Senior Research Engineer

About the role

Flow Traders is seeking a Senior Research Engineer to join our team in Hong Kong. This position offers a chance to be part of a prominent proprietary trading firm that fosters an entrepreneurial spirit and encourages innovation. We are looking for intelligent and creative individuals who are ready to fully utilize their skills. The role is centered on bridging the gap between research experimentation and production scale infrastructure. You will operate at the intersection of data science and software engineering to push the boundaries of systematic trading. The position demands a high level of ownership and initiative in solving complex technical challenges. Success in this role will be defined by your ability to deliver robust and scalable solutions that directly impact trading performance. You will be a key contributor in shaping the technological foundation of our research activities.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Architect and evolve the global research framework that defines and trains models using advanced optimization techniques, ensuring seamless integration with our production deployment platform.
• Partner with Quantitative Researchers to validate hypotheses and refine data-driven systematic trading strategies and alpha signals through rigorous experimentation.
• Design and manage end-to-end machine learning pipelines, handling data preprocessing, model training, deployment, and monitoring with reliability and precision.
• Implement efficient data processing workflows using high-performance libraries to handle large volumes of financial data with speed and accuracy.
• Champion the adoption of modern software development practices, including Agile methodologies, version control, and automated testing to maintain code quality.
• Establish observability and monitoring solutions for machine learning models to ensure stability and performance in live trading environments.
• Leverage cloud services from major providers and containerization technologies to build scalable and portable applications.
• Optimize computational workflows by utilizing high-performance computing and distributed systems to reduce training and inference times.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate business requirements into technical specifications and deliver actionable results.
• Continuously evaluate new tools and libraries, such as advanced numerical computing and deep learning frameworks, to maintain a competitive edge.
• Conduct experiments and analyze results to iterate on model performance and strategy effectiveness in realistic market conditions.
• Document technical processes and methodologies to ensure knowledge sharing and maintainability across the research engineering team.

Requirements

• Hold an advanced degree, such as a Master's or PhD, in Machine Learning, Statistics, Physics, Computer Science, or a closely related technical field.
• Bring a minimum of 8 years of hands-on experience in MLOps, Research Engineering, or Machine Learning Research roles.
• Demonstrate a solid foundation in mathematics and statistics, with the ability to apply theoretical concepts to practical problems.
• Show proficiency in programming, especially Python, and have extensive experience with libraries such as numpy, pytorch, polars, pandas, and ray.
• Have proven experience in building and managing end-to-end machine learning pipelines, covering data preprocessing, model training, deployment, and monitoring.
• Exhibit familiarity with contemporary software development methodologies and tools, including Agile practices, version control, automated testing, CI/CD, and observability standards.
• Possess knowledge of cloud service ecosystems like AWS, Azure, and GCP, along with containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
• Apply strong analytical and problem-solving skills to debug complex issues and optimize system performance under constraints.
• Communicate technical concepts clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders within a collaborative environment.

Nice to have

• Acquire experience in financial markets or trading systems to better understand the domain-specific challenges.
• Develop familiarity with high-performance computing and distributed systems to optimize large-scale computational tasks.

Practical notes

Flow Traders does not accept unsolicited applications from staffing or recruitment agencies. Any resumes submitted without a signed agreement will be considered free to contact by Flow Traders, and no placement fees will be paid if the candidate is hired. The role is based in Hong Kong and operates on a full-time basis. Candidates must be available to start promptly and commit to the responsibilities outlined in the description. Relocation support is not mentioned, so applicants should consider their ability to meet the location requirements independently. The application process will prioritize candidates who demonstrate a strong alignment with the technical requirements and the entrepreneurial culture of the organization.