Meet Dom, a graduate software engineer who joined VivCourt’s Sydney office in 2024 and now contributes to our execution platforms team from Brisbane. With a background in Mathematics and Computer Science, majoring in machine learning at the University of Queensland, Dom brings both curiosity and technical depth to his role. He shares what excites him about engineering, the skills that help him thrive, and what a typical day on the job really looks like.
Tell us about your role. What sparked your interest in engineering? I work on the execution platforms team, which means my focus is on developing software that all our trading desks use to manage orders in their respective markets. I primarily focus on enhancing our existing applications or implementing new features introduced by the market. I’ve always loved solving problems, and becoming a software engineer meant I would get to do that every day. I also grew up with both my mum and dad being engineers which definitely influenced my career choice.
What prior skills or experience have been most relevant to your current work? Studying Mathematics and Computer Science at uni provided me with the foundational skills required to become a software engineer. I also spent two years as an undergraduate developer while studying. During my time in this role, I learnt to work with large codebases, collaborate with clients, and design software solutions. These skills allowed me to hit the ground running at VivCourt from day one.
Briefly describe a day in your life at VivCourt. My days are a blend of writing and reviewing code, testing, and deploying changes. I reserve my mornings for focused development, tackling more complex tasks during this time. Where market testing is required, I align my schedule with test market times to ensure I don’t miss the trading window. I typically conclude my day by deploying any completed changes, ensuring they are live for the next trading session.
What traits are most important for software engineers at VivCourt? I believe a crucial trait is the constant desire to learn and improve. Starting as a graduate in February, I faced a steep learning curve. However, actively seeking opportunities to learn made the transition into my role a lot smoother. This involved asking experienced engineers for help when needed but also taking the initiative to find answers independently.
Tips for students in getting through the interview process? Familiarity with our core languages (C++, C#, Python, Go) is a plus. Having a project to discuss is valuable – it doesn’t have to be a university assignment or related to our work at VivCourt. Just ensure it’s something you are passionate about and can discuss comfortably in an interview setting. Don’t hesitate to ask questions; the interview is a great opportunity to learn more about VivCourt.
