Engineering Lead- Options

About the role

The Engineering Lead for Options will guide a team of approximately seven engineers, focusing on systematic options trading and enhancing the trading infrastructure. This involves taking ownership of an existing Rust-native options trading platform, driving its evolution, and ensuring its performance, reliability, and risk controls. The role requires a hands-on approach to complex engineering challenges within a trading system context.

This position demands close collaboration with various internal stakeholders, including trading, quant, product, risk, and infrastructure teams. Success in this role means effectively balancing technical leadership with people management, ensuring timely delivery of projects, and maintaining operational discipline. The ideal candidate will provide strong technical direction while fostering team growth and development.

Keyrock operates as a leading market maker in the digital asset space, known for its innovation and global team across multiple hubs. The company has pioneered the use of Rust for algorithmic trading systems and is expanding its services across various financial instruments. This role contributes directly to Keyrock's goal of becoming a full-service capital markets institution.

The salary for this position ranges from $80,000 to $155,000 USD.

Skills that matter here

• Rust: This role involves owning and evolving an existing Rust-native systematic options trading platform, requiring deep proficiency or a willingness to become deeply proficient in the language.
• C++: Strong hands-on experience with C++ is required, particularly in the context of systematic trading or low-latency systems.
• C: Strong hands-on experience with C is required, especially for building systematic trading or low-latency systems.
• SQL: Experience working with SQL databases in production environments is necessary for managing trading data, with a preference for PostgreSQL.
• PostgreSQL: Experience with PostgreSQL is preferred for managing databases in production environments related to trading systems.
• gRPC: Strong knowledge of gRPC is preferred for inter-service communication within the trading infrastructure.

Who this role suits

• A leader with at least 7 years of experience in systematic trading, options market-making, or low-latency trading systems.
• Someone who thrives in a hands-on technical role while also managing and growing a team of engineers.
• An individual with a strong understanding of algorithmic options trading, including automated quoting, execution, pricing, and risk controls.
• A pragmatic problem-solver who can navigate complex engineering and trading-system challenges while balancing technical and people leadership.

From the employer

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow an Options Engineering team of around 7 engineers
• Bring hands-on experience in systematic options trading, ideally including options market-making, automated quoting, execution, and risk management
• Own and evolve an existing Rust-native systematic options trading platform
• Provide strong technical direction across trading infrastructure, system design, performance, reliability, and risk controls
• Work pragmatically through complex engineering and trading-system challenges
• Partner closely with trading, quant, product, risk, and infrastructure stakeholders
• Balance technical leadership with people leadership, delivery ownership, and operational discipline

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in systematic trading, options market-making or low-latency trading systems
• Strong hands-on experience with Rust, C++, or C
• Willingness to become deeply proficient in Rust, if not already
• Strong understanding of algorithmic options trading, including automated quoting, execution, pricing, risk controls, and market data workflows
• Experience building or maintaining low-latency trading systems, ideally within options or derivatives markets
• Experience working with SQL databases in production environments, with PostgreSQL preferred
• Familiarity with functional testing, component testing, and production-grade validation practices
• Strong understanding of distributed systems, service boundaries, and production reliability
• Strong knowledge of gRPC and experience working with Node.js-based services is preferred
• Previous experience with crypto exchange connectivity and/or FPGA technologies is strongly preferred

Conditions

• A competitive salary package
• Autonomy in your time management thanks to flexible working hours and the opportunity to work remotely
• The freedom to create your own entrepreneurial experience by being part of a team of people in search of excellence

As an employer, we are committed to building a positive and collaborative work environment. We welcome employees of all backgrounds, and hire, reward and promote entirely based on merit and performance.

Due to the nature of our business and external requirements, we perform background checks on all potential employees, passing which is a prerequisite to join Keyrock.