Python Systems Engineer (HFT / Low Latency)

The Company: Our client is an innovative technology-driven trading firm operating globally. They are active players in the quantitative finance sector, known for leveraging massive datasets and advanced infrastructure. If you are passionate about computer systems engineering and want to dive into an environment where performance matters, this is a great place to grow. You will join a collaborative R&D team that builds and maintains the backbone of algorithmic trading systems.The Role: As a Mid-Level Python Systems Engineer, you will help bridge the gap between software development, network engineering, and data analysis. Working closely with senior engineers, your goal will be to enhance the observability and performance of the trading platform. Instead of writing trading strategies, you will help build the "eyes and ears" of the system—tools that allow the team to see exactly what is happening inside the network stack and the operating system in real-time. Key Responsibilities: • System Telemetry & Tooling: Develop and maintain custom Python-based tools to harvest and aggregate telemetry data from distributed trading components. • Network Analysis Pipelines: Build and optimize data pipelines specifically for processing raw network packet captures (PCAP) to analyze latency and throughput. • Automated Diagnostics: Help create algorithms to detect anomalies in traffic patterns and OS performance metrics before they impact trading. • Infrastructure Optimization: Collaborate with the team to analyze findings and recommend changes in the trading stack (e.g., kernel tuning, network config) to improve overall performance. Essential Skills: • Python Experience: Minimum of 3 years of commercial experience writing clean, efficient, and robust Python code. • Practical Linux Knowledge: You are comfortable working in a Linux environment and have a good understanding of how the OS handles processes, memory, and networking. An eagerness to learn more advanced concepts (like context switches or kernel bypass) is highly valued. • Networking Fundamentals: Good understanding of the lower layers of the OSI model (TCP/IP, UDP, Ethernet, Multicast). • Scripting: Practical knowledge of Shell/Bash for everyday automation tasks. • Low-Level Awareness: Basic ability (or a strong willingness to learn how) to read C or C++ code to understand how Python interfaces with lower-level components. Desirable Experience (Nice to have): • Background in analyzing large time-series datasets. • Experience with network sniffing tools (Wireshark, tcpdump) and programmatic packet analysis. • Previous exposure to FinTech, HFT, or electronic trading environments (though strong pure-tech candidates from other industries are very welcome!).