Senior Systems Developer - Linux Kernel & Performance

• Senior Linux Systems Developer - Quant Systems (Kernel & Performance)
• New York, NY (Hybrid, 3 days in office)
• Highly competitive compensation package

Join an elite technology and research group at the forefront of global finance, where world-class engineering and quantitative research converge to solve some of the most complex problems in any industry. Their teams are composed of passionate problem-solvers who operate in a dynamic, large-scale, low-latency IT environment. We are seeking a visionary engineer to drive deep optimization and development within the Linux operating system, ensuring the firm's complex trading and research platforms operate with maximum performance and efficiency.

The Role

We are seeking a deeply experienced Senior Linux Systems Developer for our Quant Systems team. This is a crucial, hands-on role for a true low-level systems expert who thrives on optimizing performance at the operating system level. You will be a key technical leader responsible for tuning, analyzing, and developing components within the Linux kernel and user space to support our most demanding HPC and low-latency workloads. You will act as a force multiplier by solving the most challenging performance bottlenecks, mentoring other engineers, and setting the standard for deep systems expertise.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the design and execution of high-impact projects focused on optimizing the performance and reducing the latency of our core Linux-based HPC and trading infrastructure.
• Develop, debug, and maintain low-level systems software, potentially including kernel modules, eBPF programs, or performance analysis tools, primarily using C, Go, or Python.
• Serve as a senior escalation point for the most complex Linux systems issues, diagnosing and resolving deep technical challenges related to kernel behavior, performance anomalies, and hardware/OS interactions.
• Drive the architecture for ultra-performant Linux environments, making key design decisions for production systems based on deep OS-level knowledge.
• Mentor and guide other engineers, championing best practices in low-level systems development, performance tuning, and diagnostics.

Your experience:

• 11+ years of experience in a senior systems development or performance engineering role with a track record of success in complex, performance-critical Linux environments.
• Expert-level proficiency in C or Go, with significant experience in Python also valued; proven track record of developing systems-level software (not just scripting).
• Deep, hands-on expertise with the Linux operating system internals, including kernel tuning, debugging (gdb, perf, strace), eBPF, and systems administration in a large-scale, performance-sensitive environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical projects, driving deep architectural decisions, and mentoring other engineers in systems programming or performance analysis.
• Strong knowledge of configuration management tools (e.g. Ansible, Salt) and CI/CD concepts.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex low-level concepts to a variety of audiences.