Asking for a friend Background: New Grad with a Ph.D. in CS, based in NYC. Target roles: SE/Quant E in IT/Finance. Offer Details: Small prop shop (10 people), high-frequency option trading company (Nasdaq PHLX). Role: Assistant Quant Developer, located in Philadelphia. Likely initial duty: Converting trading algorithms from C# to C++. Compensation: $96,000 base + $16,000 bonus (almost guaranteed) + performance based bonus (depends on personal and company performance, not guaranteed, likely 1 or 2 monthsβ base pay for the first year). PTO: 15 days/year (5 can be rolled). Non-compete: 1-year base pay, applicable to entities registered with national US options exchanges and their affiliates. Pros: Opportunity to work directly with a trader, learning the trading framework, algorithms, and industry secrets. The company seems welcoming and supportive of new grads. Cons: Daily commute: ~4 hours in total (~2 hours one way), relocation isn't an option due to family constraints. High commuting costs, ~$1,200 per month. Lower than desired pay. One-year non-compete clause. While the offer may not seem very attractive at face value, I'm considering the potential for learning and growth toward my career goal. Would you advise taking this as a stepping stone despite the drawbacks, or should I keep looking for better opportunities? Any insights on future career growth based on this potential experience would be highly appreciated.
I cannot even fathom 4 hours daily commuting
He should move closer. Imo it's worth taking an offer with a Quant, bc this opportunity might not come again so soon.
So because soneone adds quant to a job description suddenly its worth 200k lol
I think adding something like research scientist probably also works :)
You should keep looking⦠the comp is way below market for a CS PhD new grad
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Done, thanks!