Technical Lead SRE (Hands On)

Mode Talent Pty Ltd; Sydney; On-site; AUD 250,000 - 380,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation sponsorship

Global exposure

Follow-the-sun on-call

Job summary

Mode Talent Pty Ltd is sourcing a Technical SRE Lead for a high-frequency trading environment in Sydney. You will architect, code, troubleshoot, and deploy ultra-low latency infrastructure, while mentoring engineers and driving reliability across the stack.

You will be hands-on every day, leading cross-functional initiatives, and operating in a follow-the-sun on-call model to ensure top performance and uptime in a demanding, globally distributed setting.

Qualifications

• Experience in SRE/DevOps in high-scale, high-performance environments.
• Deep knowledge of Linux internals, kernel tuning, scheduling, I/O, memory; networking basics (routing, VLAN, multicast, Ethernet).
• Strong coding/scripting skills (Python, Bash); C/C++ or similar is a plus.
• Proven ability to lead technically while maintaining individual contributor excellence.
• T-shaped mindset: deep domain skills and broad system-wide understanding.
• Excellent problem-solving under pressure and real-time debugging; strong communication and ownership.

Responsibilities

• Lead from the trenches: architect, code, troubleshoot, and deploy on critical trading infrastructure.
• Mentor and uplift engineers; pair debugging and code reviews to raise team capability.
• Own cross-functional projects end-to-end from design to rollout and optimization.
• Operate in a global follow-the-sun on-call model to ensure reliability and performance.

Skills

SRE/DevOps experience

Linux internals

Networking basics

Scripting: Python/Bash

C/C++

Technical leadership

T-shaped engineer

Problem-solving under pressure

Job description

Lead from the front as a hands-on SRE Lead in a high-frequency trading firm where every engineer is both a leader and an individual contributor.

• Architect, build, and operate ultra-low latency, mission-critical infrastructure


• Be a hands-on leader: mentor and uplift others while actively coding, debugging


• Join a culture of T-shaped engineers with top-tier pay, global exposure

Location: Sydney (CBD, on-site)

Compensation: Negotiable, top market in Prop / HF space (outperforming FAANG)

Relocation / Sponsorship: Available

Travel: International (US, Europe, Asia)

On-call model: Follow the sun global model

About the Client

Our client is a leading global research, technology and trading firm where engineering is at the core of their success. Their infrastructure powers ultra-low latency, high-throughput, mission-critical systems at scale. The culture is built on the belief that everyone is both an individual contributor and a leader. In High Frequency Trading (HFT), hierarchy is flat, and every engineer is expected to be T-shaped: deep in one or two core domains, and broad across many others.

The Role

As Technical SRE Lead, you will lead from the trenches. You will not be a distant manager. You will architect, code, troubleshoot, debug, tune, and deploy. You will be hands-on every day. You will drive reliability, performance, and scalability across low-latency systems and critical trading infrastructure. You will mentor, coach, and uplift engineers across the team by working side by side, pair debugging, reviewing, and teaching. You will own cross functional projects end to end, from design through rollout and ongoing optimization. You will be on call within a global follow-the-sun rotation, contributing both operationally and strategically. You will shape and evolve best practices, tooling, standards, and incident response strategies across the tech stack. This role requires you to work alongside your team, not above them.

What We Are Looking For

• Strong experience in SRE, DevOps, operations or infrastructure engineering in high-scale, high-performance environments.


• Deep comfort with Linux internals, performance tuning, kernel behaviour, scheduling, I/O, and memory. Network expertise, including routing, VLAN, multicast, Ethernet, LLDP and more. Strong coding and scripting skills (Python, Bash or Shell, or similar). C++ or other systems languages are a plus.


• Demonstrated ability to lead technically, having led projects and mentored teams, while also maintaining individual contributor excellence.


• You embody the T-shaped engineer mentality: deeply rooted in your core domain, yet broad enough to engage across the entire stack.


• Excellent problem-solving under pressure and debugging in real time. Ability to communicate clearly, influence across teams, and drive ownership.

What They Offer

• Massive upside, no glass ceilings.


• Top-tier compensation for top-tier performance.


• Full relocation and sponsorship support.


• Exposure to global markets and cutting-edge infrastructure. Rich technical challenges in a domain where performance and reliability are everything. A culture that values autonomy, mastery, and impact.