Senior Trading Systems Developer | Low-Latency Java & Rust | Aeron & SBE

FalconX; New York (NY); On-site; USD 179,000 - 226,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance linked bonus

Equity options

Competitive benefits package

Job summary

A leading cryptocurrency platform in New York is seeking a Pragmatic Low-Latency Architect to design and optimize high-performance trading systems. The ideal candidate has 5+ years of experience in high-stakes environments, proficiency in Java or Rust, and a deep understanding of the Institutional Trade Lifecycle. This role focuses on architecting execution stacks, designing resilient gateways, and collaborating cross-functionally. A competitive salary and comprehensive benefits are offered, underscoring the value of your impact on market liquidity.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in high-stakes environments like HFT firms or top-tier investment banks.
• Deep understanding of the Institutional Trade Lifecycle and order state transitions.
• Expert-level in Java 11+ or Rust with experience in GC tuning and memory-safe design.

Responsibilities

• Architect and optimize execution stacks for low-latency performance.
• Design resilient gateways for FIX, WebSocket, and REST APIs.
• Collaborate with Quants and Traders to build high-performance infrastructure.

Skills

High-Stakes Environment Experience

Low-Latency Engineering

Core Programming in Java or Rust

Expertise in Messaging Frameworks

Knowledge of FIX and REST APIs

Tools

Aeron

Postgres

MySQL

Job description

FalconX is looking for a Pragmatic Low-Latency Architect to bridge the gap between sophisticated TradFi order mechanics and the fragmented world of digital assets.

We aren't just building a platform; we are engineering the Institutional Scaling layer for the global crypto economy. If you obsess over removing kernel-level bottlenecks and live for the "hot path," you’ll find a seat at the table where your code directly impacts P&L and market liquidity.

Impact Areas:

• Low-Latency Performance Engineering: Architect and optimize "hot path" execution stacks using Aeron and SBE, ensuring deterministic performance and sub-millisecond round-trip times.
• Financial Normalization & Integration: Design resilient gateways for FIX, WebSocket, and REST APIs, modeling complex order lifecycles into robust state machines that handle the volatility of fragmented global markets.
• Zero-Allocation System Design: Engineer high-throughput services with a focus on zero-allocation memory management and lock-free programming to eliminate GC jitter in production.
• Deterministic State Recovery: Develop sequencer-based architectures and DAG-based calculation engines to ensure fault tolerance and rapid state reconstruction without sacrificing execution speed.
• Cross-Functional Technical Leadership: Collaborate with Quants and Traders to translate mathematical intent into high-performance infrastructure, owning the full SDLC from greenfield design to production monitoring.

What You Bring to the Table

Foundational Experience:

• 5+ Years in High-Stakes Environments: Proven track record in designing and building distributed trading systems within HFT firms, top-tier investment banks, or institutional crypto platforms.
• Domain Expertise: Deep understanding of the Institutional Trade Lifecycle, including order state transitions, risk checks, and internalization engines.
• Architecture Ownership: You have previously owned the full SDLC for a mission-critical component (OMS/EMS, Market Data Pipeline, or Risk Engine) from greenfield design to production scaling.

Technical Depth:

• Core Languages: Expert-level proficiency in Java 11+ or Rust. You should be comfortable discussing GC tuning and memory-safe systems design.
• Low-Latency Mastery: Hands-on experience building execution systems that operate in the microsecond latency range, with a focus on zero-allocation engineering and lock-free programming.
• High-Throughput Messaging: Advanced experience with Aeron, Chronicle, or similar messaging frameworks, specifically using SBE (Simple Binary Encoding) for zero-copy data transfer.
• Connectivity & Protocols: Protocol-level expertise in FIX, WebSocket, and REST APIs, including experience with OpenSSL and handling non-deterministic venue behaviors.
• Data & Performance: Strong proficiency in designing normalized relational schemas (Postgres/MySQL) and using profiling tools (Flame Graphs, perf, etc.) to identify non-obvious hardware or memory bottlenecks.

Bonus Points:

• Crypto Native: Prior experience navigating the nuances of digital asset market structures (fragmented liquidity, 24/7/365 uptime).
• System Infrastructure: Familiarity with hardware acceleration (FPGAs), thread pinning, or cloud-native performance tuning on AWS/GCP.
• Leadership: Experience leading Agile teams or mentoring junior engineers in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment.

The base pay for this role is expected to be between $179,000 and $226,000 in New York City. This expected base pay range is based on information at the time this post was generated. This role will also be eligible for other forms of compensation such as a performance linked bonus, equity, and a competitive benefits package. Actual compensation for a successful candidate will be determined based on a number of factors such as location, skillset, experience, qualifications and the level at which the candidate is hired.

Location: New York City | Team: Trading Technology | Type: Full-Time