HFT Quantitative Researcher

X4 Alpha; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity or P&L share

Performance-linked package

Desk ownership opportunity

Job summary

X4 Alpha is a privately funded trading firm focused on research-driven High-Frequency Trading, leveraging a heavy C++ stack and a robust research platform. The desks operate like startups within a shared technology framework, with ownership of ideas and rapid move-to-live-trading capabilities.

The role targets experienced HFT researchers who can contribute to alpha development for futures and US/European equities.

Qualifications

• Proven HFT or intraday experience, ideally in futures or US equities.
• Strong alpha research, with the technical skill to work in C++ and Python.
• Senior researchers who can lead alpha development, and exceptional juniors with strong fundamentals.
• Location flexibility: Chicago, New York, London or Amsterdam with some flexibility on location.

Responsibilities

• Build and run HFT alpha, from idea through fitting to live trading, on futures and equities.
• Work on short-horizon strategies in US and European markets, with scope to move into longer-horizon alpha.
• Work with message-level market data and a deep research and storage infrastructure.

Skills

HFT experience

C++

Python

Job description

We’ve partnered with a privately funded proprietary trading firm built around research, powered by technology and monetised through trading. It trades major electronic markets across North America, Europe and Asia.

The firm runs a desk model in which each team operates like its own start-up while drawing on a large shared research and technology platform. It is hiring experienced HFT researchers from established firms.

The desks

• Small, collaborative desks of researchers and developers, led by experienced PMs
• A culture of openness that gets ideas from inception to live trading quickly
• Cutting-edge machine learning and statistical methods, with a large automated research platform and a heavy use of C++
• Desks keep ownership of their ideas

The role

• Build and run HFT alpha, from idea through fitting to live trading, on futures and equities
• Work on short-horizon strategies in US and European markets, with scope to move into longer-horizon alpha
• Work with message-level market data and a deep research and storage infrastructure

What we’re looking for

• Proven HFT or intraday experience, ideally in futures or US equities
• Strong alpha research, with the technical skill to work in C++ and Python
• Senior researchers who can lead alpha development, and exceptional juniors with strong fundamentals
• Chicago, New York, London or Amsterdam, with some flexibility on location

What’s on offer

• A strong performance-linked package, with equity or a P&L share available for the right people
• A low-cost structure: the firm only passes on marginal costs and doesn’t charge for technology allocation
• The chance to run your own desk or join an existing one, with a path to building a team of your own
• A world-class research and compute platform