At a Glance
- Tasks: Join a dynamic team tackling challenging C++ projects in a live trading environment.
- Company: A regulated European trading venue with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy a discretionary bonus, matched pension, private medical, and generous parental leave.
- Other info: Hybrid work model with opportunities for rapid career growth.
- Why this job: Make an immediate impact on high-performance systems and mentor fellow engineers.
- Qualifications: 10+ years of production C++ experience and strong debugging skills.
The predicted salary is between 75600 - 92400 £ per year.
Company: Regulated European trading venue and exchange technology provider, part of a larger market infrastructure group.
Impact: Production stability, speed of new trading features to market, tooling that lets Ops and QA fix issues faster.
Size: Sub-200 people.
Location: City of London.
Hybrid: Minimum 2 days a week in the office.
Benefits: Discretionary annual bonus, 5% matched pension, private medical, and 20 weeks’ full pay for primary caregivers on parental leave.
The Role: Most C++ engineers at an exchange spend years inside one component. This job is the opposite. You’ll join a small rapid development team that takes on whatever is hardest that week: an intermittent fault in high-volume order handling, a proof of concept for a new trading feature, or a performance harness that recreates a market stress day. Everything you touch runs on a live regulated market, so your work lands in production, not in a backlog. You’ll work across Product, Infrastructure, QA and Operations, with the low latency team that builds the matching engine sitting alongside you. You’ll mentor mid-level engineers, set the standard for how fast-turnaround code gets built and tested properly, and bring the operational view into design reviews. If you enjoy the detective work as much as the build, this is the seat.
What makes you a great fit:
- You’ve written production C++ (C++11 or later) for 10+ years, building performant, scalable applications.
- You debug at system level on Linux with gdb, strace and perf, and understand UDP, multicast and TCP well enough to find what’s breaking.
- You’ve diagnosed complex production issues in high-performance systems, built reproducible test cases to prove the root cause, and explained it clearly to people who don’t write code.
- You’ll also use SQL to query system data and AI coding tools as part of how you work day to day.
The broader technical team uses: C++, Python, Bash, Linux, SQL, Git, Jira, Kanban, CI/CD, Docker, QuestDB, Dolt.
Interview Process: CV Review > Screening call with us > Submission > Offer.
Senior C++ Engineer (Trading Systems) in London employer: Ocean Red
As a Senior Software Engineer at our London office, you'll be part of a dynamic team that values innovation and collaboration, working on technology that powers global financial markets. We offer a supportive work culture where your ideas are valued, and you have the opportunity to influence software development practices while mentoring less experienced developers. With flexible working arrangements and a focus on employee growth, this role provides a unique chance to make a significant impact in a high-stakes environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior C++ Engineer (Trading Systems) 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 Ocean Red 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 Ocean Red.
✨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 Ocean Red.
✨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 Ocean Red 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 C++ Engineer (Trading Systems) 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 Ocean Red.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Ocean Red 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 Ocean Red
✨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 Ocean Red 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.
