We’re seeking a Senior Java/Scala Developer to join the Optimus SDLC team and lead the evolution of Optimus within the broader Codetree ecosystem, which supports Morgan Stanley’s Fixed Income business and 1,500+ developers working across approximately 40 million lines of code and 400,000+ tests. This hands-on role will improve the software delivery lifecycle, from local development and code review through build, test, release, and deployment, by advancing developer tools, platform infrastructure, distributed systems, workflow automation, and AI-enabled engineering capabilities.
In the Technology division, we leverage innovation to build the connections and capabilities that power our Firm, enabling our clients and colleagues to redefine markets and shape the future of our communities. This is a Lead Software Engineering position at Director level, which is part of the job family responsible for developing and maintaining software solutions that support business needs.
Since 1935, Morgan Stanley is known as a global leader in financial services, always evolving and innovating to better serve our clients and our communities in more than 40 countries around the world.
What you’ll do in the role:
Build and enhance backend services, developer-facing tools, IDE integrations, bots, and SDLC platform infrastructure.
Design reactive and event-driven applications that integrate state from source control, build and test systems, workflow services, and operational data stores, and remain reliable under asynchronous updates and partial failures.
Contribute to AI-enabled engineering workflows across coding, testing, build failure diagnosis, code review, documentation, developer assistance, and remediation.
Evolve SDLC tools and interfaces so AI assistants and agents can interact safely and reliably with these workflows at scale.
Take ownership of operational reliability across the SDLC platform, diagnosing failures across services, applications, pipelines, distributed test infrastructure, schedulers, caches, and storage systems, and converting recurring issues into durable engineering improvements.
Partner directly with developers through triage and user engagement, translating feedback into durable platform enhancements.
Build observability, metrics, dashboards, and workflow automation that make the SDLC more reliable, transparent, and self-service.
Operate and scale build and test infrastructure supporting a large monorepo and extensive automated test estate.
Develop solutions with security, permissions, privacy, auditability, and responsible AI adoption in mind.
What you’ll bring to the role:
5+ years of software development experience, with strong Java or Scala skills (Python is used as a secondary language for automation and integration tooling).
Ability to design and develop scalable backend services, developer tooling, platform infrastructure, or automation solutions.
Understanding of Git workflows, code review practices, build systems, CI/CD concepts, test infrastructure, and release automation.
Strong debugging and analytical skills, with a track record of taking ownership of complex issues across distributed systems, build environments, and developer workflows.
Understanding of security, permissions, privacy, and auditability within engineering environments.
Ability to communicate effectively with technical users and stakeholders.
Experience with large monorepos, custom build systems, distributed test execution, or dependency graph analysis is beneficial.
Interest in applying AI-assisted software engineering tools safely and effectively across the SDLC.
All our positions are located in Montreal, Quebec. We offer a hybrid work environment, combining remote work and attendance in the office.
Knowledge of French and English is required.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM MORGAN STANLEY:
At Morgan Stanley, we raise, manage and allocate capital for our clients – helping them reach their goals. We do it in a way that’s differentiated – and we’ve done that for 90 years. Our values - putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, committing to diversity and inclusion, and giving back - aren’t just beliefs, they guide the decisions we make every day to do what's best for our clients, communities and more than 80,000 employees in 1,200 offices across 42 countries. At Morgan Stanley, you’ll find an opportunity to work alongside the best and the brightest, in an environment where you are supported and empowered. Our teams are relentless collaborators and creative thinkers, fueled by their diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are proud to support our employees and their families at every point along their work-life journey, offering some of the most attractive and comprehensive employee benefits and perks in the industry. There’s also ample opportunity to move about the business for those who show passion and grit in their work.
To learn more about our offices across the globe, please copy and paste https://www.morganstanley.com/about-us/global-offices into your browser.
Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a workforce that is diverse in experience and background. Our recruiting efforts reflect our strong commitment to a culture of inclusion, where individuals are hired, developed, and advanced based on their skills and talents.
Our workforce reflects a broad cross-section of the global communities in which we operate, bringing a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and experiences.
For more information, please visit: https://www.morganstanley.com/people-opportunities/eeo.
Skills Required
- 5+ years of experience in Java, Python, or Scala software development.
- Ability to design and develop scalable backend services, developer tooling, platform infrastructure, or automation solutions.
- Understanding of Git workflows, code review practices, build systems, CI/CD concepts, test infrastructure, and release automation.
- Experience debugging complex distributed systems, build environments, or developer workflows.
- Experience with observability, dashboards, workflow automation, bots, or developer productivity platforms.
- Understanding of security, permissions, privacy, auditability, and responsible AI adoption.
- Ability to communicate effectively with technical users and collaborate across global engineering teams.
- Knowledge of French and English.
- Experience with large monorepos, custom build systems, distributed test execution, dependency graph analysis, or developer productivity platforms.
- Exposure to AI-assisted software engineering tools or interest in learning how AI can be applied across the SDLC.
Morgan Stanley Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Morgan Stanley and has not been reviewed or approved by Morgan Stanley.
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Parental & Family Support — Family support is extensive, with paid parental leave for all parents, adoption and fertility assistance, backup childcare, and eldercare resources. Feedback suggests these programs meaningfully enhance the overall package and help with retention.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage spans medical, dental, vision, mental‑health access, care navigation, and expert second opinions. Convenient primary care access and condition‑specific support reinforce the depth of healthcare coverage.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity compensation and stock ownership are positioned as core motivators that encourage commitment and retention. Feedback suggests education and support are provided to help participants manage equity and related financial benefits.
Morgan Stanley Insights
What We Do
Morgan Stanley mobilizes capital to help governments, corporations, institutions and individuals around the world achieve their financial goals. For over 85 years, the firm’s reputation for using innovative thinking to solve complex problems has been well earned and rarely matched. A consistent industry leader throughout decades of dramatic change in modern finance, Morgan Stanley will continue to break new ground in advising, serving and providing new opportunities for its clients. Morgan Stanley is committed to maintaining the first-class service and high standard of excellence that have always defined the firm. At its foundation are five core values — putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, committing to diversity and inclusion, and giving back — that guide its more than 60,000 employees in 1,200 offices across 41 countries.








