# Staff Software Engineer - New Markets Japan

**Company:** [Alpaca](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/alpaca)
**Location:** Remote
**Role:** Backend Engineering
**Experience:** 7+ years
**Skills:** Go, Rust, Java, Kotlin, C#, Scala, C++, gRPC, REST APIs, Microservices, Domain-Driven Design, Event-Driven Design, Financial Apis, Market Data, Trade Settlement
**Posted:** 2026-08-12

> Designs and operates scalable backend brokerage systems for Japan, integrating financial-market infrastructure and Japan-specific regulatory requirements. Requires staff-level architecture experience, complex financial-systems expertise, and professional fluency in Japanese and English.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Design highly scalable, mission-critical brokerage systems for the Japan market.
- Develop and enhance middle- and back-office systems, including gRPC microservices, REST and gRPC APIs, and third-party vendor integrations for JPX, JSCC, JASDEC, banks, and identity verification vendors.
- Enhance the core framework to support multiple languages, currencies, and markets, including Japan-specific requirements such as NISA, MyNumber, withholding tax, and JP-GAAP accounting.
- Collaborate with technology leads in other regions through Slack and meetings.
- Coordinate in Japanese with local regulators, vendors, partners, and business stakeholders, translating requirements into technical specifications for global engineering teams.
- Troubleshoot incidents and bugs to maintain system integrity and performance.
- Participate in on-call rotations and support production issues during Japan business hours.
- Contribute to regional recruitment initiatives, cross-functional projects, engineering practices, mentoring, and the Japan engineering culture.

## Requirements
- Native or JLPT N1-level Japanese fluency, including professional reading, writing, and communication with local regulators, vendors, and partners.
- Business-level English fluency for English-only meetings, design discussions, code reviews, and documentation.
- Experience designing and developing complex financial systems, preferably including double-entry accounting.
- Strong understanding of accounting principles, ledger structures, and transaction reconciliation.
- Experience building scalable, highly available financial applications handling multicurrency transactions.
- Familiarity with financial-market regulatory compliance, preferably in Japan, including FIEA, FSA, JSDA, or JIPF frameworks.
- Proficiency in at least one statically typed language such as Go, Rust, Java, Kotlin, C#, Scala, or C++.
- Experience with financial APIs, market-data integrations, and trade-settlement processes.
- Strong computer science fundamentals and software architecture experience.
- Experience with domain-driven design and event-driven design.
- Ability to work independently in a fully remote, globally distributed team and under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to translate technical concepts into business strategies.
- Ability to lead and troubleshoot incidents or bugs during Japan business hours.
- Strong communication, problem-solving, and proactive decision-making skills.

## Nice-to-haves
- Proficiency in Go or willingness to ramp up quickly.
- Experience in the Japanese financial-services sector, including securities firms, banks, brokerages, or fintech.
- Experience integrating with JPX, TSE, OSE, JSCC, JASDEC, or major Japanese banks.
- Experience with NISA, iDeCo, tokutei-koza, or MyNumber.
- Startup or fast-growing technology-company experience.
- Knowledge of emerging technologies or passion for financial markets.
- Experience managing vendors and organizational budgeting.
- Experience working with global, English-speaking teams across multiple time zones.

## Compensation and benefits
- Competitive salary and stock options.
- Health benefits.
- One-time **USD $500** new-hire home-office setup benefit.
- **USD $150 per month** stipend via a Brex Card.

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