This is a greenfield platform effort. We are not patching what exists — we are building what comes next.
The Role
This is a core infrastructure role on a small, focused team, based hybrid (4 days in office) out of New York, NY or Lisle, IL. You will be one of the foundational engineers shaping and building our new execution platform — a low-latency, C++-based system with client-facing FIX connectivity, institutional-grade risk controls, and deep integration across U.S. exchanges and dark venues.
Client-facing FIX gateway — design and harden the FIX acceptor that serves as the primary inbound order entry point for institutional clients; own the full order lifecycle including order entry, fills, ACKs, rejects, and outbound sequencing
Market data infrastructure — build and maintain production-grade feed handlers for exchange protocols (ITCH, OUCH, binary) across major U.S. exchanges and ATSs, replacing legacy market data dependencies with proprietary, low-latency infrastructure
Execution and venue connectivity — build and optimize the venue connectivity layer; own latency profiling and hot-path analysis from order receipt through exchange acknowledgment
Pre-trade risk controls — architect and implement real-time risk checks with a clear understanding of where each check sits in the critical path; balance correctness guarantees with microsecond-level latency budgets
Platform infrastructure — contribute to configuration and command & control architecture, normalized internal message representation, and audit-trail logging systems
Algorithmic strategy migration — over time, help move existing algorithmic strategies off legacy infrastructure onto the new platform — component by component, with the current solution running until it is fully replaced
As the core platform stabilizes over the next 12–24 months, you will have the opportunity to contribute to a broader roadmap — including a research and backtesting environment, expansion into additional asset classes (options, futures, FX, crypto), and support for international markets including Europe and Canada. The platform is designed to support all of this from a shared execution layer. The engineers hired now will shape what that looks like.
What We Value
Engineers who are biased toward action and make sound tradeoffs with incomplete information
Deep ownership — you care about correctness and performance well beyond your immediate scope
Strong communication across engineering, trading, and operations
A willingness to challenge assumptions and raise the bar on how we build
Requirements
7+ years of experience building high-performance, low-latency systems in C++ in a production environment
Deep knowledge of FIX protocol (4.2/4.4) and the full order lifecycle — entry, routing, execution, cancellation, and reporting
Experience with exchange market data protocols (ITCH, OUCH, binary feed formats) and building production-grade feed handlers
Strong understanding of low-latency architecture — kernel bypass, lock-free data structures, CPU affinity, memory layout, and hot-path profiling
Experience with multicast messaging (Aeron, LBM, or equivalent publish/subscribe transport)
Solid grasp of U.S. equity market structure: order types, Reg NMS, venue routing, lit and dark pools
Comfortable working in Linux, including performance tuning at the OS level
Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related STEM field
Nice To Haves
Experience building algorithmic execution or SOR infrastructure at a broker-dealer, prop firm, or exchange
Familiarity with options or futures execution infrastructure
Experience with pre-trade risk system design — firm-level and account-level controls
Knowledge of CAT reporting requirements and how they shape system design
Experience building platforms designed to service multiple asset classes from a shared execution layer
Exposure to international markets and cross-region system design
Experience with fractionalization and/or internalization
Proficiency in Python for internal tooling and test infrastructure
Familiarity with containerization and Kubernetes-based deployment
We Offer
The Base Salary Range for this role is $200,000 - $350,000. This range is representative of the starting base salaries for this role at Clear Street. Where a candidate falls in this range will be based on job related factors such as relevant experience, skills, and location. This range represents Base Salary only, which is just one element of Clear Street’s total compensation. The range stated does not include other factors of total compensation such as bonuses or equity.
At Clear Street, we offer competitive compensation packages, company equity, 401k matching, gender neutral parental leave, and full medical, dental and vision insurance. In-office benefits include lunch stipends, fully stocked kitchens, happy hours, a great location, and amazing views.
Our top priority is our people. We’re continuously investing in a culture that promotes collaboration. We help each other through challenges and celebrate each other’s successes. We believe that modern workplaces succeed by virtue of having high-performance workforces that are diverse — in ideas, in cultures, and in experiences. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and put in the effort to make such a workplace a daily reality. #LI-Hybrid
