Execution Developer

The Role

Your challenges will be varied and might involve building new execution algorithms, the platforms on which they run, simulation environments, intelligent order routing, connectivity to execution venues and brokers, tools for manual traders, monitoring capability, post-trade performance analysis and software to optimise all aspects of the trading lifecycle.

We are continually expanding the markets, asset classes and regions in which we trade as well as the styles in which we trade them. The team is responsible for designing imaginative and flexible tools to keep pace with this change.

The Team

The team is currently undergoing significant investment in order to rationalise the trading capability across AHL, Numeric and GLG. The engineering team works exceptionally closely with both the Trading Desk and the Execution Research team in order to design, build and maintain a world-class trading capability. We have trading floors in London, Hong Kong, Boston and Shanghai and are responsible for trading in excess of 5 trillion dollars annually.

Our Technology

Our systems are almost all running on Linux and most of our code is in Java, with some Python and TypeScript.

We use Kafka as the backbone of our platform, Git for source control, Jenkins for continuous integration, Grafana + Prometheus for metrics collection, Docker for containerisation, Ansible for architecture automation, and Slack for internal communication. But our technology list is never static, we constantly evaluate new tools and libraries.

Technology and Business Skills

As a software developer bringing several years of experience to Alpha Technology, you'll be a member of a highly focussed team with an exceptionally broad responsibility, so great communication skills and an ability to work as part of a team are a must. You'll possess a significant proportion of the following skill set.

Required

• Strong proficiency in Java
• Robust knowledge of one or more relevant database technologies e.g. Oracle, MongoDB
• Solid understanding of data structures and algorithms
• Great communication skills coupled with the ability to work closely with both technical and non-technical colleagues.
• A proponent of strong software engineering techniques and agile methods: continuous integration, code review, unit testing, refactoring and related approaches.
• Proficient working on both Linux and Windows platforms.

Advantageous

• An understanding of financial markets: either from a keen interest or prior experience
• Knowledge of design patterns
• Experience with FIX a significant advantage.
• Python knowledge.
• Experience of front office software and/or trading systems development e.g. in a hedge fund or investment bank.
• Expertise in designing and building distributed systems with service-based or event-driven architectures, and concurrent processing.
• Knowledge of tools like - Git, Jenkins, Docker, etc.
• Experience of web-based development (TypeScript).
• Relevant mathematical knowledge e.g. statistics, asset pricing, time-series analysis optimisation algorithms.

Personal Attributes

• Strong academic record and a degree with high mathematical and computing content e.g. Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering or Physics from a leading university
• Craftsman-like approach to building software; takes pride in engineering excellence and instils these values in others
• Demonstrable passion for technology e.g. personal projects, open-source involvement
• Intellectually robust with an analytic approach to problem solving
• Self-organised with the ability to effectively manage time across multiple projects and with competing business demands and priorities
• Focused on delivering value to the business with relentless efforts to improve process
• Strong interpersonal skills; able to establish and maintain a close working relationship with quantitative researchers, traders and senior business people alike
• Confident communicator: able to argue a point concisely and deal positively with conflicting views.

Man Alpha Technology

Alpha Technology is a wholly front-office aligned business unit, responsible for all of the technology in Man Group that drives trading decision making. It numbers approximately 170 engineers who help drive technical innovation across the firm's investment managers by application of a strong technology platform. It is structured into a number of distinct teams, some cross-cutting building technology and others aligned to an individual investment manager building specific quant or portfolio management tools, or systematic trading systems:

• Alpha Platform Technology - responsible for the common front-office platform, comprising Data Engineering, Python Research and Development Infrastructure and Linux High Performance Compute.
• Execution Technology - responsible for all Electronic Execution Technology and Trader facing tools.
• Risk Technology - responsible for front office Risk Technology and Risk Reporting.
• AHL Technology - responsible for technology specific to Man AHL, a quant systematic investment manager.
• GLG Technology - responsible for technology specific to Man GLG, a fundamental discretionary investment manager.
• Numeric Technology - responsible for technology specific to Man Numeric, a quant systematic investment manager.
• GPM Technology - responsible for technology specific to Man GPM, a private markets business focused on real-estate assets.