Lead Exchange Connectivity Engineer

Flowdesk

Lead Engineer managing exchange connectivity initiatives for a digital asset trading firm. Overseeing integration, standards, and mentoring connectivity engineers in a dynamic fintech environment.

Posted 7/3/2026full-timeLondon • 🇬🇧 United KingdomSeniorWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

RustTCP/IP

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Owning the design, build, and operation of feed handlers across all connected venues.
Leading connectivity go-lives: planning, staging, testing, cutover, and post-launch support.
Debugging complex production connectivity issues across exchange protocols and internal systems.
Setting technical standards for how the team approaches exchange integration.
Mentoring engineers working on connectivity components.
Contributing to HFT infrastructure where connectivity and execution overlap.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Extensive crypto feed handler experience across multiple venues in production at an institutional firm - not experimental or internal-only.
Deep understanding of market data feed handling, order lifecycle management, and multi-feed aggregation.
Minimum of 2+ years of solid technical Rust experience, across sync and async code. Demonstrable experience of low-latency Rust development, at the very least 5+ years of C++ experience in a low latency environment.
Strong understanding of networking protocols down the stack: HTTP, WS, TCP/IP
Understanding of the full go-live cycle: from integration and UAT through to production cutover and ongoing support.
Proven experience leading multiple venue migrations end-to-end, from cutover planning and parallel-run testing through to full decommission of legacy connectivity, including managing rollback procedures and minimising trading disruption during transition.
Experience managing exchange-driven changes (EDC), upgrade lifecycles, and rapid go-live pressures.
Experience with AI-first development workflows and AI harness engineering and quality assurance.
Some leadership experience: technical lead, team lead, or similar. This person needs to be able to set direction, not just execute.
Preferred
AI-native experience and AI harness engineering - delivered AI code generation workflows in production.
Experience managing a team or squad of connectivity engineers.
Experience across both TradFi and crypto connectivity (FIX, ITCH, OUCH, WebSocket, proprietary).
Experience with ultra-low-latency development (kernel-bypass, zero-copy).

Benefits

Comp & perks

International environment (English is the main language)
100% health coverage
Team events and offsites
Company Pension scheme
Learning and Development budget

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

Rust ProgrammingC++ ProgrammingMarket Data Feed HandlingOrder Lifecycle ManagementMulti-Feed AggregationLow-Latency DevelopmentExchange IntegrationDebugging Connectivity IssuesGo-Live Cycle ManagementRollback Procedures

Soft Skills

MentoringLeadershipTeam ManagementTechnical Direction