Senior Software Engineer - Trading Desk (C++)
Headquartered in Chicago with offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia, we trade a variety of asset classes including Fixed Income, ETFs, Equities, FX, Commodities and Energy across all major global markets. We have also leveraged our expertise and technology to expand into three non-traditional strategies: real estate, venture capital and cryptoassets.
We operate with respect, curiosity and open minds. The people who thrive here share our belief that it's not just what we do that matters-it's how we do it. DRW is a place of high expectations, integrity, innovation and a willingness to challenge consensus.
DRW is seeking an outstanding Senior Software Engineer to join one of our trading desks. In this role, you will design, build, and operate high-performance trading systems that directly impact the firm's profitability. You will be a core member of an algorithmic trading team composed of experienced technologists, quantitative researchers, and traders, working collaboratively to solve challenging technical problems across the full technology stack.
This role spans everything from low-level systems design to production operations, including hardware interaction, software development, DevOps, testing, and release management. We are looking for engineers who enjoy ownership, care deeply about performance and reliability, and want to build systems that matter.
Responsibilities
- Design, build, and maintain low-latency C++ systems for:
- Exchange gateways and market data processing (U.S. & Canadian equities)
- Strategy execution and order management
- Real-time risk controls and monitoring
- Trade capture and reporting
- Optimize for latency, determinism, and throughput across software and hardware boundaries
- Work closely with traders and quantitative researchers to implement and evolve trading strategies
- Own production systems, including monitoring, debugging, and incident response for mission-critical infrastructure
- Drive performance improvements and technical upgrades across the trading platform
- Evaluate and introduce new technologies where they create clear trading or operational advantages
Requirements
- 10+ years of experience building high-availability, performance-critical server-side systems (strong preference for C++)
- 3+ years of experience with modern C++ (C++14 / 17 / 20)
- Deep experience with multi-threaded programming, concurrency, and low-level performance tuning
- Strong understanding of hardware-software interaction (CPU architecture, memory, networking)
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field
- Excellent fundamentals in algorithms, data structures, distributed systems, and concurrency
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work directly with traders
Nice to Have
- Experience in low-latency trading, market making, or other latency-sensitive systems
- Experience with North American equities market structure
- Deep knowledge of networking (TCP, UDP, IPv4, kernel bypass, NICs)
- Experience working with quantitative researchers or numerical systems
- Experience working across multiple languages (Python, Java, etc.) in support of research and tooling
- Experience with non-standard or performance-driven hardware/software architectures
The annual base salary range for this position is $175,000 to $225,000 depending on the candidate's experience, qualifications, and relevant skill set. The position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. In addition, DRW offers a comprehensive suite of employee benefits including group medical, pharmacy, dental and vision insurance, 401k (with discretionary employer match), short and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance, health savings accounts, and flexible spending accounts.
For more information about DRW's processing activities and our use of job applicants' data, please view our Privacy Notice at
California residents, please review the California Privacy Notice for information about certain legal rights at
#LI-GV1
Recommended Jobs
Payroll Specialist (REMOTE)
We are seeking a detail-oriented and organized Payroll Specialist to manage and execute all payroll processes accurately and on time. The ideal candidate will ensure compliance with federal, state,…
Lead Veterinary Technician
Lead Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) – North Country Veterinary Services – Oswego, NY &##128205;1467 County Rte 53, Oswego, NY 13126 Are you a passionate and experienced LVT looking to take th…
Yoga Instructor
Responsive recruiter Benefits: ~Membership ~Employee discounts ~Flexible schedule ~Wellness resources Certified Yoga Instructor The Certified Yoga Instructor will lead members, in a group…
Software Engineer Intern (Chicago)
LogicGate® is the leading AI GRC platform for the Enterprise, helping governance, risk, and compliance teams limit surprises, strengthen resilience, augment program performance, and confidently quant…
Donor Engagement Specialist
Position Title: Donor Engagement Specialist Reports To: Director of Development Location: On-site at the TMS Headquarters, Downtown Chicago About Thomas More Society At Thomas More Society (TMS), w…
General Dentist
Distinctive Home & Health Care is a leading provider of healthcare to serve military installations across the United States. Our team of professionals is dedicated to providing the highest quality of…
Garden Center Sales Associates
Job Status: Seasonal Overview: We are now hiring for available full- and part-time seasonal positions in the Perennials, Annuals, Tropicals, Hard Goods, and Trees and Shrubs departments. We are also …
Associate Banker
Delivers exceptional service to BMO customers and prospects. Identifies customer needs and provides advice and guidance regarding financial solutions that are in the best interests of customers. Wor…
Project Manager
Job Responsibilities: Experience with financial forecasting. Managing A Budget Contract management Reviewing plans Planning, Scheduling, Communicating, Updating Records And Databases. …
People Consulting - Change Management - Senior
Location: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Irvine, Los Angeles, McLean, Metropark, Minneapolis, New York, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jo…