I'm a buy side Quant Researcher at a top hedge fund (Jane Street/Two Sigma/AQR/etc). AMA

Hi all,

In the spirit of sharing and helping prospective students (I'm a senior buy side quant researcher. AMA), it's my honor to use this platform to interact with students who might be interested in this career path.

Who Am I: I'm a quantitative researcher working in systematic trading. I develop alpha signals to forecast the future prices of various financial instruments. I first learned C++ nearly 20 years ago, so I used QuantNet to refresh my knowledge on recent language features. I do not hold an MFE degree, but I have a master's degree in statistics and a PhD in artificial intelligence. I have 5~10 years of work experience.

About My Company: a tier-1 hedge fund (like DE Shaw, HRT, Jane Street, Millennium, Tower, etc.)

Why Am I doing this: Andy initially reached out, and I thought this might be beneficial to students or anyone interested in quant trading.

Ground rule: Feel free to ask me anything related to my professional experience or the quant finance industry in general. However, due to privacy and anonymity concerns, I won't be able to answer personal or overly specific identifying questions. All views expressed here are my own and do not represent those of my employer or others in similar roles.

 

[attabeezy]

Hi all,

In the spirit of sharing and helping prospective students (I'm a senior buy side quant researcher. AMA), it's my honor to use this platform to interact with students who might be interested in this career path.

Who Am I: I'm a quantitative researcher working in systematic trading. I develop alpha signals to forecast the future prices of various financial instruments. I first learned C++ nearly 20 years ago, so I used QuantNet to refresh my knowledge on recent language features. I do not hold an MFE degree, but I have a master's degree in statistics and a PhD in artificial intelligence. I have 5~10 years of work experience.

About My Company: a tier-1 hedge fund (like DE Shaw, HRT, Jane Street, Millennium, Tower, etc.)

Why Am I doing this: Andy initially reached out, and I thought this might be beneficial to students or anyone interested in quant trading.

Ground rule: Feel free to ask me anything related to my professional experience or the quant finance industry in general. However, due to privacy and anonymity concerns, I won't be able to answer personal or overly specific identifying questions. All views expressed here are my own and do not represent those of my employer or others in similar roles.

Hello, I'm engineering student from a third world country. Honestly I think I'm the only one in my circle even considering quant finance. I'm interested in navigating to quant research positions in buy-side firms. As an engineering student, I'm taking a lot of math and programming courses through my curriculum and independently for the ones not in it too so I'm covering that. I'm considering a PhD in Computer Science (Theory/Artificial Intelligence) because MFE programmes barely offer funding. Considering the finance side of your job, how do quant firms evaluate your knowledge in finance and how do I prepare for that when in the future, I apply for quant finance internships and jobs.

Also, what should I focus on to align myself for Quant Research in the fields of research (what kind of research should I do to be more enticing?), internship (are research-related or finance/tech-related internships more preferred?) and extras (what areas are people paying less attention to that can make a world of a difference in recruitment?).

 

[physguy]

Hi, thanks for doing this.

You mentioned that it's possible to go from sell-side to buy-side. Based on your experience which roles have the best chances for such a move? Desk quants, quant strategists, QIS or something else? What is the roles that your firm typically recruit from the sell-side?

 

[Geet]

Hi all,

In the spirit of sharing and helping prospective students (I'm a senior buy side quant researcher. AMA), it's my honor to use this platform to interact with students who might be interested in this career path.

Who Am I: I'm a quantitative researcher working in systematic trading. I develop alpha signals to forecast the future prices of various financial instruments. I first learned C++ nearly 20 years ago, so I used QuantNet to refresh my knowledge on recent language features. I do not hold an MFE degree, but I have a master's degree in statistics and a PhD in artificial intelligence. I have 5~10 years of work experience.

About My Company: a tier-1 hedge fund (like DE Shaw, HRT, Jane Street, Millennium, Tower, etc.)

Why Am I doing this: Andy initially reached out, and I thought this might be beneficial to students or anyone interested in quant trading.

Ground rule: Feel free to ask me anything related to my professional experience or the quant finance industry in general. However, due to privacy and anonymity concerns, I won't be able to answer personal or overly specific identifying questions. All views expressed here are my own and do not represent those of my employer or others in similar roles.

Thank you for taking the time to do this — it's incredibly valuable for aspiring quants like me. I'm currently pursuing an MSc in Financial Engineering from WorldQuant University while working as a Software Test Engineer with over 2 years of experience in automation frameworks and data validation. I’m actively building my foundation in quantitative research, trading strategies, and financial modeling.

Given your experience in systematic trading, I’d love to know:
What are some key technical or mathematical skills you consider essential for someone aiming to break into alpha research roles at tier-1 hedge funds?
Also, for someone coming from a non-traditional background (like mine), what can I focus on to stand out in the recruitment process for quant roles?

Looking forward to learning from your insights!

 

[qn_username]

Hello thanks for the AMA

q1. My aim is to transition to buy side from a few year stint in the sell side (actuarial roles), feasible?
q2. participated in IMC prosperity 2025, was in the top 100 in manual trading; will SOA exams actually prepare me well for the transition?

I know very little about actuarial roles. In addition, buy-side offers various roles. It's hard for me to tell without your particular sub-industry and what instruments your firm is selling.

If I remember correctly, top 100 in IMC Prosperity 2025 is top 1%? That seems quite impressive. I don't know much about SOA exams.

 

[Shaolin]

Hi,

I am an Undergrad Junior looking to Get into Entry Level Quant. I have good SWE Internships at Big tech level. How do I get myself to pass quant interviews and resume screens. What strategies do you recommend to reach out to land interviews and what resources do you recommend for preparing for Interviews for Quant Trader roles? Thank you!

 

[qn_username]

Hi, I am currently working in a MFT firm, what kind of strategies does top tier quant firm deploy? do they only deal in HFT strategies or do they also go for MFT strategies with some statistical edges which hasn't been exploited it. If the answer is yes(for MFT strategies) then can you share some old, redundant ideas to just get a flavor of edges being exploited.

Thanks for the question. Different top-tier quant firms pursue a wide range of strategies on the spectrum. While some are known for ultra-low latency execution, many also run MFT strategies that rely on statistical edges.

That said, I'm not able to share specific trading ideas, even outdated ones, for confidentiality and compliance reasons.

 

[Michelle]

@qn_username
Follow up on my previous question with another one that deals with the nitty gritty of your daily work.
1) Can you give us some idea of what your daily work involves? How much is it spent on alpha research vs coding vs other mundane task?
2) What are the tech stack that you use? In general, what technical skills that you recommend people should have to enter this industry.
3) What coding language do you use at work? I saw you completed the QuantNet C++ courses. How do apply those C++ features into your work?
4) Work-life balance: I'm sure stress is part of the job. How do you deal with it?
5) How do you keep your technical skill and domain knowledge relevant? Any book, journal or resources you keep up with?

Thanks a ton. I learn a lot from your replies.

 

[qn_username]

Hi, thank you for your help.

I have a question regarding career progression. I'm currently working as a credit quant on the investment banking desk of a bulge bracket bank. My work primarily involves modeling interest income, analyzing rates and spread risk, and pricing certain hedging instruments. However, it's not a role that involves developing alpha models or investment strategies.

I joined this desk about a year ago after completing a top MFE program. My long-term goal is to move to the buy side.

Given the nature of my current role, do you think this experience translates well to buy-side opportunities? Would you recommend that I start exploring external opportunities now, or should I first aim to transition internally to a systematic market making or trading team to strengthen my profile before making the switch?

Systematic credit trading (as of this moment) is less common than in equities or futures due to the less automated nature of credit markets. That said, there are definitely buy-side credit teams, that rely heavily on quantitative analytics.

If moving to the buy side is your long-term goal, I’d recommend to start networking with people in those roles now. This will help you better understand what specific skills or gaps you may need to address. You can then evaluate whether to transition internally or externally. The earlier you get that feedback loop going, the better.

 

[qn_username]

Hello, I'm engineering student from a third world country. Honestly I think I'm the only one in my circle even considering quant finance. I'm interested in navigating to quant research positions in buy-side firms. As an engineering student, I'm taking a lot of math and programming courses through my curriculum and independently for the ones not in it too so I'm covering that. I'm considering a PhD in Computer Science (Theory/Artificial Intelligence) because MFE programmes barely offer funding. Considering the finance side of your job, how do quant firms evaluate your knowledge in finance and how do I prepare for that when in the future, I apply for quant finance internships and jobs.

Also, what should I focus on to align myself for Quant Research in the fields of research (what kind of research should I do to be more enticing?), internship (are research-related or finance/tech-related internships more preferred?) and extras (what areas are people paying less attention to that can make a world of a difference in recruitment?).

You seem to have a strong technical background. I hope your hard work eventually pays off.

When I interviewed upon graduation, I wasn't expected to know finance. Interviewers explained the context, and the focus was on whether I could solve the math & coding problems. With a PhD in CS, you likely won't be judged on finance knowledge either - but you'll need to excel in your own area. A quant finance internship can help a ton, since it shows you're serious about the industry.

It’s hard to predict, 5+ years from now, which technology will be most useful in quant research. If you want your research to align with quant work, focus on data-driven problems, measurable outcomes, and solid / significant improvements. Be aware that might narrow your research options. For internships, big brand names - even in tech - can help you land on more interviews.

 

[qn_username]

Hi, thanks for doing this.

You mentioned that it's possible to go from sell-side to buy-side. Based on your experience which roles have the best chances for such a move? Desk quants, quant strategists, QIS or something else? What is the roles that your firm typically recruit from the sell-side?

You might need to think carefully about your objective: what exactly do you want from buy-side? Not all buy-side roles are created equal. Rather than focusing purely on how easy the transition is, it's probably better to ask why you want to make the move, and what kind of role you're really targeting.

For technical roles, transitions are most feasible when there's a clear match between your skillset and the firm's needs. In some cases, back-office or quant roles building out underdeveloped areas (like a new asset class or analytics stack) can be a good entry point. Some firms may be strong in one area but still building capabilities in others - if your expertise/experience helps them fill that gap, that could be a perfect fit. What matters most is whether expertise meet the needs, not the title of your sell-side job.

 

[qn_username]

Thank you for taking the time to do this — it's incredibly valuable for aspiring quants like me. I'm currently pursuing an MSc in Financial Engineering from WorldQuant University while working as a Software Test Engineer with over 2 years of experience in automation frameworks and data validation. I’m actively building my foundation in quantitative research, trading strategies, and financial modeling.

Given your experience in systematic trading, I’d love to know:
What are some key technical or mathematical skills you consider essential for someone aiming to break into alpha research roles at tier-1 hedge funds?
Also, for someone coming from a non-traditional background (like mine), what can I focus on to stand out in the recruitment process for quant roles?

Looking forward to learning from your insights!

Key skills for alpha research are solid math, stats, coding, and problem-solving.

Given your background, starting with a quant dev role might be a good entry point. From there, you can keep learning on the job and transition into quant research, trading, or even portfolio management if that’s your goal. I've seen people take all of those paths - some stayed in quant dev and grew into engineering managers, others moved into PM roles. Both are valid careers and take years to develop. There's no objectively better path - it really comes down to what you enjoy and what you're good at.

 

[qn_username]

Hi,

I am an Undergrad Junior looking to Get into Entry Level Quant. I have good SWE Internships at Big tech level. How do I get myself to pass quant interviews and resume screens. What strategies do you recommend to reach out to land interviews and what resources do you recommend for preparing for Interviews for Quant Trader roles? Thank you!

Leverage the resources available at your school - career fairs, alumni networks, student clubs, networking events. Try to pinpoint where your gap lies: if you’re not passing resume screens, maybe consider another internship, or even an advanced degree. If interviews are the bottleneck, revisit course notes.

Many useful online resources these days, including: QuantNet, leetcode, some probability and brain teasers websites.

 

[TheReverseFlash]

Hi, thanks so much for answering our queries.
Could you please tell , as a freshman student in operations research moving to sophomore year of my undergrad degree at top 1 uni in India, what can I do other than the quant interview stuff and trading competitions to increase my chances of securing an off-campus Quant Intern for summer of sophomore year?
I have prepared for the interviews with a variety of problems as well as done a lot of mental math , what else can I do at this stage?

 

[qn_username]

@qn_username
Follow up on my previous question with another one that deals with the nitty gritty of your daily work.
1) Can you give us some idea of what your daily work involves? How much is it spent on alpha research vs coding vs other mundane task?
2) What are the tech stack that you use? In general, what technical skills that you recommend people should have to enter this industry.
3) What coding language do you use at work? I saw you completed the QuantNet C++ courses. How do apply those C++ features into your work?
4) Work-life balance: I'm sure stress is part of the job. How do you deal with it?
5) How do you keep your technical skill and domain knowledge relevant? Any book, journal or resources you keep up with?

Thanks a ton. I learn a lot from your replies.

Glad you found the replies helpful!

1. For details on day-to-day work, you can search "A day in the life at ${firm_name}". Many firms have polished (but still useful) videos that give a decent sense of how time is split between research, coding, and meetings.

2 & 3. For interview prep, Python and C++ are good enough. Most firms have their own internal tech stacks, and some even developed their own languages. Personally, I revisited C++ through QuantNet to broaden my toolkit - not necessarily because it's tied to what I use at work.

4. You are right that stress is part of the job. That said, I believe dealing with stress is a skill that can be trained. No one is born with stress-dealing. Perhaps one suggestion is don't take on more responsibility than you're ready for - burnout can be real, and your company doesn't want that to happen.

5. After a few years at work, you gain a clear picture of how the business works and where your strengths and gaps lie. Then it becomes easier to focus your learning. So what book / journal / resource will depend on your situation, and you may need trial & error to figure out.

 

[TheReverseFlash]

Hello, thank you so much for answering everyone's queries.

I am a freshman undergrad student in operations research moving to sophomore year at top 1 uni in India. I am thorough with all the quant interview preparation sources on the internet and am very well versed with problems asked in these. I also have ticked off the smaller boxes like mental math and such. Apart from trading competitions, what else can i do to maximize my chances of securing an off campus good Quant Intern for my sophomore summer/winter.
Thanks for the help!

 

[dgpo]

Hi,
Thank you for your willingness to do this.
I have a few questions:
1. Getting interviews does not seem to be much of a problem with me. However, my performance in interviews admittedly has not been good. How best can I deal with nerves in interviews? And in high-pressure situations generally?
2. I am from an engineering background, and have 2x tech internships in a big bank. I am currently doing a master's in a top 5 UK uni (think Cambridge, Imperial, LSE) in a relevant field (Maths, Stats, Physics, MFE). How can I best sell myself as someone who wants to break into quant (whether buy side or sell side) as a quant researcher/analyst/trader?
3. Generally, what kind of projects are good for my CV if I am trying to sell myself as a quant? Or someone who is looking to be one?
4. What are the best resources for quant interviews besides the typical Green/Red books?

Thanks again!

 

[qn_username]

Hello, thank you so much for answering everyone's queries.

I am a freshman undergrad student in operations research moving to sophomore year at top 1 uni in India. I am thorough with all the quant interview preparation sources on the internet and am very well versed with problems asked in these. I also have ticked off the smaller boxes like mental math and such. Apart from trading competitions, what else can i do to maximize my chances of securing an off campus good Quant Intern for my sophomore summer/winter.
Thanks for the help!

Getting into a top university in India is already a strong signal, and your major in operations research is very relevant. One thing that's exciting is how rapidly India's financial markets are growing - the top Indian-based quant funds are highly competitive and are now expanding globally, including into the U.S. I'll avoid naming names here, but you've likely heard of them through your alumni network.

Securing a quant internship as a sophomore can be tough, mainly because what you've learned at school is limited. But if you're already among the top students in your class, I'd emphasize on networking - especially through alumni and any quant or finance-related workshops or career fairs your school hosts.

 

[qn_username]

Hi,
Thank you for your willingness to do this.
I have a few questions:
1. Getting interviews does not seem to be much of a problem with me. However, my performance in interviews admittedly has not been good. How best can I deal with nerves in interviews? And in high-pressure situations generally?
2. I am from an engineering background, and have 2x tech internships in a big bank. I am currently doing a master's in a top 5 UK uni (think Cambridge, Imperial, LSE) in a relevant field (Maths, Stats, Physics, MFE). How can I best sell myself as someone who wants to break into quant (whether buy side or sell side) as a quant researcher/analyst/trader?
3. Generally, what kind of projects are good for my CV if I am trying to sell myself as a quant? Or someone who is looking to be one?
4. What are the best resources for quant interviews besides the typical Green/Red books?

Thanks again!

1. If getting interviews is not a problem, that’s great - many candidates struggle at the resume stage. If you’re not sure where your interviews are going wrong, try to ask for feedback, or simulate high-pressure environments with mock interviews. Practicing with someone who can challenge you under time pressure may help.

2. Your background is already sufficient to demonstrate that you want to break into quant.

3. Projects tied to real data and measurable results tend to stand out. If you've participated in trading or data competitions (especially those hosted by your target firms) and ranked well, that can make a big difference. Open-source projects, Kaggle, or independent signal research can also help.

4. QuantNet, leetcode, some probability / brainteaser websites.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

To piggy back on the answer above, here is a list of resources posted by another member when he prepared for QR interviews.

A

Thread 'Study programme for quant researcher interviews'

1/21/22

Study programme for interviews​

Hi everyone,

I was researching how to prepare for interviews and have ended up organising a decent amount of material into a study programme that I am sharing in this post, which describes:

1. the technical skills needed during a quant interview
2. a study programme to develop these skills

To understand what the interview process is like, read the respective introductions of this primer and "Quant Job Interview Questions and Answers" (2nd edition).

Technical skills​

Note that the technical skills I'm going to describe are the...

• alovya
• Replies: 22
• Forum: Quant Interviews

• 

 

[kingston]

Hi all,

In the spirit of sharing and helping prospective students (I'm a senior buy side quant researcher. AMA), it's my honor to use this platform to interact with students who might be interested in this career path.

Who Am I: I'm a quantitative researcher working in systematic trading. I develop alpha signals to forecast the future prices of various financial instruments. I first learned C++ nearly 20 years ago, so I used QuantNet to refresh my knowledge on recent language features. I do not hold an MFE degree, but I have a master's degree in statistics and a PhD in artificial intelligence. I have 5~10 years of work experience.

About My Company: a tier-1 hedge fund (like DE Shaw, HRT, Jane Street, Millennium, Tower, etc.)

Why Am I doing this: Andy initially reached out, and I thought this might be beneficial to students or anyone interested in quant trading.

Ground rule: Feel free to ask me anything related to my professional experience or the quant finance industry in general. However, due to privacy and anonymity concerns, I won't be able to answer personal or overly specific identifying questions. All views expressed here are my own and do not represent those of my employer or others in similar roles.

Hi OP! Thanks for doing this and providing valuable insights to us. I am currently doing my MFE program in the US and have done my undergrad in Math and CS. I am involved with labs at my university and that is kind of making me inclined towards pursuing a PhD. However, since I like both Math and ML, I'm confused as to what shall I pursue. Since I haven't figured out a niche research area in either, what would you recommend I should look more into (Math or ML, and what specifically in them)?

I'm still going to finish my MFE and then take the call on PhD, do you recommend the PhD path over MFE path of getting into buy-side. Moreover, since you have done a PhD yourself, can you please share your journey from a PhD to a buy-side firm?