Re: Career advice - High Frequency Trading network engineer

What sort of things are you linux scripting in HFT? What language?
On Jan 13, 2013 3:59 PM, "Abdul" <rslab007_at_gmail.com> wrote:

> Joe,
>
> Your description is so spot I had to share it. Great stuff.
>
> I too have worked in both arenas, and the lone thing I might add to the
> gentleman who sent the initial inquiry is the following:
>
> Don't be fooled to believing an HFT bubble within an investment bank would
> be run like a true HFT firm (ie Hedge Fund or small prop trading firm).
>
> It may be HFT, you will do loads of the usual low latency stuff (switches,
> fpgas, linux scripts, multicast market data, exchange provisioning etc)
> BUT you will STILL be subject to the massive infighting, corporate politics
> and archaic/slow change control process. And don't let me even start to
> talk about "security processes" (notice I make no mention of security
> technologies for in the big Financial banks, they are very different
> silos)..
>
> Outside of my little nugget above, Joe's advise covers it all.
>
> - Abdul
>
>
>
> On Jan 13, 2013, at 9:51 AM, "Joseph L. Brunner" <joe_at_affirmedsystems.com>
> wrote:
>
> > I can answer you on that - I have done both -
> >
> > The Blue Pill
> >
> > An investment bank is often a very slow job, staged configs by different
> teams, pigeon holing (only being allowed to work on singular repetitive
> tasks) and lots of political infighting... At a big bank, you'll be
> underpaid, under challenged and often, find you are quite replaceable when
> Dell or HP get's the contract to outsource your job. There will be MANY
> middle managers who can't do you job, don't understand your job - but LOVE
> to leave at 4pm and take all the credit the next day when you stayed until
> 11pm for a change over. There will be people that you will KNOW can NEVER
> EVER EVER have the job they have ANYWHERE else. You will find things like 4
> weeks of meetings to change a firewall rule, 3 weeks of meetings to change
> a catalyst line card - and all along - you'll be forced to explain to
> people in meetings who again REALLY DON'T CARE about the technology and are
> NOT passionate about it - but will go out of their way to hammer you with
> stupid questions - just to make !
> th!
> > emselves look smart.... they will make snarky comments about "all those
> letters after your name" and "well, anyone can get certified, it doesn't
> mean they have experience" (but have NOT one single certification
> themselves). I can't think of one big bank I have worked at or interviewed
> at where there was not at least 50% of the people (managers, directors)
> that could and SHOULD be cut and anyone would ever notice they were not
> there. they offered and did NOTHING. Remember, this is an industry which
> through its own MISMANAGEMENT had to be bailed out at taxpayer expense...
> sounds like fun?
> >
> > However, I offer you the red pill...
> >
> > As an HFT network engineer, I'm constantly challenged to do more with
> less - HFT shops are very LEAN, we don't have any fat - we can't afford it.
> We get all the greatest equipment - we just have to make it work really
> well. We work very closely with some of the smartest people anywhere -
> quantitative analysts, programmers and traders - we are VERY appreciated -
> they are very proud of us as we are of them. We learn things like fpga's,
> linux scripts and automation, solarflare and dozens of other technologies
> other than basic "route and switch". We have to do things with Multicast
> and Market Data to get feeds from many different sources to the trading
> systems as "fast as possible". We do meetings with vendors who just came to
> market and are asked by our traders to make and prove critical decisions
> and come up with challenging test plans for new potential equipment like
> 40gbe switches. This allows us to work with the VERY LATEST technologies
> and compare and contrast them to tr!
> ad!
> > itional approaches. We get "right into the action" and learn and see
> trading strategies and development - so we have to learn to keep secrets
> (BIGTIME). We can't even tell our wives or friends when, what or how our
> firm trades. You are given awesome levels of responsibility and often the
> pay is great. There are people I met in HFT I would say are uniquely
> passionate, creative and take so much pride in their work that I step up to
> an even higher level and take even more pride in mine. I have never
> experienced any bad people or lazy people in HFT. That's the best part of a
> lean, nimble company - we get to see each other work up close - and we know
> right away who should and should not be there.
> >
> > If working for a big investment bank is getting to mow the grass at an
> NFL stadium - working for an HFT or prop shop is like being allowed to play
> Quarterback in the playoffs...
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Joe
> > #19366
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: nobody_at_groupstudy.com [mailto:nobody_at_groupstudy.com] On Behalf Of
> ccie2323
> > Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2013 6:52 AM
> > To: ccielab_at_groupstudy.com
> > Subject: OT: Career advice - High Frequency Trading network engineer
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Would like some thoughts on HFT project network engineer role, the role
> is for a investment bank mainly to build new network infrastructure for the
> organization. How is the role as compared to a investment bank campus
> project network engineer. Which role will give better experience and career
> advancement, i have more then 5 years of enterprise network engineer
> experience.
> >
> >
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Received on Sun Jan 13 2013 - 16:10:51 ART