SVP Lead Engineer - Fixed Income, Low Latency Engineer in London

Team Overview

The Fixed Income Technology group is a global team responsible for the design, development, and support of the trading and risk management systems used by the Fixed Income business. Our platforms are a critical part of Citi's markets infrastructure, processing millions of trades and calculating risk for a multi‑billion dollar portfolio. We are a fast‑paced, results‑oriented team that values innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence. We work in close partnership with traders, quantitative analysts, and other business stakeholders to deliver cutting‑edge solutions that drive business growth.

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Lead Engineer to join our Fixed Income Technology team, specializing in low‑latency electronic trading. As a Senior Vice President, you will be a key technical leader responsible for the architecture, design, and implementation of our next‑generation cross‑asset order management platform, matching engines, and market data distribution systems. This is a hands‑on role that combines deep technical expertise in Java, C++ or Rust with leadership and a strategic mindset. You will lead complex, business‑critical projects, mentor talented engineers, and drive the adoption of modern technologies and best practices in high‑performance computing.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership: Lead the architectural design and development of high‑performance, low‑latency order management and execution systems, matching engines, and market data distribution systems for Fixed Income products.
• Hands‑On Development: Engage in active, hands‑on coding in Java, C++ or Rust, contributing to the core codebase and setting the standard for quality, performance, and reliability.
• System Architecture: Define and drive the long‑term technology vision for the order management platform, ensuring it is scalable, resilient, and aligned with business goals.
• Low‑Latency Optimization: Design, implement, and optimize trading workflows for ultra‑low latency, ensuring minimal processing time from order receipt to execution.
• Protocol Management: Develop and maintain FIX protocol connectivity with various internal and external trading venues, ensuring robust and compliant communication.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Partner closely with front‑office traders, quantitative analysts, and product managers to understand business requirements and translate them into robust technical solutions.
• Mentorship & Guidance: Mentor and coach junior and mid‑level engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Production Support: Act as a senior escalation point for resolving complex production issues, ensuring the stability and integrity of the trading platform.

Qualifications & Skills

• Experience: Extensive professional software development experience, with a significant portion in a front‑office role focused on low‑latency electronic trading or order management systems.
• Domain Knowledge: Deep understanding of Fixed Income products, electronic trading concepts, market data, and the trade lifecycle is essential.
• Technical Expertise: Expert‑level proficiency in C++ or Rust, with a strong emphasis on performance‑critical, low‑latency programming.
• Order Management Systems: Proven experience in the design, development, and maintenance of cross‑asset order management systems (OMS). Demonstrable expertise in building and optimizing low‑latency matching engines.
• Market Data Integration: Solid hands‑on experience in integrating with and managing vendor market data feed handlers (e.g., Redline, Exegy). Strong knowledge and practical experience in designing and implementing robust market data distribution systems for ultra‑low‑latency environments.
• FIX Protocol: Deep, practical knowledge of the FIX protocol, including session management, order flow, and execution reporting.
• High‑Performance Messaging: Strong knowledge of high‑performance messaging middleware (e.g., Kafka, Solace) and low‑latency data handling techniques. Proven experience designing and building complex, distributed, and fault‑tolerant systems.
• Development Tools: Experience with modern development tools, including Git, Jenkins, and containerization technologies (e.g., Docker, OpenShift).
• Leadership: Demonstrable experience leading software projects, mentoring engineers, and making key architectural decisions.
• Problem Solving: Exceptional analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to tackle complex challenges under pressure.
• Communication: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field.

Citi is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.