Compliance Testing Officer

Tower Research Capital is a leading quantitative trading firm founded in 1998. Tower has built its business on a high-performance platform and independent trading teams. We have a 25+ year track record of innovation and a reputation for discovering unique market opportunities.

Tower is home to some of the world’s best systematic trading and engineering talent. We empower portfolio managers to build their teams and strategies independently while providing the economies of scale that come from a large, global organization. 

Engineers thrive at Tower while developing electronic trading infrastructure at a world class level. Our engineers solve challenging problems in the realms of low-latency programming, FPGA technology, hardware acceleration and machine learning. Our ongoing investment in top engineering talent and technology ensures our platform remains unmatched in terms of functionality, scalability and performance.

At Tower, every employee plays a role in our success. Our Business Support teams are essential to building and maintaining the platform that powers everything we do — combining market access, data, compute, and research infrastructure with risk management, compliance, and a full suite of business services. Our Business Support teams enable our trading and engineering teams to perform at their best.

At Tower, employees will find a stimulating, results-oriented environment where highly intelligent and motivated colleagues inspire each other to reach their greatest potential.

Responsibilities:The Surveillance Testing Officer will be responsible for:

• Evaluating alert quality, false positive rates, and parameter thresholds, providing recommendations for tuning and configuration to enhance surveillance accuracy and efficiency.
• Performing scenario-based and continuous testing of surveillance logic to ensure models are functioning as expected and effectively capturing relevant behaviors.
• Designing, implementing, and maintaining a risk-based surveillance framework that supports comprehensive monitoring of the firm’s global trading activity.
• Conducting daily post-trade surveillance reviews to identify potential market abuse or integrity concerns, and escalate issues promptly to relevant business partners and senior stakeholders.
• Collaborating with regional and global compliance teams to identify and implement enhancements to the surveillance infrastructure and platform capabilities.
• Maintaining clear and complete documentation of testing procedures, results, and methodologies in accordance with internal governance and audit standards.
• Engaging with internal stakeholders, including compliance and business units, to communicate findings, provide updates, and ensure alignment on surveillance matters.
• Assisting in responding to regulatory inquiries by gathering and submitting accurate and timely surveillance data and related documentation.
• Supporting the drafting and review of internal surveillance policies, procedures, and guidance documents to reflect evolving regulatory expectations and firm practices.
• Participating in special projects and initiatives as required by regional or global compliance teams, contributing subject matter expertise and operational support.

Qualifications:

• At least 3 to 5 years of experience in a trade surveillance role designing, testing, and calibrating surveillance models or alert parameters at a financial institution (e.g. investment bank, broker, trading venue/exchange, proprietary trading firm or regulator).
• Working knowledge of the Nasdaq Trade Surveillance (SMARTS) tool.
• Good knowledge of Market Conduct/Market Abuse rules and regulatory frameworks.
• Proven analytical skills, including the analysis of large amounts of order and trade data whilst maintaining attention to detail.
• The ability to work and prioritize independently coupled with the judgment to involve management with issues as needed.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong Microsoft Excel/Google Sheet knowledge and skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of Cryptocurrency trading, and/or Cryptocurrency surveillance experience.
• Prior experience with JIRA & Tableau.
• Working knowledge of coding languages such as SQL and Python.
• Some exposure to technical aspects of high frequency/algorithmic trading.

Benefits:

Tower’s headquarters are in the historic Equitable Building, right in the heart of NYC’s Financial District and our impact is global, with over a dozen offices around the world. 

At Tower, we believe work should be both challenging and enjoyable. That is why we foster a culture where smart, driven people thrive – without the egos. Our open concept workplace, casual dress code, and well-stocked kitchens reflect the value we place on a friendly, collaborative environment where everyone is respected, and great ideas win.

Our benefits include:

• Generous paid time off policies
• Savings plans and other financial wellness tools available in each region
• Hybrid working opportunities
• Free breakfast, lunch, and snacks daily 
• In-office wellness experiences and reimbursement for select wellness expenses (e.g., gym, personal training and more) 
• Volunteer opportunities and charitable giving 
• Social events, happy hours, treats, and celebrations throughout the year
• Workshops and continuous learning opportunities

At Tower, you’ll find a collaborative and welcoming culture, a diverse team and a workplace that values both performance and enjoyment. No unnecessary hierarchy. No ego. Just great people doing great work – together.

Tower Research Capital is an equal opportunity employer.