Graduate Quantitative Trader

Job Description

What you’ll do as a Graduate Quantitative Trader at Akuna:

Our Quantitative Team are a mixture of mathematicians, statisticians and technologists that find solutions to problems. We create trading models and strategies scientifically by combining our quantitative expertise with an understanding of derivatives and financial markets. We are seeking Juniors to join the team to apply their quantitative skills to exciting problem. You don't need a background in finance or trading, instead we look for maths and coding skills.

Our Quantitative Traders are creative thinkers who can capture trading opportunities, convert ideas into solutions and pilot sophisticated strategies with mathematical and programming skills. Our Quant traders trade alongside our options and market making traders, as well as undertake quantitative projects. As a Quant Trader you will:

• Manage trading strategies and improve profitability by converting ideas into quantitative models
• Implement trading signals that contribute to portfolio construction
• Develop a deep understanding of derivatives theory and financial markets
• Generate ideas on trading opportunities, product insights, risk management and trading systems

If this sounds interesting to you, apply now! We are looking for people who have innovative ideas, think analytically, and have an entrepreneurial mindset and want to make an immediate impact in our growing company and contribute to Akuna’s strategy portfolio.

Start dates: February 2022- Mid 2023

Training: We always have new projects and look to bring on our juniors all throughout the year. As a junior, you will be paired with a mentor to work together on your first project, and we offer extensive training opportunities to learn about market making, our systems, and financial theories such as Options Greeks and Black Scholes methods.

Requirements for this role:

• Australian or NZ citizen or Australian Permanent residences only
• University Degree graduating before January 2023 and within the last 3 years
• An understanding of advanced Mathematics: Calculus, Stochastic Processes, Linear Algebra, Statistics and Optimization
• Working knowledge of statistical analysis, numerical linear algebra, machine learning or convex optimization
• Intermediate programming skills in Python (C++ is a plus)
• Ability to process complex information quickly and accurately under pressure
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Financial experience or studies are NOT a requirement

Qualities that make great candidates:

• Bachelor, Honours, Masters or PhDs in Statistics, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, Engineering, or related degrees
• Distinction Average & proven strong academics
• Awards, prizes, medals, competitions, & scholarships
• Experience in research within an academic or professional environment
• Achievements outside of studies through your hobbies & interests

About Akuna:

Akuna Capital is an innovative trading firm with a strong focus on collaboration, cutting-edge technology, data driven solutions and automation. We specialise in providing liquidity as an options market maker – meaning we are committed to providing competitive quotes that we are willing to both buy and sell. To do this successfully we design and implement our own low latency technologies, trading strategies and mathematical models. At Akuna we have a flat structure, where the best idea wins.

Our Founding Partners, including our CEO Andrew Killion, first conceptualised Akuna in their hometown of Sydney. They opened our first office in 2011 in Chicago, the heart of the derivatives & options industry. Akuna then expanded to Sydney in 2018 to be the centre of our Asian trading operations, and in 2021 we moved to our Barangaroo waterfront office. We currently trade in HK, Korea, India, cryptocurrencies, and US night markets and are excited for expansions into all the major Asian exchanges. We also have offices in London, Shanghai and Boston.

At Akuna, we believe that the people are the centre of everything we do. Our Sydney office has a start-up feel with less than 200 people, which means you really get to know the team! We run social poker competitions, happy hours, have a fully stacked breakfast and snack room, host social events, go on company trips, social club events, and offer great training with our Akuna University. We are expanding rapidly and looking for the best talent to join us on this journey. If you enjoy being part of smart, driven teams with real challenges to solve- this could be the place for you!