Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Optimise low-latency network infrastructure and enhance market data systems.
- Company: Join Whistler Trading, a rising star in systematic trading.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, health insurance, and top-notch hardware for your work.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with growth opportunities for top performers.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on trading performance with hands-on systems work.
- Qualifications: Strong C programming skills and experience in network optimisation required.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 120000 £ per year.
Surrey, BC
About Whistler Trading
Whistler Trading was founded in 2022 with the ambition to build a new leader in systematic trading. We have invested heavily in research and infrastructure, developing lean, high-performance systems that let us go from idea to production faster than ever. Most importantly, we have built a team with incredible talent density, including alumni of top firms like Citadel and SIG, medalists from math and informatics olympiads, and individuals with deep domain expertise in trading, distributed systems, and real-time infrastructure. We value drive, rigor, and originality, and we back people who want to build something lasting.
The Role
We are looking for a Performance Systems Engineer to optimize our low-latency network infrastructure. You will work at the kernel level to reduce latency in our market data capture and execution systems, focusing on squeezing maximum performance out of AWS instances and custom network stacks. This is a specialized Individual Contributor role for someone who loves working close to the metal. You will be profiling network paths, implementing kernel bypass techniques, and finding microseconds wherever they hide. The work spans eBPF, io_uring, DPDK, and custom optimizations for our cloud infrastructure. If you have spent time optimizing production network systems and know your way around kernel code, network drivers, and performance profiling tools, this could be a great fit.
What You Will Do
- Optimize network performance: Profile and improve our market data capture pipeline from NIC to application layer. Find and eliminate latency bottlenecks in our AWS-based infrastructure.
- Implement kernel-level optimizations: Build and tune systems using eBPF, io_uring, DPDK, and other kernel bypass techniques. Work with network drivers and kernel modules to reduce packet processing overhead.
- Cloud infrastructure optimization: Figure out how to get the best possible network performance from AWS EC2 instances. Understand ENA drivers, placement groups, instance types, and how to configure systems for minimal latency.
- Work across the stack: Most of your work will be in C (where drivers and kernel interfaces live), but you will integrate with our Rust codebase for application-level components. Comfort moving between languages is important.
- Measure and validate: Use profiling tools (perf, bpftrace, etc.) to identify bottlenecks and validate improvements. Design experiments to isolate performance factors and interpret results statistically.
- Collaborate with engineers: Work with our trading infrastructure team to understand performance requirements and implement solutions. Clear communication about tradeoffs and constraints matters.
- Build production-quality systems: Your work will inform and improve production systems handling live market data. Code quality, testing, and reliability are important.
Skills and Qualifications
- Systems programming experience: Strong C programming skills and experience working with Linux kernel interfaces, network drivers, and low-level systems code.
- Rust familiarity: Willingness to work in Rust for application-level integration.
- Network optimization background: Real experience optimizing network performance in production systems.
- Kernel and low-level tools: Hands-on experience with eBPF, io_uring, epoll, or similar technologies.
- Performance profiling: Strong skills with Linux performance tools (perf, flamegraphs, bpftrace, etc.).
- Cloud infrastructure: Experience optimizing network performance on AWS or similar cloud platforms.
- Professional development practices: Experience working in a modern software environment with code reviews, version control (Git), CI/CD, and collaborative development.
- Problem-solving and statistical thinking: Ability to dig into complex performance problems, form hypotheses, and test solutions systematically.
- Communication: Clear technical communication.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical field required.
Nice to have:
- Experience in trading, finance, or other low-latency domains.
- Familiarity with DPDK or other kernel bypass technologies.
- Understanding of network protocols and packet processing.
- Background with hardware performance counters and micro-architectural optimization.
Why Join Whistler
- Deep technical work: This is hands-on systems work at the kernel level.
- Real performance constraints: Our systems need to be fast.
- Work with strong engineers: Our team includes people who have built production trading systems at top firms.
- Merit over hierarchy: We run a lean, collaborative organization where the best ideas win.
- Ownership and trust: You will own this area of our infrastructure.
- Growth opportunity: As we grow, top performers grow with us.
Compensation and Benefits
- Base Salary: CAD $125,000 – $175,000 depending on experience and performance.
- Benefits: Comprehensive health insurance, retirement plans, and other benefits.
Hiring Process
- Initial screening: A conversation about your background and experience optimizing network systems (30-45 minutes).
- Technical discussion: Deep dive into your experience with low-latency optimization, kernel work, and specific projects you have worked on.
- Technical exercise: A practical problem related to network optimization or performance profiling.
- Team interview: Meet with engineers you would work with to discuss collaboration style and answer questions about the role and team.
- Offer: If it is a mutual fit, we will extend an offer promptly.
If you love optimizing performance at the systems level and want to work on production trading infrastructure, we would love to hear from you.
Performance Systems Engineer – Network & Kernel Optimization (Low-Latency Infrastructure) Surrey, BC employer: Whistler Trading
Contact Detail:
Whistler Trading Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Performance Systems Engineer – Network & Kernel Optimization (Low-Latency Infrastructure) Surrey, BC
✨Tip Number 1
Network with industry professionals! Attend meetups, conferences, or online forums related to low-latency systems and trading. Engaging with others in the field can lead to valuable connections and job opportunities.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those involving network optimization and kernel-level work. This gives potential employers a tangible sense of what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on performance profiling tools and techniques. Practice explaining your thought process clearly, as communication is key when discussing trade-offs and solutions with engineers.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team. Tailor your application to highlight your experience with AWS, eBPF, and other relevant technologies to stand out.
We think you need these skills to ace Performance Systems Engineer – Network & Kernel Optimization (Low-Latency Infrastructure) Surrey, BC
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Performance Systems Engineer role. Highlight your experience with low-latency network systems and any specific projects that showcase your skills in kernel-level optimisations.
Show Off Your Technical Skills: Don’t hold back on detailing your technical expertise! Mention your proficiency in C, experience with eBPF, io_uring, and any cloud infrastructure work you've done. We want to see how you can contribute to our high-performance systems.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use straightforward language to explain your achievements and how they relate to the role. We appreciate direct communication, especially when discussing complex topics.
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 the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Whistler Trading
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your C programming skills and get familiar with Linux kernel interfaces. Be ready to discuss your experience with network drivers and low-level systems code, as this is where most of the work will be focused.
✨Show Off Your Optimisation Skills
Prepare to talk about specific instances where you've optimised network performance in production systems. Have examples ready that demonstrate your understanding of packet processing and how you've tackled latency issues.
✨Get Hands-On with Tools
Familiarise yourself with performance profiling tools like perf and bpftrace. Be prepared to explain how you've used these tools to identify bottlenecks and validate improvements in past projects.
✨Communicate Clearly
Practice explaining complex technical concepts in a straightforward way. You'll need to collaborate with engineers at different levels, so being able to communicate trade-offs and constraints clearly is key.