Senior kdb+ Developer, Vice President

State Street; Greater London; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

State Street's BestX team is seeking a Senior kdb+ Developer to design, build and optimise high‑performance data platforms using kdb+. You will support multi‑asset analytics and work with quants and engineers to deliver robust, scalable solutions.

The role requires 5+ years in kdb+ development, Python and q, plus hands‑on experience with AWS. You will drive design decisions, promote clean code, and contribute to CI/CD, data modelling, and low‑latency ingestion pipelines.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on kdb+ development experience.
• Strong expertise in kdb+/q and Python.
• Experience with data science toolchains (Jupyter, pandas, NumPy, scikit‑learn).
• Knowledge of parallel computing frameworks (Slurm).
• Background in quantitative analysis and statistics.
• Degree in STEM from a top university.
• Hands-on experience with AWS and cloud infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop key components of BestX’s analytics platform.
• Architect and maintain kdb+ tick systems with scalable data design.
• Process large-scale, low-latency datasets with high throughput.
• Analyse and optimise q queries, data models, and ingestion pipelines.
• Apply Agile practices across cloud-based, server-side, and database systems.
• Develop understanding of TCA and MiFID/MiFIR requirements.
• Own deliverables from design to production, promote best practices.
• Champion clean code, sound design, and CI/CD improvements.
• Drive engineering standards and shift-left testing.

Skills

kdb+ development

kdb+/q

Python

Data science toolchains

Parallel computing (Slurm)

Quantitative analysis

AWS

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics

Tools

Jupyter

pandas

NumPy

scikit-learn

Kdb+/q tooling

Job description

Senior kdb+ Developer – BestX

We are seeking an experienced Senior kdb+ Developer to join the BestX engineering team. In this role, you will design, build, and optimise high‑performance data platforms using kdb+, supporting BestX’s multi‑asset analytics capabilities.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in kdb+ tick architectures, large‑scale performance tuning, and works closely with quantitative and engineering teams to deliver robust, efficient, and maintainable solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop key components of BestX’s multi‑asset analytics platform.
• Architect, build, and maintain kdb+ tick systems, with strong consideration for data organisation, schema design, and architectural trade‑offs.
• Develop and operate systems that process large‑scale, high‑frequency datasets, ensuring low latency, high throughput, and efficient memory utilisation.
• Analyse and optimise q queries, data models, and ingestion pipelines for both real‑time and historical workloads.
• Apply modern Agile development practices across cloud‑based, server‑side, and database‑driven systems.
• Build a strong understanding of Transaction Cost Analysis (TCA) and key regulatory benchmarks required for MiFID and MiFIR.
• Take full ownership of deliverables, driving work through from design to production.
• Establish and promote best practices, clean code standards, and sound design patterns.
• Act as a change agent, continuously improving engineering standards and ways of working.
• Champion Test‑Driven Development and “shift‑left” practices to support effective CI/CD pipelines.

Core (Must‑Have) Skills And Experience

• 5+ years of hands‑on kdb+ development experience.
• Strong expertise in kdb+/q and Python.
• Proficiency with modern data science toolchains, including Jupyter, pandas, NumPy, scikit‑learn, with applied machine‑learning experience.
• Solid understanding of parallel computing frameworks such as Slurm or equivalent technologies.
• Strong background in quantitative analysis, including mathematical modelling, statistics, regression, and probability theory.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related STEM discipline from a top‑ranked university.
• Hands‑on experience with AWS and/or other modern cloud‑based infrastructure.

Nice‑to‑Have Skills

• Domain knowledge in FX, Fixed Income, Equities, or Equity Derivatives.
• Additional expertise with kdb+ in complex, production‑scale environments.
• Exposure to modern JavaScript build toolchains, including Node.js, npm, Rush, Yarn, Webpack, Babel, and Cypress.

About State Street & BestX

State Street is a global financial services leader, combining scale, resilience, and advanced technology to support institutional investors worldwide. Through investment servicing, trading, data, and analytics, we build mission‑critical platforms that operate at the heart of global financial markets.

BestX, part of State Street’s Global Markets and GlobalLink ecosystem, is the industry‑standard, multi‑asset Transaction Cost Analysis (TCA) platform. Built as a high‑performance analytics platform, BestX processes over one billion market data updates per day, delivering independent, venue‑agnostic insights across FX, fixed income, and equities.

• World’s Best Provider of TCA Solutions – Euromoney Markets Awards 2025
• Best Transaction Cost Analysis Solution – WatersTechnology Asia Awards 2025
• World’s Best New FX Product/Platform for BestXecutor – Euromoney 2025

BestX and BestXecutor embed advanced analytics directly into trading workflows, spanning pre‑trade decisioning through post‑trade validation, helping clients improve execution quality and meet evolving regulatory requirements at scale.

At State Street, you’ll work on complex, high‑performance systems alongside leading engineers, quants, and product teams—shaping the future of execution analytics and global market infrastructure in an inclusive, supportive environment.

About State Street

Across the globe, institutional investors rely on us to help them manage risk, respond to challenges, and drive performance and profitability. We keep our clients at the heart of everything we do, and smart, engaged employees are essential to our continued success.

We are committed to fostering an environment where every employee feels valued and empowered to reach their full potential. As an essential partner in our shared success, you’ll benefit from inclusive development opportunities, flexible work‑life support, paid volunteer days, and vibrant employee networks that keep you connected to what matters most. Join us in shaping the future.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we consider all qualified applicants for all positions without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, age, disability, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship, marital status, domestic partnership or civil union status, familial status, military and veteran status, and other characteristics protected by applicable law.

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Job ID: R-790289