Head of Development (Trading System)

About the Company and Role

We are hiring for our client, a leading US-based fintech company operating as a systematic quantitative hedge fund. The firm is recognized for its advanced technology stack and strong engineering culture, where platform performance directly influences trading results across global markets.

Technology is central to the business. Architecture, latency, and execution discipline contribute directly to competitive advantage.

We are looking for a Head of Development (Trading System) to lead the evolution of the firm's high-frequency trading platform. This role owns the end-to-end development lifecycle of the trading system across exchange-traded products, including futures and equities.

The position combines stewardship of a production-critical Java-based platform with leadership of a next-generation C++ trading system initiative. It carries architectural responsibility and direct impact on system performance and strategy scalability.

This is a senior leadership role reporting to the CTO, focused on strengthening structure, accountability, and execution across the trading platform organization.

Location: Austin, TX (USA) / London, UK / Munich, Germany (hybrid format, 3 days per week in the office).

We are offering:

• Highly competitive compensation package structured to reflect seniority, scope of ownership, and measurable business impact;

• A leadership role in a high-performance quantitative trading environment;

• Ownership of a core trading system that directly drives firm performance;

• Strategic influence over platform architecture and long-term technical direction;

• Close collaboration with trading, research, and senior technology leadership;

• Health, vision, and dental insurance;

• Flexible sick time policy.

What kind of qualifications we are looking for:

• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or a related field;

• 5+ years of experience designing and maintaining high-performance trading platforms;

• Proven experience managing platform developers or leading high-performance engineering teams;

• Strong collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across research, technology, and trading functions;

• Deep expertise in C/C++ with solid experience in low-level programming and systems optimization;

• Experience working with production-critical systems where reliability and precision are essential;

• Exceptional attention to detail and a disciplined approach to stability in high-stakes environments.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the development of a next-generation C++ trading platform and define core architectural principles;

• Maintain and enhance the existing Java-based HFT platform, ensuring stability and performance in production;

• Design and execute a structured migration strategy that balances innovation with operational continuity;

• Strengthen monitoring, observability, and incident response processes;

• Continuously optimize performance, latency, and system scalability;

• Oversee hardware and software integration decisions to minimize latency and maximize throughput;

• Collaborate closely with trading and research teams to ensure seamless integration of trading systems and market data flows;

• Improve process clarity, ownership alignment, and execution standards within the infrastructure function.

If you thrive in high-performance environments where architectural decisions carry real financial impact, this role offers the scope and responsibility to match your expertise.