At a Glance
- Tasks: Build innovative systems for mid-frequency trading and develop intuitive self-service tools.
- Company: DRW, a leading diversified trading firm with a culture of innovation and respect.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, comprehensive health benefits, flexible work options, and a supportive team environment.
- Other info: Hybrid role based in Chicago, London, or New York City with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team to solve complex problems and make a real impact in trading technology.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in software development, strong CS fundamentals, and familiarity with financial markets.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
DRW is a diversified trading firm with over 3 decades of experience bringing sophisticated technology and exceptional people together to operate in markets around the world. We value autonomy and the ability to quickly pivot to capture opportunities, so we operate using our own capital and trading at our own risk. Headquartered in Chicago with offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia, we trade a variety of asset classes including Fixed Income, ETFs, Equities, FX, Commodities and Energy across all major global markets. We have also leveraged our expertise and technology to expand into three non-traditional strategies: real estate, venture capital and cryptoassets. We operate with respect, curiosity and open minds. The people who thrive here share our belief that it’s not just what we do that matters–it's how we do it. DRW is a place of high expectations, integrity, innovation and a willingness to challenge consensus.
We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join our Reference Data team in the Unified Platform (UP) organization as part of our efforts to build a mid-frequency platform. UP consolidates data and technologies into a comprehensive solution, accelerating time to market. Optimizing decision-making and research, our platform simplifies implementing new ideas, enhancing our competitive edge. As a Senior Software Engineer on one of the Unified Platform teams, you'll be part of a tight knit team of software engineers working closely with internal users (analysts, quants, traders) to develop innovative systems that enable research and trading. You'll experiment with emerging technologies to process data at scale. You’ll wrestle a mountain of data into human understandable insights. We care deeply about preserving a respectful and diverse team culture. We are a group of polyglots and technologists always seeking to find the right tool for each problem, even if that means learning something new or reviving something old. We value business impact and outcomes over process, and we make decisions based on data. We strive to adapt quickly as business priorities change.
What you’ll do in this role:
- Build and evolve data and platform capabilities that support mid-frequency trading research workflows
- Partner closely with internal customers to understand their needs and build intuitive self-service tools
- Develop software for large scale data acquisition, storage, accessibility, and visualization
- Design and operate scalable pipelines and platforms using modern "big data" and lakehouse patterns
- Improve reliability, observability, performance, and ergonomics across platform services
- Learn about market microstructure, financial instruments, and markets in which DRW participates or wants to participate in
This could be a good fit if you:
- Are motivated to solve hard problems with deceptively simple solutions
- Think a lot about user experience and try to really understand end users’ jobs and pain points
- Think a lot about APIs, modular design and testing
- Love refactoring and keep trying until you find a better answer
- Enjoy making the “right way to do it” the path of least resistance
- Have made a random tool for yourself…and then peers ask for it…then other teams ask for it…
- Are fiercely proud of your project’s reliability, performance and ease of maintenance
What we need on the team:
- 5+ years of platform-level software development experience
- Strong computer science fundamentals; a degree in Computer Science or equivalent work experience
- Financial market & reference data familiarity — understanding instrument IDs, feed normalization etc.
- Experience building research platforms and/or supporting mid-frequency trading environments
- Comfort working within a globally-distributed team
- A background in some of the following a bonus:
- Big data technologies: Spark, Delta Lake, Iceberg, Kafka, Airflow and/or Argo Workflows
- SQL and data warehousing/lake querying patterns
- Cloud-native deployments: AWS, Docker, Kubernetes
- Observability: Splunk, Prometheus, Grafana, Sentry
Location: This position is hybrid and can sit in Chicago, London, or New York City. The annual base salary range for this position is $175,000 to $225,000 depending on the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and relevant skill set. The position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. In addition, DRW offers a comprehensive suite of employee benefits including group medical, pharmacy, dental and vision insurance, 401k (with discretionary employer match), short and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance, health savings accounts, and flexible spending accounts.
Senior Software Engineer, Mid-Frequency Platform - UP Reference Data Team in London employer: DRW
DRW is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and innovative work culture in the heart of London. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, we offer opportunities for professional development and collaboration with leading quantitative researchers. Our commitment to cutting-edge technology and a supportive environment makes DRW an ideal place for Software Engineers looking to make a meaningful impact in the world of quantitative trading.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Software Engineer, Mid-Frequency Platform - UP Reference Data Team in London
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at DRW or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to DRW.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like DRW.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like DRW that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Software Engineer, Mid-Frequency Platform - UP Reference Data Team in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at DRW.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at DRW and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at DRW
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If DRW uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.