Sergei on Quantitative Research and Collaboration at Jane Street

SUMMARY

In 30 seconds

Sergei, a researcher in Jane Street’s New York office, describes the variety of quantitative research projects and his daily collaboration with traders. He also discusses useful university subjects, pursuing work that genuinely interests you, and the firm’s investment in training.

1Research takes timeProjects vary, but many involve difficult quantitative questions and can last months.
2Working across rolesSergei works with traders every day and also interacts with researchers and developers.
3Follow your interestsHe encourages candidates to work on projects they care about, with statistics or coding relevant to the work.
4Learning on the jobHis first-year training included classes on options, bonds, and statistics.

Takeaways

Quantitative research projects can take months and cover a range of problems.
Research can involve daily collaboration with traders as well as work with other researchers and developers.
Probability, statistics, and basic programming have been useful in Sergei’s work.
Sergei advises candidates to pursue projects they care about and says related quantitative or coding experience can help.
Internal training can cover financial products and statistical topics.

TopicsCareers Education

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Research and collaboration

Sergei describes quantitative projects and an example involving stock and option prices. He discusses working with traders, developers, and fellow researchers.

I work as a researcher at Jane Street, where I started in February 2021. Research projects vary widely, but many involve difficult quantitative problems and take months rather than a day or a week.

One project I particularly enjoyed involved thinking about how stock prices move over time and how those movements might affect option prices. I find that a really interesting problem.

How much you interact with developers or traders depends on your preferences and projects. I interact with traders every day and currently sit alongside them. I also work with other researchers and sometimes with developers.

I work with so many people that I sometimes forget who is formally on my team—it can feel as though everyone is. People are kind and friendly, and I am often impressed by the ideas they come up with.

Preparation and learning

He shares advice for candidates and identifies useful college courses. He also discusses publication and the firm’s internal education.

My main advice is to work on something you are passionate about. I hope that enthusiasm comes through in an interview. It can also help if your work relates to ours, for example through statistics or coding.

Looking back at college, the courses that feel most relevant to my job are probability, statistics, and basic programming. Researchers generally do not publish much or attend conferences, although I have seen it happen when someone is passionate about it.

One thing I appreciate about Jane Street is its focus on education. During my first year, the firm put me through classes related to my work, including how options and bonds work and various statistics topics. It was encouraging to see that investment in my learning and growth.