Systems Engineer

Jobot; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobot is seeking a Mid-Level Linux Engineer for a proprietary trading firm in Chicago. You will own high-performance Linux environments, kernel tuning, and low-latency networking to keep the global trading platform fast and reliable.

Responsibilities include provisioning Red Hat/CentOS/Ubuntu servers, implementing IaC with Ansible, Terraform, or SaltStack, and optimizing BIOS, NUMA, and NIC performance to shave microseconds off workloads. Collaboration with traders and quants is essential.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of the Linux kernel, system internals, and perf profiling tools.
• Strong scripting in Python and Bash for automation.
• Experience with modern server hardware and PCIe/NUMA optimization.

Responsibilities

• Provision, configure, and maintain high-performance Linux environments.
• Build and maintain IaC pipelines using Ansible, Terraform, or SaltStack.
• Fine-tune BIOS, kernel settings, and NICs for low-latency performance.
• Collaborate with Network Engineering to manage high-bandwidth trading paths.
• Monitor system health and latency with Prometheus, Grafana, or Telegraf.
• Manage bare-metal servers from Dell, HP, and Supermicro.

Skills

Advanced Linux

Python scripting

Bash scripting

Tools

Ansible

Terraform

SaltStack

Prometheus

Grafana

Telegraf

Dell hardware

Supermicro hardware

Job description

Linux Eng for Trading firm

This Jobot Job is hosted by: Jim Quirk

Salary: $150,000 - $175,000 per year

A bit about us

The firm focuses heavily on proprietary trading platform development, market innovation, and high-performance infrastructure. They operate with an entrepreneurial mindset, utilizing a flat organizational layout to keep communication fast and direct.

Why join us?

You get to work with advanced hardware, bare-metal servers, and low-latency environments where optimization directly impacts financial performance.

Job Details

A financial technology firm is seeking a Mid-Level System Engineer to join its Core Infrastructure team. This is a high-impact role managing the intersection of elite hardware, Linux optimization, and low-latency networking. You will be responsible for ensuring a global trading platform remains performant, resilient, and highly automated.

Key Responsibilities

• Linux Infrastructure: Provision, configure, and maintain high-performance Red Hat/CentOS/Ubuntu environments.
• Automation & Orchestration: Build and maintain Infrastructure as Code (IaC) pipelines using Ansible, Terraform, or SaltStack.
• System Tuning: Fine-tune BIOS, kernel settings, and NICs (Solarflare/Mellanox) to squeeze every microsecond out of the stack.
• Network Integration: Collaborate with the Network Engineering team to manage high-bandwidth, low-latency trading paths.
• Monitoring: Proactively monitor system health and latency metrics using Prometheus, Grafana, or Telegraf.
• Hardware Lifecycle: Manage the deployment and troubleshooting of enterprise-grade bare-metal servers (Dell, HP, Supermicro).

Soft Skills & Communication

• Crisis Composure: Ability to remain calm and focused during high-volatility market events or system outages.
• Trader Interaction: Translate complex technical issues into concise updates for non-technical stakeholders (Traders and Quants) in real-time.
• Collaboration: A proactive communicator who documents "post-mortems" and shares knowledge across the engineering team to prevent recurring issues.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Advanced Linux: Deep knowledge of the Linux kernel, system internals, and performance profiling tools.
• Scripting: Strong proficiency in Python or Bash for building tools and automating workflows.
• Server Architecture: Experience with modern server hardware, including CPU pinning, NUMA, and PCIe optimization.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certifications: CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) or equivalent networking knowledge.
• HFT Experience: Previous experience in a high-frequency trading or high-growth fintech environment.
• Low-Latency Tech: Exposure to kernel bypass (Onload), PTP (Precision Time Protocol), or FPGA integration.

Jobot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide an inclusive work environment that celebrates diversity and all qualified candidates receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age (40 and over), disability, military status, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Jobot also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories. It is Jobot’s policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions.

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