Senior Telecom Procurement Specialist

Hudson River Trading•New York, NY

16h

About The Position

Hudson River Trading (HRT) is seeking a Senior Telecom Procurement Specialist to join our growing infrastructure team. In this role, you will help procure, build, and optimize the physical backbone of HRT’s global trading infrastructure. The ideal candidate is a commercial engineer who can negotiate fiercely, but also geeks out over optical hardware specs and treats an inventory database like a perfectly calibrated 3D printer. If you view a global network footprint as the ultimate hardware puzzle, love to tinker with hardware in your spare time, and get a thrill from mapping complex physical topologies – like understanding exactly how fiber runs under streets and across oceans – this role is for you. Culture Hudson River Trading (HRT) brings a scientific approach to trading financial products. We have built one of the world's most sophisticated computing environments for research and development. Our researchers are at the forefront of innovation in the world of algorithmic trading. At HRT we welcome a variety of expertise: mathematics and computer science, physics and engineering, media and tech. We’re a community of self-starters who are motivated by the excitement of being at the cutting edge of automation in every part of our organization—from trading, to business operations, to recruiting and beyond. We value openness and transparency, and celebrate great ideas from HRT veterans and new hires alike. At HRT we’re friends and colleagues – whether we are sharing a meal, playing the latest board game, or writing elegant code. We embrace a culture of togetherness that extends far beyond the walls of our office. Feel like you belong at HRT? Our goal is to find the best people and bring them together to do great work in a place where everyone is valued. HRT is proud of our diverse staff; we have offices all over the globe and benefit from our varied and unique perspectives. HRT is an equal opportunity employer; so whoever you are we’d love to get to know you. Please be advised: Use of AI tools during interviews or assessments is strictly prohibited, unless otherwise instructed or agreed upon. We employ various methods to evaluate the authenticity of candidate responses. If we determine that AI assistance was used during any stage of the hiring process, we reserve the right to immediately disqualify your candidacy or rescind any job offers extended.

Requirements

5+ years in telecom procurement, capacity management, or network operations. Proprietary trading, capital markets, or Tier-1 carrier experience is highly preferred.
Deep conceptual understanding of fiber optics, Ethernet, and colocation, with the ability to confidently go toe-to-toe with a vendor's Tier 2 engineering team during an escalation.
Passionate about strict inventory databases, with the ability to learn new skills and help build elegant systems of record.
Exceptional commercial acumen and contract redlining skills, with the ability to partner seamlessly with Legal to execute agreements efficiently and with minimal risk.
Ability to work autonymously, with a can-do, "roll-up-your-sleeves" mentality.
Ability to travel, build on-the-ground vendor relationships, and navigate regional market nuances.

Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Negotiation: Procure global circuits, dark fiber, colocation space, and custom wireless networks. Negotiate complex MSAs and SLAs with global carriers and niche infrastructure providers.
Engineering Partnership: Act as the commercial bridge to our Network & Ops teams. You must speak the physical layer's language: optical budgets, DWDM hardware quirks, Layer 2/3 routing, and strict route diversity.
Inventory & Automation: Partner with developers to build elegant, automated tooling for HRT’s infrastructure, and champion a "System of Record" mindset for inventory management. If messy spreadsheets make your eyes twitch, you'll fit right in.
Lifecycle & Optimization: Own the asset lifecycle, end-to-end. Gather requirements from trading teams, hold vendors accountable to delivery milestones, overhaul underperforming circuits, and retire legacy routes.