Description
Job Title: C++ Technical Lead - Algorithmic / Electronic Trading Systems
Location: London (Waterloo) - Hybrid (3 days in-office, 2 days remote)
Contract Length: 12 months, with potential for renewal
Start Date: ASAP
About the Client:
This organisation is widely recognised for its advanced and sophisticated trading capabilities. Within this division, the Systematic Trading team is responsible for developing and maintaining algorithmic and electronic trading platforms.
Role Overview
We are seeking a highly skilled and hands-on C++ Technical Lead to join the Systematic Trading and Commodities team. This is a contract role embedded within a premier software development initiative focused on building an electronic and algorithmic trading platform. As the Technical Lead, you will guide a small team of developers.
Key Responsibilities:
Technical Requirements:
Domain Experience:
Leadership & Interpersonal Skills:
Academic & Professional Qualifications:
Team Environment & Culture:
Location: London (Waterloo) - Hybrid (3 days in-office, 2 days remote)
Contract Length: 12 months, with potential for renewal
Start Date: ASAP
About the Client:
This organisation is widely recognised for its advanced and sophisticated trading capabilities. Within this division, the Systematic Trading team is responsible for developing and maintaining algorithmic and electronic trading platforms.
Role Overview
We are seeking a highly skilled and hands-on C++ Technical Lead to join the Systematic Trading and Commodities team. This is a contract role embedded within a premier software development initiative focused on building an electronic and algorithmic trading platform. As the Technical Lead, you will guide a small team of developers.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead a core team of 3-6 developers, providing mentor-ship, technical guidance, and leadership.
- Architect and develop low-latency, high-throughput trading systems.
- Collaborate with trading desks, product owners, and IT stakeholders to translate business requirements into scalable, production-ready solutions.
- Design and implement components such as order placement engines, pricing engines, market data ingestion pipelines, and exchange connectivity modules.
- Conduct rigorous code reviews and enforce best practices in software engineering.
- Ensure system reliability and performance in a production trading environment.
- Manage team priorities, sprint planning, and delivery time lines.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and technical excellence.
- Resolve technical and interpersonal challenges within the team to maintain productivity and morale.
Technical Requirements:
- 10+ years of professional experience in C++ development, with deep expertise in modern C++ (C++11/14/17/20).
- Strong understanding of object-oriented design, data structures, and algorithmic optimisation.
- Proven experience building real-time, low-latency, multi-threaded systems in a trading or similarly demanding environment.
- Experience with exchange connectivity protocols (e.g., ICE, CME) and FIX protocol (session and application layers).
- Deep knowledge of market data systems, including real-time acquisition, parsing, and processing.
- Proficiency in Linux-based development environments and distributed systems.
- Familiarity with version control systems (Git), CI/CD pipelines, and modern DevOps practices.
- Python experience is a plus, particularly for scripting, automation, or data analysis tasks.
Domain Experience:
- Direct experience working on a trading floor is essential.
- Background in commodities trading (especially oil and refined products) is preferred.
- Broader experience in FICC (Fixed Income, Currencies, and Commodities) asset classes is acceptable.
- Strong understanding of financial markets, trading work flows, and electronic execution systems.
- Prior experience in hedge funds, investment banks, proprietary trading firms, or energy trading organisations is highly desirable.
Leadership & Interpersonal Skills:
- Minimum 5 years in a technical leadership role, managing and mentoring software engineers.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage effectively with traders, quants, and senior stakeholders.
- Strong conflict resolution and team management capabilities in high-pressure environments.
- Ability to prioritise team workload and shield the team from shifting business demands.
- Agile mindset with a collaborative, feedback-driven approach to problem-solving.
Academic & Professional Qualifications:
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
- Strong academic track record and a demonstrated commitment to continuous learning.
Team Environment & Culture:
- The broader programme consists of approximately 60 professionals, with this role leading a focused, self-contained team of 3-6 developers.
- The team works in close collaboration with the business, ensuring that technology solutions are aligned with trading objectives.
- The environment is high-visibility and high-impact, offering opportunities for individual recognition and career growth.
- The culture emphasises innovation, technical excellence, and the development of sustainable technology solutions for energy and trading.