AI ecosystem.
Must have qualifications
Technical skills
Strong hands-on experience with Apache Spark and Delta Lake, and strong programming skills in Python and SQL. Proven experience
building batch and streaming data pipelines and production-grade data platforms, with solid understanding of data modeling, data
quality, and governance principles.
Cloud & Platforms (Key Requirement)
Experience with one or more major cloud platforms, with preference for Microsoft Azure / Fabric, as well as AWS or GCP.
Familiarity with modern data platforms such as Databricks and Snowflake is expected.
Architecture & Systems Thinking
Experience with lakehouse architectures and distributed data systems, and strong understanding of scalability, reliability, and
performance considerations in data pipelines.
Mindset
Naturally curious, with strong problem-solving skills focused on scalability and reliability, and a collaborative approach to
working in cross-functional teams. Comfortable applying common sense thinking, detailed analysis, and experience-based
recommendations to help derive and challenge business requirements rather than taking them at face value. Experience in Agile or
consulting environments is beneficial.
Nice to have qualifications
Experience with GenAI and AI data systems (e.g., RAG pipelines, vector databases, LLM data preparation), as well as CI/CD for data
pipelines and infrastructure-as-code tools such as Terraform, ARM, or CloudFormation.
Additional exposure to streaming technologies (e.g., Kafka), Spark optimization, or advanced analytics and ML workloads (including
causal or experimentation platforms) is valuable. Experience building data products or large-scale analytics platforms is also
beneficial.
Commitment to reaching all kinds of people
We design experiences that work for all kinds of people - and that starts with our own teams. At Valtech, we’re intentional about
building an inclusive culture where everyone feels supported to grow, thrive and achieve their goals. No matter your background,
you belong here. Explore our Diversity & Inclusion site to see how we’re creating a more equitable Valtech for all.
Once you apply, our Talent Acquisition team will review your application. Your CV should cover key information on relevant
experiences and expertise. We do not require information such as age, gender, marital status, or a headshot in your application.
We review all candidates based on skills, experience, and potential.
⚠️ Beware of recruitment fraud!
We are committed to inclusion and accessibility. If you need reasonable accommodations during the interview process, please either
indicate it in your application or let your Talent Partner know.
Valtech is the experience innovation company that exists to unlock a better way to experience the world. By blending crafts,
categories, and cultures, we help brands unlock new value in an increasingly digital world.
At the intersection of data, AI, creativity, and technology, we drive transformation for leading organizations, including L’Oréal,
Mars, Audi, P&G, Volkswagen Dolby, and more.
At Valtech, we don’t just talk about transformation. We make it happen. Our people are the heart of our success, and we foster a
workplace where everyone has the support to thrive, grow and innovate.
Are you ready to create what’s next? Join us.
ABOUT US The Financial Times (FT) is one of the world’s leading business news and information organisations. We are recognised globally for our authority, integrity, and accuracy. We provide a broad range of essential services, including news, comment, data, and analysis, to a growing audience of internationally minded business people. Here at the FT, gold-standard journalism is just the beginning. Our 500-people-strong Product & Tech team keeps us ahead of the ever-changing digital landscape by delivering cutting-edge products to over one million digital subscribers every day. Our plans for growth rely on a diverse, dedicated, and dynamic group of product, tech, delivery, and data specialists – everyone’s welcome in this friendly, forward-thinking team. STORYFINDING TEAM The Storyfinding team sits at the heart of innovation between the FT’s newsroom and technology. We collaborate closely with the Computational Journalism team to uncover and scale new ways of finding stories hidden in complex or unstructured data. Our mission is to turn bespoke investigations into reusable tools and data products that empower more journalists to tell stories that otherwise would be untold. This is where engineering meets journalism — you can see the direct impact of your work on the FT’s homepage. Since the team was formed, Storyfinding has helped uncover more than 10 exclusive stories, including Europe builds for war as arms factories expand at triple speed and Prices for used Teslas drop in US and Britain. We are a cross-functional team of Software Engineers, Data Engineers, ML Ops Engineers, and Product Managers. We balance strong engineering practices with the fast-moving needs of the newsroom, delivering quickly while keeping our systems reliable, secure, and easy to evolve. ABOUT THE ROLE OVERVIEW We are looking for a Senior Software Engineer 1 to play a key role in designing, building, and operating the backend systems and services that power Storyfinding’s investigative and editorial work. This is a hands-on senior individual contributor role with a primary focus on backend software engineering. You will be responsible for designing and building robust backend systems and services, while also maintaining that data engineering is a key component of the work. You will contribute to and maintain critical data pipelines and data products, helping to establish patterns and standards that enable the team to scale its impact. WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON Some example projects include: * Designing and operating data pipelines that ingest, clean, enrich, and model complex datasets for investigative reporting. * Building resilient, observable data workflows to support high-traffic and time-critical newsroom events such as elections or major economic announcements. * Developing shared data infrastructure and tooling that turns one-off investigations into reusable capabilities for the wider newsroom. * Working with unstructured and semi-structured data sources (documents, filings, scraped content, APIs) to create high-quality, queryable datasets. * Collaborating with journalists, product managers, and engineers to translate editorial questions into scalable data solutions. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES * Design, build, and maintain scalable and resilient backend services, APIs, and infrastructure. * Ensure high standards of software quality through testing, documentation, observability, and security across all systems. * Design, build, and maintain scalable, reliable data pipelines and datasets in a cloud environment. * Work across OLTP and OLAP data stores to support both application-driven and analytical use cases. * Partner closely with journalists and other technical colleagues to shape data solutions that directly support storytelling. * Lead by example in engineering best practices, including code review, documentation, and pragmatic architectural decision-making. * Support and mentor more junior engineers through pairing, feedback, and knowledge sharing. * Identify areas where AI and new technologies can help in the newsroom and be able to propose ideas. * Actively participate in the process of requirements gathering and have the desire to have regular catch-ups with editors and journalists if that’s needed. ABOUT YOU We’re looking for someone curious, pragmatic, and motivated by impact. You enjoy working with messy real-world data, care deeply about reliability and clarity, and are comfortable operating in an environment where priorities can shift quickly around editorial deadlines. ESSENTIAL SKILLS * Strong experience as a backend engineer designing and building production-grade distributed systems and APIs in a cloud environment. * Excellent Python skills for developing backend services, system integration, and data processing. * Solid experience as a data engineer with a vital skill set in maintaining production data pipelines and using workflow orchestration tools like Apache Airflow. * Experience working with cloud platforms, particularly AWS. * Familiarity with modern engineering practices including version control, CI/CD, and automated testing. * The ability to communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. * Interest in exploring new technologies and approaches related to AI and Agentic AI. * An interest in journalism, investigations, or using data to answer real-world questions. * Data Science (DS) experience or education is highly valuable for this role, as we leverage AI heavily for many of our use cases. DESIRABLE SKILLS * Strong SQL skills and experience designing and working with relational and analytical databases. * Experience with databases such as BigQuery, Redshift, PostgreSQL, SingleStore, or MongoDB. * Experience working with unstructured or semi-structured data at scale. * A solid understanding of data modelling, data architecture, and trade-offs between different storage and processing approaches. * Comfort contributing to backend software engineering tasks beyond pure data pipelines. * Exposure to building internal tools or lightweight user-facing applications. * Experience with building simple user interfaces or/and the desire to do so (e.g., using frameworks like Streamlit). CHARACTERISTICS WE VALUE * Inquisitive and analytical, with strong problem-solving skills. * Pragmatic and delivery-focused, able to balance technical quality with newsroom deadlines. * Collaborative and generous with your knowledge. * Comfortable working with ambiguity and evolving requirements. * A systems-level thinker who can see how individual pipelines and tools fit into a broader platform. * Motivated by learning and continuous improvement. * A collaborative team member who thrives in cross-functional environments and values collective success. OUR TECHNOLOGY We don’t expect you to be an expert in everything. Our current stack includes: * Languages: Python, SQL * Cloud & Infrastructure: AWS * Data Pipelines & Orchestration: Apache Airflow, AWS ECS * Databases: BigQuery, Redshift, PostgreSQL, SingleStore, MongoDB * Version Control & CI/CD: GitHub, CircleCI * Frontend (small part of the role): Streamlit This is a unique opportunity to use your technical skills to contribute to data journalism. You’ll be making content for the FT’s readership, using data to make news accessible, understandable, and impactful. If this sounds like a role that aligns with your expertise and ambitions, we’d love to hear from you! IN RETURN, WE CAN OFFER YOU * Annual bonus scheme * 25 days paid leave * 24/7 Employee Assistance Program * Life Insurance * Enhanced Parental Leave policy * Food Allowance * Multisport Card * Both in house and external training programs * Your own training dedicated budget (for conferences, courses etc.) We currently operate a hybrid model which requires staff to work onsite 50% of the time, subject to role requirements & regular review. While flexible working requests will be considered, not all patterns are suitable for all roles. We believe this balanced approach supports flexibility and protects our culture, making collaboration and communication easier, building stronger relationships and team cohesion, and supporting peer learning. We reserve discretion on reasonable notice to change this approach either generally or for specific individuals or teams. Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups. Accessibility We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments/personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, email talent@ft.com and a member of our team will be happy to help. Further information At the FT, we embrace innovation and the use of technology and appreciate that individuals may leverage AI tools as part of their job application process. Whilst we are happy for you to use AI to assist with your application, it is essential that all information provided is authentic and accurately represents your skills, experience, and qualifications. Candidates should be aware that the use of AI throughout the application process may be monitored to ensure a fair and transparent hiring process for all. Please beware of fraudulent job postings and offers claiming to be from the Financial Times. All legitimate opportunities will direct you to apply through the official Financial Times careers site, and the FT will never ask for financial information, payments, or referrals to third parties during the hiring process. If you have any concerns about the legitimacy of a job posting or suspect any scam activity, please contact talent@ft.com. Interested in the FT but don’t see the right role yet? Join our Talent Community to receive exclusive updates, featured jobs, and insights into working at the FT. #LI-MG1
About Man Group Man Group is a global alternative investment management firm focused on pursuing outperformance for sophisticated clients via our Systematic, Discretionary and Solutions offerings. Powered by talent and advanced technology, our single and multi-manager investment strategies are underpinned by deep research and span public and private markets, across all major asset classes, with a significant focus on alternatives. Man Group takes a partnership approach to working with clients, establishing deep connections and creating tailored solutions to meet their investment goals and those of the millions of retirees and savers they represent. Headquartered in London, we manage $228.7 billion* and operate across multiple offices globally. Man Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker EMG.LN and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. Further information can be found at www.man.com At Man Group, we respect your privacy and we are committed to protecting and safeguarding your Personal Data. We have developed policies and processes which are designed to provide for the security and integrity of your Personal Data. We are committed to Processing your Personal Data fairly and lawfully, and being open and transparent about such Processing. For further information on how we process your data, please see the privacy notice for applicants here * As at 31 March 2026 The Role We’re seeking Senior Python Engineers to join various teams across our technology organisation, working on diverse challenges spanning systematic trading, quantitative research, a petabyte-scale data platform, and AI solutions. The role offers the opportunity to collaborate with and learn alongside highly skilled engineers whilst developing core technical and financial services knowledge. You will work with cutting-edge technologies and systems that power critical areas of Man Group’s business. Role Responsibilities * Design and maintain scalable backend systems and APIs that support quantitative research and trading infrastructure * Develop distributed compute applications, optmise performance, and implement monitoring and observability tooling to ensure system reliability * Build high-performance data pipelines for processing large-scale financial datasets using timeseries, SQL, and NoSQL databases * Partner with engineers, researchers, and platform teams to translate complex requirements into technical solutions that integrate with Man Group’s technology estate * Participate in production support rotations and contribute to architecture decisions, code reviews, and engineering best practices across the team * You should have the enthusiasm for leveraging AI development tools to accelerate delivery and driving their adoption across the team. Our Technology You’ll work in a modern, Linux-based infrastructure where Python is the primary development language, utilising the full scientific stack including pandas, numpy, scipy, and scikit-learn. A key component of our data infrastructure is ArcticDB (https://arcticdb.io/), our internally developed DataFrame database that you’ll use extensively. We maintain a dynamic technology landscape, continuously evaluating and adopting new tools and libraries that enhance our capabilities. man.com/technology Key Competencies Essential * Minimum 5 years’ professional software development experience in any object-oriented language. Python experience is preferred, though we are open to candidates proficient in other object-oriented languages who are willing to learn Python. * Strong academic record with coursework focused on mathematical and computing content e.g. Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering or Science * Experience developing mission-critical production systems, with knowledge of best practices for testing, monitoring, and deployment Proficient on Linux platforms and strong understanding of Git * Strong knowledge of one or more relevant database technologies e.g. MS SQL, Postgres, or MongoDB * Demonstrated experience working with large data sets, both structured and unstructured * Ability to work independently and gather requirements from stakeholders * Embracing agentic engineering — willingness and ability to work effectively with AI -assisted development tools as part of daily workflow Advantageous * Deep understanding of the Python scientific stack (pandas, numpy, scipy, scikit-learn) * Familiarity with distributed systems and orchestration * Knowledge of modern data engineering practices including data pipeline & ETL tools, distributed storage & processing and data warehousing * Contributions to open-source projects * Experience working with Large Language Models (LLMs) * Experience mentoring junior team members and managing projects Why Man Group? * Work on challenging problems at the cutting edge of technology and finance * Collaborate with world-class engineers, researchers, and investment professionals * Receive on-the-job training to develop and succeed at the firm * Entrepreneurial, innovation-driven culture * Small, agile teams with high autonomy * Opportunity to make a real impact on investment strategies managing billions in assets Benefits * Modern office located in the OfficeX campus with easy access to transport and amenities. * Hybrid working model * Competitive compensation package * 25 days holiday allowance * Premium Health insurance * Employee Assistance program * Referral Bonus * Additional days off for long service and volunteering * Multisport card * Opportunities for professional development including internal tech talks * Conference attendance, and engagement with the open-source community Inclusion, Work-Life Balance and Benefits at Man Group You'll thrive in our working environment that champions equality of opportunity. Your unique perspective will contribute to our success, joining a workplace where inclusion is fundamental and deeply embedded in our culture and values. Through our external and internal initiatives, partnerships and programmes, you'll find opportunities to grow, develop your talents, and help foster an inclusive environment for all across our firm and industry. Learn more at www.man.com/diversity. You'll have opportunities to make a difference through our charitable and global initiatives, while advancing your career through professional development, and with flexible working arrangements available too. Like all our people, you'll receive two annual 'Mankind' days of paid leave for community volunteering. Our comprehensive benefits package includes competitive holiday entitlements, pension/401k, life and long-term disability coverage, group sick pay, enhanced parental leave and long-service leave. Depending on your location, you may also enjoy additional benefits such as private medical coverage, discounted gym membership options and pet insurance. Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Man Group provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and all employees without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, religion, disability, sex, gender identity and expression, marital status, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, age or any other legally protected category or status in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Man Group is a Disability Confident Committed employer; if you require help or information on reasonable adjustments as you apply for roles with us, please contact TalentAcquisition@man.com.
We believe in the everyday hero. Those who have the courage to follow their passion and who have the strength and determination to realise their dreams. Small business owners are at the heart of all we do, so we're creating powerful, easy-to-use financial solutions to help them run their businesses. With a founder’s mentality and a 'team-first’ attitude, our diverse teams across Europe, South America and the United States work together to ensure that small business owners can be successful doing what they love. At SumUp, the Global Bank team builds the core infrastructure and services that give merchants a digital bank account, helping small businesses manage their money easily and reliably. The Balance Management Squad sits at the core of the Global Bank Platform. Right now, our team is completing a major milestone: consolidating and modernizing our balance management system in Europe. The next big step is creating a global transaction history service; a single, shared platform used by all regions to give merchants consistent and transparent views of their financial activity. As a Backend Engineer, you’ll help modernize existing systems while balancing innovation with stability, collaborate with teams across regions, and build reliable services that manage diverse markets with different regulations. If you enjoy solving complex problems on high-load systems, are curious about banking, and are looking for a team that tackles challenges head-on, we’d love to hear from you. What You’ll Do * Build and evolve the SumUp’s core banking services that powers ledger operations and transactions, transforming our regional systems into a unified, scalable global platform. * Tackle complex distributed systems challenges, ensuring resilient services that continue to perform under high transaction volumes. * Support modernization initiatives by improving observability, adding test coverage, refactoring code for long-term maintainability, and gradually introducing new architectural patterns without disrupting live banking operations. * Contribute to key architectural decisions - build ledger and transaction history systems from the ground up, ensuring a globally scalable banking solution for our clients. * Collaborate with teams across Risk, Treasury, Finance, and Infrastructure to ensure smooth, compliant, and reliable global operations * Take ownership from design to production, running the services you build, monitoring their performance, and continuously improving how we deliver high-quality software at scale. You’ll be great for this role if * You have solid backend experience building reliable, high-volume services and you think carefully about system design, APIs, data modeling, and how services interact. * You are proficient in Golang and comfortable learning and working with other languages as needed, e.g. Kotlin or Elixir. * You write maintainable, well-tested code, follow CI/CD best practices, and take responsibility for the software you build from development to production. * You’re comfortable building, deploying, and running services in cloud environments like AWS using Docker and Kubernetes. * You’re eager to learn about relational databases that perform well under load and maintain data consistency. * You are a collaborator who enjoys working across regions, communicating clearly, exchanging feedback effectively, and making thoughtful technical decisions together. * You have a curiosity for building reliable financial services and banking domain It’s a plus if you have * Knowledge of Elixir - some of our legacy services are written in Elixir, and while it's not essential, it would be useful if you've worked with it before * Deeper PostgreSQL experience - we rely heavily on Postgres, so if you've done performance tuning, complex queries, or schema design, that's a plus * Experience with event streaming platforms (Kafka preferred) and modern observability stacks (Grafana, Honeycomb, etc.) Why you’ll enjoy working at SumUp * Be part of a company that values diversity and celebrates unique perspectives. * Work with a global team of skilled professionals in an environment that fosters collaboration, learning, and growth. * The opportunity to work on large scale fintech products used by millions of businesses around the world * You’ll receive 25 days’ paid leave, plus 1 additional day for each year of employment. * You can take up to 10 days’ educational leave to expand your skill set. * Career growth and learning opportunities: We invest in your development through regular training, mentorship programs, SumUp University leadership cohort and a yearly learning budget (2,000 EUR) * Enrollment onto our virtual stock ownership program - you will own a stake in SumUp’s future success * Access to the SumUp Sabbatical, our Employee assistance program for mental health * Join a global team where you belong: Check out our D&I Initiatives and Employee Resource Groups such as Pride Club, SumAfro, Neurodiversity, Grupos Mais, Women in Tech, and more * We offer additional health insurance, a subsidized Multisport card, free shuttle buses from Joliot-Curie metro station and other great benefits. * You’ll attend global offsites and/or hackathons About SumUp Be empowered to do more that matters. At SumUp, we're on a mission to empower small businesses across the globe by providing a vast set of simple and affordable business tools to help them start, run, and grow their businesses. Today, over 4 million businesses in 36 markets rely on SumUp as their financial partner to manage payments, finance and customer relationships. Our commitment to small businesses is reflected in our diverse team of over 3,000 SumUppers from over 90 nationalities, united by global collaboration and an innovative mindset. Our core values lay the foundation for who we are and what we stand for, shaping our work culture and driving our success. We foster an inclusivity and continuous learning culture, providing a safe space for personal and professional growth. Our differences make us unique and strong as we strive to create an environment where everyone belongs and feels supported, no matter how they identify. SumUp is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, actively seeking and embracing diversity in our workforce. We don't make hiring or employment decisions based on race, colour, religion or religious belief, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age or any other basis protected by applicable laws or prohibited by company policy. Our commitment extends beyond recruitment to creating a safe and respectful workplace where harassment of any form is strictly prohibited. Explore career opportunities with us and join a team driven by collaboration, innovation, and a shared vision of creating a world where everyone can build a thriving business. Discover more about our vibrant and inclusive work culture and how we work on our careers website, and follow our journey on LinkedIn and Instagram. Job Application Tip We recognise that candidates feel they need to meet 100% of the job criteria in order to apply for a job. Please note that this is only a guide. If you don’t tick every box, it’s ok too because it means you have room to learn and develop your career at SumUp.