Python Developer – Trading and Financial Systems

Position: Python Developer – Trading and Financial Systems

Industry: Finance, Trading, Investment Banking

Department: Technology/Trading Systems

Jersey City | New York City

18 Month W2 Contract

Hybrid 3 days onsite

$60-$70/hour

Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced Python Developer with a strong background in financial markets, specifically in trading systems and financial products. This role involves developing, enhancing, and optimizing systems critical for the trading of fixed income, equities, derivatives, and commodities. The successful candidate will play a key role in implementing trading algorithms, optimizing market risk systems, and ensuring seamless integration with front, middle, and back-office functions. Candidates should understand financial instruments, quantitative finance, and the ability to apply their Python skills in solving complex financial problems.

Key Responsibilities
• Develop and maintain high-performance trading platforms and execution systems for various financial products, including fixed income securities, equities, options, and derivatives.
• Collaborate closely with quantitative analysts, traders, and risk management teams to implement algorithms and trading strategies.
• Build data-driven solutions for market analysis, order execution, and real-time risk management.
• Integrate with various external market data feeds, including Bloomberg, Reuters, and internal trading platforms.
• Enhance and optimize the trade lifecycle, focusing on order routing, execution, and settlement processes.
• Work on real-time data processing and high-frequency trading (HFT) systems.
• Implement and optimize automated trading strategies based on quantitative models and financial metrics.
• Utilize data science and statistical techniques to improve trading decision-making and to identify arbitrage opportunities.
• Provide support for the trading desk, helping troubleshoot issues and enhancing the platform's performance.
• Maintain an understanding of financial regulations and ensure systems comply with regulatory requirements, such as MiFID II and Dodd-Frank.

Required Skills and Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related field. Advanced degrees are a plus.
• 5+ years of Python development experience with a focus on financial systems or trading environments.
• Strong understanding of financial markets, trading strategies, and market risk.
• Expertise in designing and developing high-performance, low-latency systems.
• Experience with quantitative finance, including familiarity with derivative pricing models, fixed income products, equities, and commodity trading.
• Deep knowledge of Python libraries such as Pandas, NumPy, SciPy, PyAlgoTrade, TA-Lib, QuantLib, and others relevant to financial data analysis.
• Proficient in multi-threading, asynchronous programming, and real-time systems to handle large volumes of market data.
• Experience in API integration (RESTful services) for real-time market data feeds (e.g., Bloomberg, Reuters, FIX protocol).
• Proficient in working with SQL databases for financial data management and optimization (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server).
• Understanding of market microstructure and order book dynamics in high-frequency trading environments.
• Strong familiarity with risk management systems and trade surveillance.
• Knowledge of fixed income products, such as bonds, treasury securities, and swaps, including how these instruments are traded and their risk factors.
• Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills, with the ability to troubleshoot complex systems in a live trading environment.

Preferred Skills and Qualifications
• Familiarity with C++ or Java in low-latency trading systems.
• Experience with cloud technologies (e.g., AWS, Azure) and containerization (Docker).
• Understanding of machine learning and artificial intelligence applications in finance (e.g., predictive modeling, algorithmic trading).
• Experience with backtesting trading strategies and risk management models.
• Understanding of financial regulations, compliance, and market structure (e.g., MiFID II, Dodd-Frank).
• Knowledge of DevOps practices and CI/CD pipelines in a trading environment.

Key Competencies
• Analytical skills: Ability to analyze financial data, identify trends, and translate insights into trading strategies.
• Communication: Strong interpersonal skills to collaborate with traders, quants, and senior stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Attention to detail: High level of precision required in financial modeling and implementation.
• Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a dynamic and fast-moving environment, often under pressure.
• Team-oriented: Willingness to work within a cross-functional team, including quants, traders, risk managers, and operations staff.