Equity Algo Desk Quant
A Tier 1 Bank in London is seeking a VP‑level Desk Quant with strong Java engineering expertise to help develop and optimise its Smart Order Routing (SOR) platform within the Equity Algo Trading business. This is a hands‑on role based directly on the trading desk, focused on building routing logic, improving execution behaviour and supporting live trading systems in a fast‑paced, data‑driven environment.
Responsibilities
- Design and enhance SOR logic for EMEA equities in Java, with emphasis on speed, stability and efficient venue interaction.
- Implement venue‑specific order‑handling behaviour and contribute to the evolution of liquidity‑seeking strategies.
- Analyse routing performance, queue positioning and venue microstructure to guide improvements.
- Build diagnostics and monitoring tools to support real‑time and post‑trade evaluation of routing behaviour.
- Work closely with traders to translate execution requirements into practical, production‑ready Java features.
- Partner with engineering teams to ensure robustness, clean integration and safe deployment of new components.
Requirements
- Strong professional experience in Java, ideally within low‑latency, distributed or mission‑critical systems.
- Exposure to smart order routing, execution algorithms or electronic trading systems.
- Solid understanding of equities microstructure, order types and venue dynamics.
- Good Python skills for analytics, prototyping and data investigations.
- Experience with q/kdb+ is helpful but not essential.
- Degree in a quantitative or technical field such as computer science, engineering, mathematics or physics.
- Ability to communicate clearly on the trading floor and work in a high‑intensity environment focused on production reliability.
- Strong debugging skills and attention to detail, particularly when working with live trading systems.
Additional Details
- Title: Vice President
- Location: London
- Working Model: Hybrid (four days a week in office)
- Team: Equity Algo Trading - Desk Quants
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