Senior Java Software Engineer

Robson Bale Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Part time

Job summary

Robson Bale Ltd in London is seeking an experienced software engineer to design and maintain ultra-low-latency trading systems. You will develop pricing tick infrastructure, integrate real-time market data, and optimize JVMs, CPUs, and network stacks on Linux.

The role requires strong Java prowess with low-latency background; C++ is a plus in a mixed Java/C++ environment. 3 days on-site per week; 12-month contract in a high-performance trading setting.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of software engineering in HFT, electronic trading, or ultra-low/low-latency environments.
• Strong core Java with proven low-latency engineering experience.
• Experience in C++, ideally in a mixed Java/C++ environment (beneficial).
• Deep Linux knowledge including kernel bypass and low-latency network programming.
• GC and CPU tuning, memory management (off-heap, Java Unsafe).
• Experience with pricing ticks/streams, order/execution flow and market data feeds.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and maintain high-performance, ultra-low-latency trading applications and market data distribution systems.
• Build and support pricing tick infrastructure, pricing streams and pricing execution components.
• Deliver low-latency network programming and kernel bypass solutions on Linux.
• Integrate, optimise and distribute real-time market data across 70+ proprietary direct feeds.
• Profile, troubleshoot latency, and tune applications, JVMs, CPUs and network stacks.
• Work with market data protocols including Refinitiv ETA, Denali, MPAC and Beacon.
• Manage deployments and tooling through pipelines.
• Support knowledge transfer and handover from the outgoing vendor team.
• EMEA, US Options and MiFID II market structure mastery; direct exchange feeds.
• Event-driven and distributed systems; hardware/software co-design.
• Hardware timestamping, network telemetry and advanced monitoring.
• CI/CD, automated testing and DevOps for low-latency builds.
• Ownership-driven approach on busy trading floors.
• Experience with C++ in a predominantly Java environment is highly beneficial.

Tools

Java

C++

Low-latency networking

Linux kernel bypass

JVM tuning

Profiling

Job description

3 days per week on site

12 month contract

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and maintain high-performance, ultra-low-latency trading applications and market data distribution systems
• Build and support pricing tick infrastructure, pricing streams and pricing execution components
• Deliver low-latency network programming and kernel bypass solutions on Linux
• Integrate, optimise and distribute real-time market data across 70+ proprietary direct feeds (EMEA, US Options, MiFID II market structures)
• Profile and troubleshoot latency, and tune applications, JVMs, CPUs and network stacks
• Work with market data protocols including Refinitiv ETA, Denali, MPAC and Beacon
• Manage deployments and tooling through # pipelines
• Support knowledge transfer and handover from the outgoing vendor team
• 5 to 10 years of software engineering in HFT, electronic trading, or ultra-low or low-latency environments
• Strong core Java, with proven low-latency engineering (the primary skill, per Evgen)
• Low-level memory management, including off-heap and Java Unsafe
• GC tuning and CPU tuning (for example affinity and pinning)
• Experience on trading platforms: pricing ticks, pricing streams, order and execution flow
• Deep Linux knowledge, including kernel bypass and low-latency network programming
• Strong profiling, performance tuning and troubleshooting
• A track record at global banks, hedge funds or HFT firms (this also decides whether the CV skips the TI)
• C++, ideally in a mixed Java and C++ environment. Evgen called this "rather nice to have" but "highly beneficial", even though the JD lists it as essential
• EMEA, US Options and MiFID II market structure, direct exchange feeds
• Event-driven and distributed systems, hardware and software co-design
• Hardware timestamping, network telemetry and advanced monitoring
• CI/CD, automated testing and DevOps for low-latency builds
• An ownership-driven approach on busy trading floors