Ezio on Linux Engineering and Collaboration at Jane Street

I’m Ezio, a Linux engineer in Jane Street’s London office. I joined in 2020.

Linux engineers have different mixes of operational work and projects. My team manages a substantial part of the technology infrastructure: the Linux platform, including monitoring, performance, scaling and troubleshooting, as well as related areas such as storage. We also write and maintain software to automate, scale and troubleshoot that work.

One skill I bring is simplifying complexity and connecting people. In a fast-paced environment we process a lot of information, so distilling what matters and communicating it to the right people helps, especially during urgent troubleshooting.

Knowledge of Linux and operating-system theory has helped me beyond everyday terminal use. Operational work matters, but so does formulating hypotheses and investigating what has gone wrong. Experience at both large technology companies and small startups also helps me understand colleagues’ needs and communicate in terms they use.

I describe the culture as humble and accountable. People often state their level of confidence so others can contribute their opinions and help reach better decisions. They also discuss and take ownership of mistakes, keeping the focus on solving problems; there is room for fun at work and at social events too.

Learning about community groups gave me the opportunity to start a Pride group, something I cared about. An open culture and personal connections made it easy to find interested colleagues, and HR and other people at Jane Street supported the group early on.

The group has social gatherings such as lunches, dinners and drinks. One colleague also worked with the private health insurer to secure explicit support for trans people in the coverage. Community groups, including Pride, are global and present across the New York, London, Amsterdam, Singapore and Hong Kong offices.

Collaboration can be informal or formal. Sometimes we walk to a colleague’s desk, talk at lunch or meet over coffee; other work calls for shared design documents and calls across offices and time zones. A consultative, inclusive approach helps bring different opinions into the discussion.

When I joined, I wish I had known how normal it is to ask someone to explain what you do not understand. Coming from other companies, I felt pressure to know everything and be productive immediately, so I often researched alone. In the office I saw how readily people ask questions and admit they need to learn more.

My advice to new hires is to take time to listen, absorb and understand before forming opinions and suggesting changes. Talk to colleagues and learn what the firm does, how it works and why. There is no need to arrive knowing everything or prove productivity from day one.