Backend Engineer (Rust) - Trading Systems (FX)

Role Summary

Wagglyn is seeking a Backend Engineer – Contractor to work on core trading platform systems as we transition into live FX trading.

This is a hands-on role focused on developing and improving the backend layer of the trading system, including order management, position tracking, and system coordination across execution, market data, and research.

You will work closely with the CTO and quantitative team to ensure the platform is correct, reliable, and production-ready under live market conditions.

The current focus is on improving system stability, latency, and correctness as we move into live trading.

Responsibilities

· Take responsibility for key components of the Order Management System (OMS):

o Order lifecycle management (creation, routing, execution, cancellation)

o Handling of fills, rejects, and venue-specific behaviour

· Build and improve real-time position and PnL systems:

o Accurate tracking of positions and exposure

o Consistent and deterministic state management

· Ensure correctness of the end-to-end trade lifecycle:

o Signal → order → execution → position

o Robust handling of real-world edge cases (partial fills, out-of-order events, failures)

· Design and maintain backend services for:

o System coordination and internal communication

o Integration between research, execution, and data systems

· Identify and improve latency across the trading pipeline:

o Market data → decision → execution

· Improve production readiness:

o System reliability, observability, and failure recovery

o Deterministic behaviour under live trading conditions

Required Experience

· Experience building backend systems in electronic trading environments

· Strong understanding of:

o Order lifecycle and execution behaviour

o Real-time state management (positions, PnL, risk)

· Strong programming ability in:

o Rust or C++ (performance-critical systems)

o Python for tooling where required

· Experience working with:

o Event-driven, real-time systems

o High-throughput, low-latency architectures

Technical Environment

· Languages: Rust (core), C++, Python

· Protocols: FIX (4.2), binary protocols

· Data: Time-series systems (e.g. QuestDB)

· Systems: Linux, networking, performance tuning

· Architecture: Event-driven systems, low-latency services

What Success Looks Like

In the first 2–3 months, you will:

· Improve the reliability of core trading workflows

· Identify and reduce key latency bottlenecks across the system

· Ensure correct handling of real-world execution edge cases

Profile

· Comfortable taking responsibility for critical system components

· Able to operate effectively in a small, high-performance team

· Pragmatic and delivery-focused:

o Prioritises correctness, stability, and real-world performance

· Strong communicator across engineering and quantitative teams

Contract Structure

· Full-time contractor

· Rolling fixed-term arrangement

· Immediate start preferred

About Wagglyn

Wagglyn is a bespoke FX consultancy mandated by a single-family office to develop and implement a systematic total return strategy in foreign exchange markets.

We are building an institutional-grade algorithmic FX trading capability, combining quantitative research and high-performance engineering.