-
Who We Are
- What We Do
Traders from our team answer some of our candidates’ most frequently asked questions.
What is the culture like for traders?
Entrepreneurial
Great ideas, even from junior traders, are rewarded with the opportunity and resources to pursue them. Managers are responsible for setting the high-level strategy but work directly alongside traders on the desk. This means great ideas and meaningful contributions can come from anyone on the team—creating a true meritocracy. The most successful people at Citadel Securities are those who proactively identify problems and propose solutions.Collaborative
We value winning as a team and are set up to do just that. We are in constant communication throughout the day and work closely with quantitative researchers and engineers – not just other traders.Ambitious
We are uncompromising when it comes to being the best and delivering the most for our clients. There is no better pressure test for your strategies and solutions than the market and its real-time feedback. We know when to pivot. We don’t just think about what works today—we also think about what will create the most value for the firm in the future.
What Makes a Great Candidate
- BS/MS in mathematics, statistics, physics, computer science, economics or another quantitative field preferred
- Passion for the financial markets and trading
- Established capability for systematic problem solving
- Technical skills: acute understanding of risk taking in uncertain conditions, programming languages, algorithm theory and statistics
- Strategic decision-making skills: strong ability to take in new information and act quickly
- Resilience: desire to take ownership, commitment to working with integrity and ability to overcome obstacles to achieve long-term goals
- Intellectual curiosity and a motivation to learn
What qualities make someone a successful trader?
Curious
Successful traders enjoy putting their curiosity to use. It is more than being attentive to markets and current events; it’s the desire to use the information available to identify opportunities. An interest in continuous learning about the markets and managing risk is key to quickly building confidence and trading expertise.Solution oriented
The markets change rapidly. Being able to synthesize a lot of information and make critical decisions is important. The market provides immediate feedback, so you must have the desire to iterate in real-time.Perceptive
You enjoy apprenticeship and have the confidence to watch, learn and take calculated risks. As a trader, learning opportunities come with each execution.What types of complex mathematical or statistical problems do you solve?
There are many, but good examples include exploring measures of volatility and risk as well as exploring themes across market structures. It’s rewarding to construct new models that explain performance and risk exposure. Our teams rely on various time-series techniques to analyze and provide context to the results of our trading.The immediate feedback we receive from testing hypotheses developed with these models is really motivating – helping us continue to push harder and pursue better outcomes.
- What We Do
