Two Sigma Investments, LLC

Quantitative Researcher - Execution Modeling

Two Sigma Investments, LLC • $165K — $300K *
Finance & Insurance
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Strong quantitative skills in statistics, applied mathematics, or related fields; PhD preferred but not required.
  • 5-15 years of experience in execution research or algorithmic trading.
  • Deep understanding of market microstructure and participant behavior.
  • Hands-on experience with market impact modeling and transaction cost analysis.
  • Expertise with large intraday market datasets; L3 data experience is a plus.
  • Experience applying machine learning techniques to trading problems.
  • Strong programming skills in Python, Java, or C++.

Responsibilities

  • Optimize order scheduling and its interaction with trading tactics.
  • Enhance execution simulator to align with production results.
  • Research short-horizon signals from market data to refine trading tactics.
  • Develop market impact models across various trading horizons and liquidity profiles.
  • Design and analyze A/B tests and execution performance metrics.
  • Utilize historical order data to identify new execution alpha sources.
  • Collaborate with multiple teams on joint research initiatives.

Benefits

  • Fully paid medical and dental insurance for employees and dependents.
  • Competitive 401k match and employer-paid life & disability insurance.
  • Onsite gyms, wellness activities, and casual dress environment.
  • Tuition reimbursement and sponsorship for conferences and training.
  • Generous vacation, unlimited sick days, and competitive caregiver leave.
  • Flexible hybrid work policy with budget for home office setup.
Full Job Description
Position Summary

We are seeking a self-motivated individual to join the Execution Modeling team. The team researches and builds the tactics, models, and all market interactions that drive how we trade across Global Equities and Global Macro. We are seeking a quantitative researcher to reduce execution costs and increase capacity through market microstructure research impacting trading algorithms, market impact models, interaction with portfolio construction, simulation, and scheduling. You will partner closely with experts across modeling, portfolio management, and trading to take research into production. This is a hands-on research role with the opportunity to shape the direction of execution research across regions and asset classes.

You will take on the following responsibilities:

  • Optimize how orders are scheduled and how that schedule interacts with the tactics underneath it and with portfolio optimizers
  • Improve our execution simulator and its agreement with production results, including fill probability, adverse selection, and post-trade impact
  • Research and develop short-horizon signals from order book, quote, and trade data to improve trading tactics, order placement, and venue selection
  • Build and improve market impact models across trading horizons, from seconds to multiple days, and across instruments with very different liquidity profiles
  • Design and analyze production experiments (A/B tests) and execution performance metrics that separate real improvements from market noise
  • Use our large internal history of orders and fills to find new sources of execution alpha
  • Build relationships with other teams supporting investment and research processes, and work closely with multiple teams on joint research


You should possess multiple of the following qualifications:

  • Excellent quantitative skills, as evidenced by formal training in statistics, applied mathematics, operations research, economics, computer science, physics, engineering, or a related quantitative field. A PhD is a plus but not required.
  • 5-15 years of experience in execution research, algorithmic trading, market-making, or high-frequency trading at a financial firm.
  • Deep understanding of market microstructure, including order types, venues, dark pools, queue dynamics, and how different market participants behave
  • Hands-on experience with market impact modeling, transaction cost analysis, or execution simulation
  • Expertise with large datasets of intraday market data (quotes, trades, order book). Experience with full order-by-order (L3) data is a significant plus.
  • Experience applying machine learning techniques to trading, execution, or modeling problems
  • Strong programming skills (Python, Java, or C++), data management and retrieval skills, and literacy with Linux and LLM support
  • Effective communication skills, both written and verbal
  • Ability to own research end-to-end, from data gathering through hypothesis testing to production deployment and monitoring, in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment


You will enjoy the following benefits:
  • Core Benefits: Fully paid medical and dental insurance premiums for employees and dependents, competitive 401k match, employer-paid life & disability insurance
  • Perks: Onsite gyms with laundry service, wellness activities, casual dress, snacks, game rooms
  • Learning: Tuition reimbursement, conference and training sponsorship
  • Time Off: Generous vacation and unlimited sick days, competitive paid caregiver leaves
  • Hybrid Work Policy: Flexible in-office days with budget for home office setup


The base pay for this role will be between $165,000 and $300,000. This role may also be eligible for other forms of compensation and benefits, such as a discretionary bonus, health, dental and other wellness plans and 401(k) contributions. Discretionary bonus can be a significant portion of total compensation. Actual compensation for successful candidates will be carefully determined based on a number of factors, including their skills, qualifications and experience.

About Two Sigma Investments, LLC

Two Sigma Investments is a quantitative investment management firm that uses data science and technology to identify investment opportunities. The company's solutions are designed to help investors make better decisions and generate higher returns. Two Sigma Investments offers a range of products, including hedge funds, private equity, and venture capital. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in New York City.
Learn more about Two Sigma Investments, LLC
Size
1,500 employees
Industry
Founded
2001

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