Maximising our edge: Inside Quant Research at IMC.

As we scale our research activities around the world, there are growing opportunities for ambitious, high-performing professionals from a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels.

Ben and Liam: All roads lead to research

Ben joined IMC’s quant research team in Sydney as a graduate after completing our Summer Sydney Internship program, bringing a strong academic foundation in Maths and Statistics to his role.

“Having an understanding of probability and stats has been really helpful,” Ben explains. “As a quant researcher, you also need to know how to code, and practical experience in data science or relevant areas is a big plus."

In contrast, Liam came to quant research via the trading floor, joining IMC as an experienced hire after several years at another firm.

“My background is on the operational side of trading,” he says. "It was a great starting point: I got to understand the full research-to-production cycle, and how research and trading interlink.”

“As a trader, I also witnessed the end results of new research breakthroughs and how they drive market performance.”

Curiosity drives results

Looking at IMC, Liam saw an opportunity to explore his growing interest in research and machine learning in a technology-driven environment.

“The company’s strong technology focus really appealed,” he shares. “We’re investing heavily to ensure we fully leverage emerging technologies to improve the business. As someone with a longstanding interest in machine learning, this was music to my ears!”

Since switching roles and firms, Liam has found a new outlet for his curiosity and his passion for technology.

"In simple terms, our job involves finding ways to improve IMC’s trading models and algorithms," he explains. "That can mean anything from updating a model’s features or tweaking its objective, to completely rethinking the modelling approach altogether.”

“It’s very creative: there’s a strong focus on open-ended research, and we have real freedom to tackle new problems and generate ideas that drive our trading performance.”

Meanwhile, Ben, who is at an earlier stage of his career, is also relishing the explorative nature of his role. “The fun part is looking into the unknown and discovering new things,” he says. “Quant researchers aren’t just at the cutting edge of fields like machine learning; we decide where the edge will be tomorrow and what the next frontier will look like!”

“And ultimately, everything we explore has a purpose: a productive day for me is finding multiple things to test that I can prove will generate income for IMC in the future.”

Together at the cutting edge

To push those frontiers and drive results, IMC’s quant researchers work shoulder to shoulder with their trading and engineering colleagues.

“You can’t succeed in this role without being a good communicator,” Liam explains. “As quant researchers, we’re coordinating complex projects across teams and desks, and updating different parts of the business on our progress.”

It’s a culture that Liam is also working to shape, by mentoring younger colleagues and helping them develop the skills and confidence to make a meaningful impact.

“I’ve just started managing a recent graduate,” he says. “I invest time every day in coaching them and helping shape their career. In a fast-moving environment like this, fresh perspectives are hugely valuable; you want everyone contributing from day one.”

For Ben, just starting out in his career, that culture has been equally defining. "It’s very collaborative: everyone's motivated to push things forward together,” he says. “I’m learning from the people around me while also being encouraged to back my own ideas.”

“At this stage of my career, being trusted to help shape what comes next feels like an incredible opportunity."

Ready to explore quant research opportunities at IMC? Check out our dynamic internship and launchpad programs. And discover more about this fast-growing area of our business on our quant research careers page.