HF
DGA Core Plus Absolute Return ETF
stock NYSE ETF

I see, thank you very much and would you have any idea how to qualify ? Even with a MSc in Stats from Oxbridge and 1 as a QR, most high ML jobs / frontier labs are even more difficult to join than HF, and I would not even pass the screenings and I dont see myself going back to uni for a phD. IS it all about connexions ?

Hello, I am writing you to have some advices. To give you a little bit of context I graduated (master) from {Cambridge / Oxford} last year in Statistics and I have worked as a QR for 1 year in a Tier 3 funds. I have resigned because:
* I was not doing alpha (think more exec stuff), so no perspective of getting paid on what you contributes directly.
* I really enjoy machine learning and more tech stuff (multi-gpu distribution) and I was only doing very simple things, not more complex architectures.
My long term goal is to have more of a quant researcher ML role (like Deep learning stuff in mid-freq equity) and if possible (like in pods structures) have a book at some point
At my surprise, I did not pass a lot of screening be it IMC, Optiver, DRW, BAM, Point, etc I never got any interviews. I had only one late stages itw with {JS, Citsec, Jump} where I got rejected after the second onsite and a very long process.
I only currently have offers from:
* SP as a QR alpha research
* DV trading QR HFT alpha research
* Graviton as a QR in mid freq equity

These firms definitely don't seem very great (reputation and evolution wise) from what I have heard:

I still have a little bit of nc time what should I do if you were in my place ? I am not greedy for an insane salary rn but want to be in a position that I like and that will pay off in 5 to 7 years.
* Wait a little bit and try to land a role in a descent HF/ Prop shop ?
* Go for a ML role in tech / frontier lab ? and then come back in Quant ? In this case which roles could be fine and in which companies ?
Thank you so much ?

>So does quant salary progression just fall off a cliff, or how is big tech more lucrative?? 
It doesn't fall off the cliff.
Just check the salary subs, most of the highest salary ones with the exception of founders/executives are usually people in Prop shops. In tier-1 "Quant" firms, you have SWE making 1M+ after 7-8 YOE.
That said, "Quant" is a very general term. Your salary and working culture in a Hedge fund is going be to very different from a Prop/MM. Even within the same Hedge funds, you could be making vastly different from your peers at other pods.
Also, most of the negative stereotypes of SWE come from HF. In most prop/MM (and some HF that focus in Tech), SWE are treated as an equal.

Math & stats undergrad from a top math uni is Canada, spent about a year on the alt data team at a large fundamental HF, now a little over a year at a small traditional fundamental L/S fund (\~10 people, single PM). My work spans trading/investment ops, portfolio & risk analytics (performance attribution, factor models), building internal tools, and ad hoc work for the PM/analysts. Broad exposure, but not deep in any one area. Firm runs lean, no real quantitative techniques in use, no proper tech/data infra, and limited mentorship since everything is mostly self-directed. I don’t think this is where I want to grow long term.
I’d like to move toward a more quantitative role/firm — ideally something in trading, portfolio management, or portfolio analytics. Is the best move to start recruiting now while building quant-relevant skills outside of work (refreshing stats/probability, sharpening coding), or should I be approaching this differently? What kind of roles do you think I should be targeting to help my profile if i need a bridge role?

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