At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of a cutting-edge trading execution platform from scratch.
- Company: Dynamic systematic quantitative fund prioritising engineering as a core advantage.
- Benefits: Competitive salary up to £550k, remote flexibility, and real ownership of projects.
- Other info: Opportunity for significant career growth in a fast-paced, innovative environment.
- Why this job: Make a tangible impact by building systems that drive real-time trading decisions.
- Qualifications: Strong experience in distributed systems and familiarity with trading or financial systems.
Greenfield builds at this level don't come around often. When they do, they tend to go to someone already inside the firm, or get scoped down before they reach the market. This one is real, it's open, and the mandate is as clean as it sounds.
A systematic quantitative fund, one that thinks of engineering as a core competitive advantage, not a support function, is building its execution front-end from scratch. No legacy codebase to work around. No inherited architecture to defend. A blank canvas, a senior team to collaborate with, and direct line of sight to the desk that will use what you build every day.
What You're Building
The platform is the trading desk's live operational cockpit, the system through which execution decisions are made, monitored, and controlled in real markets. If that sounds like meaningful work, it's because it is.
- Real-Time Execution Monitoring Systems that track the full order lifecycle as it happens: venue and router performance, slippage, rejects, fill quality, anomalies. The challenge isn't just capturing the data; it's surfacing the right signal at the right moment, fast enough to be genuinely useful when a desk is live.
- Control Plane & Operational Infrastructure Workflows, guardrails, permissions, audit trails, safe-to-trade checks. The layer the desk depends on when something unexpected happens. Robustness and predictability here aren't nice-to-haves, they're the whole point.
- State Management & Reconciliation The deceptively hard problem at the centre of any live trading system: what is actually true right now? Not what was true a moment ago, not what the system intended, but what is true. Designing for that consistently, under load, in production, is one of the more demanding problems in financial engineering.
- Desk-Facing UI Fast, intuitive interfaces built for people making high-stakes decisions in real time. A slow render or an ambiguous data state has consequences in this environment. The UI needs to be as robust as the systems underneath it.
The Stack
The backend is primarily C#, with the emphasis on distributed, event-driven, high-throughput systems built for production rather than demonstration. The frontend is React, built for performance and clarity in a real-time trading environment. That said, the firm is genuinely open on both sides. We consider strong engineers from Java, Go, or other typed backend languages. The language matters less than the depth of thinking around concurrency, async patterns, and system design under pressure. On the frontend, experience with Angular, Vue, or similar frameworks translates well; the important thing is an instinct for performant, high-clarity UI, not a specific framework.
If you're a strong backend engineer who's worked primarily in one language and are open to moving, that's a conversation worth having. If you're full-stack and have touched trading systems, execution infrastructure, or real-time data products, this was probably written for you.
What They're Looking For
- Senior engineers with strong fundamentals in distributed or event-driven systems
- Production experience: systems you've built that have run under real conditions, not just looked good in review
- Comfort with ambiguity and the judgment to make architectural calls without constant sign-off
- Some exposure to trading, execution, market data, or real-time financial systems; this doesn't have to be deep, but the domain context matters
- Full-stack capability is ideal; exceptional engineers who lean strongly one way are still considered
Why This Over What You're Doing Now
Most senior engineering roles at this compensation level come with a matrix organisation, a large existing codebase, and a slow feedback loop between what you build and whether it matters. This one doesn't. You'll own the architecture, ship it into production, and see the desk use what you build. The fund is established, the backing is real, and the greenfield mandate is genuine. If the combination of serious technical challenge, real ownership, and remote flexibility is what you've been waiting for, this is worth your time.
Lead Engineer – Greenfield Execution Platform - Systematic Quantitative Fund · London - Up to £550k TC employer: Mondrian Alpha
As a Lead Engineer at our systematic quantitative fund in London, you'll be part of an innovative team that views engineering as a core competitive advantage. We offer a collaborative work culture, opportunities for professional growth, and the chance to build a cutting-edge execution platform from the ground up, all while enjoying the flexibility of remote work. With a focus on meaningful contributions and direct impact on trading operations, this role provides a unique opportunity to shape the future of our technology in a dynamic environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Engineer – Greenfield Execution Platform - Systematic Quantitative Fund · London - Up to £550k TC
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, attend meetups, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on opportunities that aren't even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repo showcasing your projects, especially those related to real-time systems or trading platforms. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on system design and concurrency patterns. Practice coding challenges that focus on distributed systems, as these are key for the role we're looking at.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to reach out directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Engineer – Greenfield Execution Platform - Systematic Quantitative Fund · London - Up to £550k TC
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Engineering:When you write your application, let your enthusiasm for engineering shine through. We want to see that you’re not just looking for a job, but that you’re genuinely excited about building something from scratch and making a real impact.
Highlight Relevant Experience:Make sure to showcase any experience you have with distributed systems, real-time data products, or trading systems. We’re looking for engineers who can hit the ground running, so don’t be shy about sharing your successes and challenges in these areas.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, especially when it comes to technical details. Use bullet points if it helps, and make sure we can easily see how your skills align with what we’re looking for.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Mondrian Alpha
✨Know Your Tech Stack Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in C# and React, as these are key to the role. Brush up on distributed systems and event-driven architecture, and be ready to discuss your past experiences with real-time data products or trading systems.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to discuss specific challenges you've faced in previous projects, especially those involving ambiguity or high-pressure situations. Highlight how you made architectural decisions and the impact they had on the final product.
✨Understand the Business Context
Familiarise yourself with the systematic quantitative fund space and the importance of execution platforms. Being able to articulate how your engineering skills can directly benefit the trading desk will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Demonstrate Full-Stack Capability
Even if you lean towards backend or frontend, show that you have a grasp of both sides. Discuss any relevant experiences where you’ve worked across the stack, particularly in building user interfaces for high-stakes environments.
