At a Glance
- Tasks: Develop and improve trading strategies with real impact on profits.
- Company: Join OpenFX, a fintech startup revolutionising cross-border payments.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity, and a collaborative work culture.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace with opportunities for personal growth.
- Why this job: Make a significant impact in the fast-paced world of finance.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in trading or quantitative roles, strong coding skills in Python/C++.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
About Us
OpenFX is on a mission to move money as freely as data, unrestricted by time zones, banking hours, or legacy systems. We are building the infrastructure that will power the next generation of cross-border payment systems for institutions. The team's execution has been exceptional, and we're scaling at a remarkable pace. Our stellar early team comes with experience in companies like J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, FalconX, Paypal, Affirm, Polygon, Kraken, Nium and others. We’re backed by Accel, Lightspeed, NfX, and other top-tier investors.
Role Overview
We're hiring a quantitative trader/developer for Capital Markets which covers trading, hedging, and market-making strategies across our stablecoin and FX business. You'll have the opportunity to work directly with the trading desk on strategies with real, immediate P&L impact, with daily 1:1 mentorship from the experienced traders and engineers leading Capital Markets. You're evaluated on the strategies you ship and the P&L they generate. You own a thread from idea to live trading, and the person you're building it with is a trader.
Key Responsibilities:
- Trading strategy development: Develop, maintain, and improve trading and hedging strategies across our stablecoin and FX business, from idea to live execution, with full ownership of the outcome.
- Production trading systems and live operations: Own the reliability, observability, and operational performance of our live trading environment. Monitor systems in real time, act as primary responder to production issues, and work with the desk to investigate, mitigate, and resolve incidents affecting trading, risk, or system stability.
- Production tooling and operational safety: Build and improve internal tools, dashboards, alerts, and automation that reduce manual intervention in live trading. Design and maintain safe testing, deployment, rollout for production changes.
- Market microstructure and research: Build tools to research how our markets actually trade, and work with the desk to turn that analysis into an edge.
- Full-cycle ownership: Engage in full-cycle trading development — research, coding, testing, and deploying into production.
- High Agency: Bring ideas to the desk unprompted and be ready to defend them. Find the competitive edge that drives results.
What we are looking for
Must-haves:
- Comfortable writing production code and owning a trading decision and its P&L on the same strategy.
- Skills in probabilistic thinking and mathematical reasoning, with the ability to react quickly and accurately to rapidly changing market conditions.
- 3+ years of solving hard problems through code with real metrics and impact in industry, and strong development skills in Python and/or C++.
- Real experience in market making, prop trading, or a trading-adjacent quant role.
- Competitive spirit, a drive to improve, and an appetite for risk-taking.
- Comfortable with abstract, ambiguous problems - explore a venue or a strategy, you don't wait for a spec.
- Self-directed enough to learn a substantial new domain on the job - a new venue, a new asset class, new infrastructure.
- Reliable, predictable availability around scheduled market-moving events.
- Extreme attention to detail.
What helps you stand out:
- Experience at a prop trading firm, HFT shop, or crypto market maker (Jane Street, Two Sigma, XTX, Jump, Wintermute, Cumberland/DRW, or similar).
- Proven research background in an academic or professional environment, with expertise in statistics or machine learning.
- Experience with on-chain derivatives, DeFi perp venues, or cross-venue arbitrage.
- Experience building or operating stablecoin infrastructure or settlement rails.
- Background in market microstructure, options pricing, or systematic FX trading.
What success looks like:
Your strategies are live and measurably reducing costs or generating P&L on the book. You operate independently — your manager is a sounding board on the trade, not someone assigning your work.
What We Offer:
- Competitive salary and benefits package.
- Equity in a rapidly growing company.
- Opportunity to work in a fast-paced startup at the forefront of fintech innovation.
- Opportunity to make a significant impact on global financial infrastructure.
- Collaborative work culture with emphasis on personal and professional growth.
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
Quantitative Trader / Developer — Capital Markets in London employer: OpenFX
OpenFX is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration in the fast-paced world of cross-border payments. With a strong focus on employee growth, we provide ample opportunities for professional development and career advancement, all while being located in a vibrant European market that encourages networking and industry engagement. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team dedicated to building cutting-edge financial solutions that make a real impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Quantitative Trader / Developer — Capital Markets in London
✨Tip Number 1: Tap Into Professional Networks
The finance world loves a good connection, so jump into industry-specific groups on platforms like LinkedIn where you can find discussions on financial controlling. Engaging in these communities can expose you to hidden job leads that aren't openly advertised!
✨Tip Number 2: Attend Finance Events and Conferences
Make it a mission to attend finance-related events and conferences, even virtual ones! This is a golden opportunity to network face-to-face with people from companies like OpenFX. You never know who might be your next boss or a crucial contact!
✨Tip Number 3: Showcase Your Expertise
Consider writing articles or sharing insights related to financial controlling or industry trends. Publish these on platforms like LinkedIn to establish yourself as a knowledgeable player in the field. This not only increases your visibility but also catches the attention of recruiters from OpenFX.
✨Tip Number 4: Apply Directly on Company Websites
Since you're going for a full-time gig, don't forget to keep an eye on the careers page of companies you're interested in, like OpenFX. Many companies prefer candidates who apply through their website as it shows genuine interest and makes your application stand out!
We think you need these skills to ace Quantitative Trader / Developer — Capital Markets in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers Game:In financial controlling, detail is everything! Make sure your CV showcases your proficiency with numbers—highlight any relevant experience in budgeting, forecasting, or working with financial software. Quantifying your past achievements will make you stand out, so don’t be shy about flaunting those impressive percentages or cost savings you've implemented.
Tailored Cover Letter is Key:Your cover letter is a chance to shine, especially for a full-time role. Use it to express your genuine interest in OpenFX and the specific impact you hope to make in financial controlling. Mention any relevant qualifications or experiences that align with the company’s goals, and don’t forget to show that you're ready for a long-term commitment!
Certifications Matter:List relevant certifications such as ACCA or CIMA on your CV. These qualifications not only showcase your dedication to the field but also your technical competence in financial principles. If you have any ongoing training or courses, make sure to mention those as well to demonstrate your commitment to continual learning in financial controlling.
Don’t Overlook Soft Skills:While numbers are crucial, so are those soft skills! Financial controllers need strong communication and analytical reasoning abilities. We recommend embedding examples of these skills in your CV and cover letter, like how you’ve successfully delivered financial reports to stakeholders or collaborated with teams to improve processes. Let’s show OpenFX how you can be a team player!
How to prepare for a job interview at OpenFX
✨Brush Up on Technical Skills
Make sure you're comfortable with key financial concepts, especially around forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis. Sometimes, interviewers may throw in technical questions or case studies, so practicing these types of scenarios will help you shine!
✨Showcase Your Financial Acumen
If you've had experience with specific financial software like SAP or Oracle, make it known! Be ready to discuss how you used these tools to improve processes or reporting, as this hands-on knowledge can really set you apart in a full-time role with OpenFX.
✨Know Your Numbers
In full-time interviews, especially in financial controlling, be prepared for numerical reasoning tests or questions. Brush up on your mental maths and understand how to interpret and analyse financial statements on the spot, as this may come up during the assessment.
✨Connect with Company Goals
Familiarise yourself with OpenFX's financial objectives and any recent developments. During the interview, try to weave your understanding of their business model and challenges into your answers—this shows your genuine interest and alignment with their goals!
