Senior Quantitative Researcher

Principal Quantitative Researcher / Team Lead - HFT & MFTLocation - New YorkDescription:Our client is a highly successful global quantitative investment firm with a significant international presence and a multi-billion-dollar investment platform. The firm has built its reputation around systematic, research-driven investing and has developed a deep bench of quantitative talent across global markets.As part of its next phase of international expansion, the firm is establishing a significant new presence in the United States and is looking to appoint an exceptional Principal Quantitative Researcher to lead the development of its US quantitative trading business.This is not a conventional senior quant research position. The successful candidate will have a genuine opportunity to shape the firm's US presence from the ground up, with full discretion over the strategic mandate, research direction, team structure and hiring strategy.The firm is targeting exceptional quantitative researchers currently operating at the very top end of the HFT and systematic trading market, particularly individuals who have demonstrated a sustained ability to generate alpha within leading quantitative trading organisations.The Opportunity:The successful candidate will take a leadership role in building a new US-based quantitative trading group focused on HFT and/or MFT strategies.The mandate is deliberately broad and will be shaped around the candidate's expertise, track record and vision for building a successful systematic trading business.You will have the autonomy to determine the most attractive markets, strategies, research agenda and organisational structure, with the resources and capital required to build the platform around your investment process.This is an opportunity for an elite researcher to move beyond developing individual strategies and take ownership of building an entire quantitative trading franchise.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the development of a new US-based HFT and/or MFT quantitative trading business.Define the group's strategic mandate, including markets, trading horizons, research priorities and systematic investment approach.Develop and oversee the research of high-Sharpe systematic trading strategies.Generate and validate new sources of alpha using advanced statistical, mathematical and machine-learning techniques.Take strategies through the full research lifecycle from hypothesis generation and data analysis through to backtesting, production and live trading.Establish the research architecture, methodologies and processes required to build a scalable quantitative platform.Recruit and develop a world-class team of quantitative researchers, traders and technical talent.Have full discretion over hiring priorities and the composition of the team.Work closely with senior leadership to establish the firm's US quantitative presence and long-term investment strategy.Collaborate with technology, execution and infrastructure teams to ensure strategies can be deployed efficiently at scale.Continue to research and develop new systematic strategies as the business grows.Ultimately take responsibility for the research direction, alpha generation and development of the US quantitative trading group.Ideal Candidate:We are looking for an exceptional quantitative researcher with:5+ years of experience generating alpha within a leading systematic trading firm, hedge fund or proprietary trading organisation.A PhD or equivalent advanced research background from a top-tier university, ideally in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering or another highly quantitative discipline.A proven track record of developing profitable HFT and/or MFT systematic strategies.Demonstrable evidence of generating meaningful, persistent alpha in a live trading environment.Exceptional mathematical, statistical and quantitative research ability.Strong programming skills and experience working across large-scale financial datasets.A history of independent research and intellectual ownership.Experience leading or mentoring other quantitative researchers is highly desirable.The ambition and entrepreneurial mindset required to build a new quantitative investment business.The ability to define a strategic research agenda rather than operate within a pre-existing framework.Exceptional communication and leadership skills, combined with a deeply technical approach to quantitative research.Compensation & Opportunity:The firm is prepared to compete aggressively for truly exceptional talent.Total compensation potential of $4m+ for the right candidate.Significant performance-linked economics.The ability to build and lead a new US quantitative trading group.Full discretion over the group's strategic mandate and research direction.Significant autonomy over hiring and team development.Access to substantial capital, data, technology and quantitative infrastructure.The opportunity to establish a long-term US presence for one of the world's most ambitious quantitative investment businesses.A senior leadership position with the potential to develop into a major strategic role within the firm's global investment platform.This is a rare opportunity for a genuinely elite quantitative researcher to move into a franchise-building role with the autonomy to define the strategy, build the team and shape the firm's US quantitative presence from the ground up.If you are a senior quantitative researcher with a proven HFT/MFT alpha track record and the ambition to build and lead an entirely new quantitative trading business, Venture Search would welcome a confidential discussion.