Using maths, statistics and code to price products and find trading edges.
What the job is
Quants build the models behind modern finance: pricing products, measuring risk and finding small, repeatable edges in data. You find them at investment banks, hedge funds and specialist trading firms - including the proprietary and market-making firms that trade their own money at speed.
A day in the role
Write and test code for a pricing or trading model
Dig through market data for patterns worth trading on
Meet the traders to see how your model performs in the market
Read papers and keep improving your models
Skills that matter
Strong maths and probability
Programming - Python or C++
Statistics and working with data
Explaining a complex idea simply
Typical routes in
Spring weeks and insight programmes at banks and trading firms
Summer internships at hedge funds and trading firms
Trading competitions as an early signal of ability
Graduate quant analyst or researcher roles
Live quant and trading firms roles on onTime
The most recent live roles from the onTime tracker. See every role
2027 Quantitative Research Markets Analyst Program – Off-Cycle Internship – London
Starting pay varies by firm, role and location. onDesk does not guarantee any job or salary.
Do you need a PhD to be a quant?
No. Banks and many trading firms hire strong undergraduates in maths, physics, engineering and computer science. A PhD matters for some research roles, but it is not the only way in.
What is a proprietary trading firm?
A firm that trades its own money rather than clients' orders - often called a prop firm. They hire for mathematical ability and fast problem-solving, and their interviews focus on probability and brainteaser-style questions.
What should I study to become a quant?
A numerate degree: mathematics, physics, engineering, computer science or statistics. Beyond the degree, practice mental maths, probability questions and a little Python.
Other areas we coach
Investment banking
Advising companies on deals: buying businesses, raising money and listing on the stock market.
Suited to students who are organised, resilient and happy to be pushed hard on detail.
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