Job Description
Data Architect - Quantitative Trading
Overview
We are seeking an experienced Data Architect to design and manage mission-critical on-premise data infrastructure for our quantitative trading operations. This role sits at the intersection of high-performance systems design and financial data architecture, requiring deep expertise in building low-latency, scalable systems that support real-time algorithmic trading strategies.
Core Responsibilities
Infrastructure & Architecture Design
Design and architect on-premise data infrastructure optimized for real-time market data ingestion, processing, and analysis
Develop comprehensive data models, schemas, and physical database designs supporting microsecond-level latency requirements
Lead system design decisions for mission-critical components handling high-frequency trading data
Create detailed architecture documentation and design specifications for trading data systems
Establish data standards, best practices, and architectural patterns across engineering teams
Performance & Optimization
Optimize database performance for real-time queries on massive tick data and market microstructure datasets
Conduct performance tuning of SQL queries, indexing strategies, and data access patterns
Manage storage optimization and implement efficient data compression techniques for on-premise systems
Monitor system metrics and implement continuous performance improvements
Design and implement caching strategies and buffer management for low-latency access
Data Pipeline & ETL Management
Architect robust ETL/data pipeline solutions for real-time and batch data ingestion
Design fault-tolerant systems for continuous market data feeds with guaranteed delivery
Manage data quality, validation, and transformation at scale
Oversee integration between trading systems, data warehouses, and analytics platforms
Implement disaster recovery and business continuity strategies for on-premise infrastructure
System Reliability & Operations
Ensure data security, integrity, and compliance with regulatory requirements
Manage backup, recovery, and migration strategies
Collaborate with trading teams to understand low-latency requirements and system constraints
Participate in capacity planning and infrastructure provisioning decisions
Lead troubleshooting of complex data-related issues in production trading systems
GPU & Accelerator Infrastructure Management
Design and architect large-scale GPU/SPU cluster infrastructure for quantitative model training and inference
Manage GPU resource allocation, scheduling, and optimization across multiple workloads
Oversee GPU memory management and implement efficient data movement strategies between CPU and GPU
Design distributed training pipelines leveraging GPU acceleration for machine learning models
Implement monitoring, performance profiling, and optimization for GPU-intensive workloads
Manage high-performance interconnects and network topology for GPU clusters
Plan GPU capacity planning and procurement strategies aligned with trading model requirements
Troubleshoot performance bottlenecks in GPU computing pipelines
Required Technical Skills
Programming & Systems Development
Expert-level C++ proficiency for systems programming, data structure optimization, and performance-critical components
Strong Python/Java skills for system design, prototyping, and ETL logic
Deep understanding of operating systems, memory management, and process optimization
Experience with multithreading, concurrency control, and synchronization primitives
Ability to write efficient, maintainable code for high-performance systems
Database & Data Technologies
Advanced expertise in relational database systems (SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL)
Proficiency in physical database design, indexing strategies, and query optimization
Strong SQL knowledge including window functions, CTEs, and complex query patterns
Experience with NoSQL databases for specific use cases (Redis, HBase, or similar)
Familiarity with in-memory databases for low-latency requirements
System Design & Architecture
Proven expertise in distributed systems design and implementation
Strong understanding of system design principles: scalability, availability, consistency, partitioning
Experience designing high-throughput, low-latency systems handling real-time data
Knowledge of message queues and streaming technologies (Kafka, RabbitMQ, or equivalent)
Familiarity with networking concepts and optimization (TCP/IP, socket programming)
On-Premise Infrastructure
Expert knowledge of Linux/Unix systems administration and optimization
Experience with storage systems, RAID configurations, and SAN/NAS management
Understanding of virtualization technologies and containerization where applicable
Knowledge of backup, replication, and disaster recovery solutions for on-premise environments
Experience with monitoring, logging, and observability tools in production systems
GPU & Specialized Processor Infrastructure
Proven expertise designing and managing large-scale GPU clusters (NVIDIA, AMD) for data processing and machine learning
Experience with GPU memory management, CUDA/GPU computing frameworks, and GPU workload optimization
Knowledge of TPU (Tensor Processing Units) and SPU (Systolic Processing Units) architecture and deployment
Proficiency in distributed GPU training and inference infrastructure
Experience with GPU virtualization, scheduling, and resource allocation systems
Understanding of high-bandwidth interconnects for GPU clusters (InfiniBand, NVLink)
Familiarity with specialized accelerator management tools and frameworks
Financial Markets & Trading Systems
Understanding of market data types (tick data, OHLC bars, order book microstructure)
Familiarity with trading system architecture and data flow
Knowledge of financial compliance and regulatory data retention requirements
Experience with latency profiling and optimization for trading applications
Required Experience
5+ years of data architecture or systems engineering experience
3+ years designing and building on-premise, high-performance data systems
5+ years of professional C++ development experience
3+ years of hands-on system design and architecture work
3+ years managing large-scale GPU/SPU infrastructure and distributed GPU clusters
Demonstrated track record building low-latency systems handling real-time data at scale
Previous experience in quantitative trading, hedge funds, or high-frequency trading firms (preferred)
Experience managing complex infrastructure projects from design through deployment
Education & Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mathematics, or related quantitative field
Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field (preferred)
Advanced certifications in database technologies or systems architecture (preferred)
Soft Skills
Strong communication ability to translate between technical teams and trading operations
Collaborative mindset with experience working across engineering, research, and trading teams
Problem-solving approach with attention to detail and system reliability
Leadership capability to mentor junior engineers and establish technical best practices
Ability to balance competing priorities: performance, reliability, scalability, and maintainability
Work Environment
This role involves working directly with quantitative researchers, traders, data engineers, and platform teams. You'll participate in design reviews, architecture discussions, and production troubleshooting. The position requires both strategic thinking for long-term infrastructure planning and hands-on technical work for implementation and optimization.