Software Engineer Higher Apprenticeship - MarketAxess

Software Engineer Higher Apprenticeship - MarketAxess

MarketAxess – a leading electronic trading platform in the US, European, and Asian markets – is hiring for a UK-based Software Engineering Apprentice to join the team supporting and developing our RFQ-hub platform.

This is an entry-level opportunity designed for someone who thrives in a fast-moving environment, enjoys problem-solving, and wants to build a career in software engineering. You’ll learn from experienced engineers while contributing to real production services, with a structured training program and protected time for off-the-job learning.

What you’ll do (with support):

Production support & operational learning:

• Support production systems during core hours alongside experienced engineers, learning how incidents are diagnosed and resolved
• Learn to investigate issues using logs, metrics, SQL queries, and application-level debugging (with mentoring and runbooks)
• Help answer business and client queries by extracting and interpreting systems and trading data
• Build confidence communicating clearly during incidents and escalations, working with relationship managers, clients, and internal stakeholders
• Contribute to post-incident reviews and follow-up actions (fixes, automation, documentation) to improve reliability and supportability

Operations-driven software development:

• Help deliver small, well-scoped changes that improve platform stability, operability, and user experience
• Write clean, maintainable, and testable code in C#, F#, and TypeScript, supported by code reviews and pair programming
• Work closely with product, engineering, and integration teams to understand requirements, test changes, and learn how reliable services are delivered in production

Integration & connectivity (exposure):

• Learn how we onboard and support connectivity with external parties (e.g., FIX connections), following documented processes and escalating appropriately
• Support client onboarding and certification activities, helping improve documentation and automation to make integrations smoother over time

What we’re looking for:

• Demonstrable interest in software development (e.g., coursework, personal projects, bootcamp, career change portfolio) with a desire to specialize in C#/.NET and TypeScript.
• Comfortable with data and queries (basic-to-intermediate SQL is a plus) and keen to learn production diagnostics.
• A calm, methodical approach to troubleshooting and a willingness to follow runbooks, ask good questions, and escalate appropriately.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to explain what you’re doing and what you’ve tried to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Willingness to use modern developer tooling (e.g., GitHub Copilot or similar) responsibly to accelerate learning and delivery.

Entry requirements:

• The learner must have completed a Level 3 Software Development Apprenticeship with QA or have an equivalent qualification with another training provider
• OR an A-level in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) subject and a successful completion of our aptitude test
• OR a BTEC Diploma in IT and a successful completion of our aptitude test
• OR 2 years’ experience in a relevant role and successful completion of our aptitude test
• You may also have a combination of qualifications and experience which demonstrate the minimum foundation needed for the programme. In this instance you could still be considered for the programme.
• If you hold international equivalents of the above qualifications, at the time of your application you must be able to provide an official document that states how your international qualifications compare to the UK qualifications.

Working hours:

37.5 hours per week

What you can expect from us:

• Central location: based at our city offices near St Paul's.
• Free food: We provide lunch each day of the week when the employee attends the office via our vendor Feedr as well as breakfast cereals, office snacks and drinks from our free vending machines
• Paid time off: 25 days annual leave entitlement plus 2 charity days
• Reward for your service: We offer a two-week bonus holiday after completing each 5 years of service
• Core benefits: Besides competitive standard benefits package we offer private medical (PMI) for family, cash plan, health screenings, dental cover, 6X life assurance, critical illness cover, income protection, pension, car leasing (Tusker electronic cars), reimbursement for wellness stipend, interest free season ticket loan and a “Share Incentive” plan
• Tuition assistance and professional training: Benefit from on-demand learning, boot camps, and opportunities to attend conferences
• Employees in Technology work in the office 2 or more days a week. This approach still allows for flexibility depending on the business function you work within but also helps us maintain a collaborative office environment long-term

Future prospects:

90% of QA apprentices secure permanent employment after completing: this is 20% higher than the national average.

How to apply

To apply for this role and to find out more, please click on the apply button. Please note that applications may close before the application deadline, so apply early to avoid disappointment.