Contract Data Engineer (Algorithmic Trading)
Posted Today by X4 Technology
£950 Per day
Inside
Hybrid
London Area, United Kingdom
Summary: The Contract Data Engineer will play a crucial role in building a data platform for algorithmic trading within a leading commodities trading business. This position involves designing and developing scalable data pipelines and collaborating with traders and quantitative analysts to enhance trading analytics. The role is hybrid, based in London, and is part of a long-term program with an initial contract of six months. The position requires a strong background in data engineering and commodities trading.
Key Responsibilities:
- Design and build scalable data pipelines (batch + real-time) for trading analytics
- Develop data models across disparate datasets (market data, orders, trades, positions)
- Build and maintain high-performance data platforms for TCA and execution analytics
- Ingest and process large-scale, high-frequency (tick-level) market data
- Develop real-time and historical data services for trading and research
- Optimise query performance and data access patterns
- Contribute to time-series database architecture and implementation
- Collaborate with traders and quants to deliver analytics and data-driven insights
- Support development of pre- and post-trade analytics capabilities
- Work across teams to integrate data from multiple systems and platforms
Key Skills:
- Proven background in commodities trading / capital markets / investment banking
- Strong experience working with large financial datasets (market data, trades, orders)
- Demonstrable knowledge of derivatives trading lifecycle and market structure
- Proven data engineering experience (data modelling, pipeline development)
- Experience with time-series databases (kdb+ preferred)
- Strong knowledge of tick data structures and high-frequency data processing
- Experience building or supporting TCA / execution analytics platforms
- Familiarity with Linux environments and scripting (Bash, etc.)
- Comfortable working directly with traders in fast-paced environments
Salary (Rate): £950/d
City: London
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: inside IR35
Seniority Level: undetermined
Industry: IT
Role: Contract Data Engineer
Project: Data platform build for algorithmic trading
Industry: Commodities Trading
Location: London (hybrid)
Contract: 6 month initial (long-term programme)
Rate: £800-950/d (inside IR35)
X4 Technology are partnered with a leading commodities trading business offering the opportunity for a Contract Data Engineer to join a high-impact algorithmic trading programme. This role sits at the heart of a major data platform build, supporting both analytics and systematic trading through scalable, high-performance data pipelines. You’ll work closely with traders, quants, and engineering teams to design and deliver both batch (Databricks) and real-time (tick-level time series) data solutions.
Responsibilities of the Contract Data Engineer (Algorithmic Trading)
- Design and build scalable data pipelines (batch + real-time) for trading analytics
- Develop data models across disparate datasets (market data, orders, trades, positions)
- Build and maintain high-performance data platforms for TCA and execution analytics
- Ingest and process large-scale, high-frequency (tick-level) market data
- Develop real-time and historical data services for trading and research
- Optimise query performance and data access patterns
- Contribute to time-series database architecture and implementation
- Collaborate with traders and quants to deliver analytics and data-driven insights
- Support development of pre- and post-trade analytics capabilities
- Work across teams to integrate data from multiple systems and platforms
Requirements for the Contract Data Engineer (Algorithmic Trading)
- Proven background in commodities trading / capital markets / investment banking
- Strong experience working with large financial datasets (market data, trades, orders)
- Demonstrable knowledge of derivatives trading lifecycle and market structure
- Proven data engineering experience (data modelling, pipeline development)
- Experience with time-series databases (kdb+ preferred)
- Strong knowledge of tick data structures and high-frequency data processing
- Experience building or supporting TCA / execution analytics platforms
- Familiarity with Linux environments and scripting (Bash, etc.)
- Comfortable working directly with traders in fast-paced environments
This is a foundational hire within a growing data function, offering the opportunity to shape both batch and real-time data architecture for a global trading platform. You’ll play a key role in building out next-generation data capabilities, working closely with systematic trading teams and contributing directly to trading performance and analytics. Please apply online for immediate consideration.