Senior C++ Engineer

About the role:

We are hiring a senior, hands‑on C++ engineer to build and optimize the low‑latency hot path for a top‑tier global trading firm (name shared under NDA). This is a headhunting search for one exceptional engineer, not a volume hire. You will own performance‑critical trading and market‑data systems in production, working alongside traders and quant researchers.

If you are motivated by genuinely cutting‑edge, latency‑obsessed engineering - not just comp - this is built for you.

Location and eligibility:

• Fully remote from the UK (primary), Netherlands, or France
• You must already hold the right to work in your country of residence (no sponsorship offered)

Engagement:

• 12-month contract, convertible to a full‑time/permanent role after 12 months by mutual agreement
• Employment/engagement vehicle handled per country

Compensation:

• Highly competitive, benchmarked to top‑of‑market trading‑firm rates for senior low‑latency engineers
• Exact range confirmed at screening

What you will do:

• Design, build, and optimize the low‑latency hot path for automated/electronic trading in modern C++ (C++17/20)
• Build and maintain market‑data infrastructure: feed handlers, ticker plant, order‑book construction, and normalization
• Implement exchange connectivity and FIX‑based order flow, including smart‑order‑routing components
• Drive down tick‑to‑trade latency using lock‑free data structures, cache‑and NUMA‑aware design, and kernel‑by‑pass networking (Solarflare/Onload, DPDK)
• Profile, measure, and eliminate latency and jitter across the full stack
• Translate strategy and execution needs from traders and quants into performant, reliable production code
• Own components end‑to‑end: reliability, observability, and incident response

Required

• ~6+ years of professional C++ engineering in production low‑latency systems
• Modern C++: C++17 minimum, C++20 preferred
• Low‑latency experience from traditional financial services: proprietary trading firm, market‑maker, HFT shop, investment‑bank e‑trading desk, or systematic hedge fund
• Direct market‑data, feed‑handler, or electronic‑trading exposure
• Hands‑on with lock‑free programming, multicast, low‑level networking, and performance profiling
• Comfortable with fully remote work and a 12‑month contract structure

Nice to have

• Kernel‑by‑pass (Solarflare/Onload, DPDK) and NUMA/cache‑aware design
• Order book, ticker plant, smart‑order‑router, and exchange connectivity
• Deep tenure in a single demanding low‑latency environment

Not a fit

• Low‑latency C++ experience derived solely from crypto exchanges or crypto market‑makers (traditional trading backgrounds required)
• Purely academic or research C++ with no production low‑latency systems
• A pattern of very short tenures with no depth in one low‑latency environment

Screening focuses on

1. ~6+ years of professional C++ / low‑latency engineering
2. Low‑latency C++ built inside traditional financial services
3. Direct market‑data, feed‑handler, or electronic‑trading experience
4. Current base in the UK, NL, or FR and openness to a remote 12‑month contract

How we hire (AI transparency notice - EU AI Act & GDPR)

We use AI‑assisted tools in parts of our recruitment process, including candidate sourcing and initial screening support. In line with the EU AI Act and GDPR, we want you to know:

• Human oversight: A qualified human makes every shortlisting, interview, and hiring decision. No candidate is rejected or advanced by an automated system alone.
• No solely automated decisions: You will not be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing (GDPR Art. 22).
• Transparency: You will be told when you are interacting with an AI system (for example, automated outreach or any AI‑assisted assessment) and what it does.
• No prohibited practices: We do not use emotion‑recognition or biometric‑categorization tools in hiring.
• Fairness: Our screening is based on job-relevant skills and experience only; we monitor for and act against discriminatory outcomes.
• Your rights: You may request human review of any AI‑assisted step, an explanation of how it works, and access to or correction/deletion of your personal data. Contact us at any stage to exercise these rights.