Systematic Quantitative Researcher - PhD

Overview

CTC is a cutting-edge proprietary trading firm with a long-term vision and a clear focus on helping the world price and manage risk. Our culture emphasizes collaboration, ethical excellence, and solving the industry’s most challenging problems while taking calculated risks.

We strive to be the most innovative firm in the industry today, tomorrow, and long into the future while upholding ethical excellence. Started in 1995 by a team of forward-thinking Traders, we are proud to call ourselves an industry leader that keeps making markets and each other better.

The Role

Quantitative research is a key driver of innovation at CTC and one of the pillars upon which our firm is built. As a Quantitative Researcher, you’ll operate near the tip of the spear in a collaborative, dynamic environment. This includes close partnership with other researchers, traders, and engineers on quantitative problem-solving, trading strategy generation, back-testing, statistical analysis, and system design. Our environment of collaborative innovation and intellectual curiosity allows us to share in our victories while continually challenging ourselves to stretch the limits of our creativity.

Take advantage of this opportunity to apply the scientific method to business problems as part of one of our Quant teams at CTC!

We prioritize team matching at the outset of our hiring process, thoughtfully considering which of our two teams (Vol Overlay or Delta Force) offers the best fit for each candidate’s strengths and interests while also aligning to the firm’s highest priority needs.

We are seeking a Quantitative Researcher who can seamlessly blend academic rigor with practical application in our fast-paced trading environment. This individual will partner with our Trading and Technology teams to strengthen, scale, and evolve the firm s trading capabilities. The ideal candidate will possess a unique combination of analytical prowess, programming skills, and eye for business, driving innovation and results in quantitative finance.

• Analyze market data to come up with economic and microstructure hypotheses
• Build predictive and explanatory models to describe financial markets
• Add revenue by applying thorough research processes to real life business problems
• Contribute to ongoing improvement of research and trading infrastructure

• PhD in Science or Engineering fields (e.g. Statistics, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, or Operations Research)
• Proven ability to conduct independent, high-quality research
• Exceptional ability to communicate complex ideas and research results, both in writing and verbally
• Unwavering commitment to quality, coupled with a drive for delivering commercial outcomes.
• Demonstrated expertise in applying quantitative modeling techniques to large, complex datasets
• Strong track record of publications in an industry setting
• Advanced Python programming skills

• Proficiency in C++
• Experience in financial markets
• Experience using Num Py and Pandas libraries
• Experience with the software development lifecycle

The salary range for this role is listed below. This role is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. The discretionary bonus will be dependent upon the individual’s skills, experience, qualifications, and firm performance.

Salary Range

$175,000 - $200,000 USD

At CTC, we aim to cultivate a workplace that celebrates diversity and each person feels included, engaged and empowered. We are committed to having a diverse workforce and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. CTC does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

If you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or to apply for a position, please contact us at  Note that emails sent to this email account for non-disability related issues, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.