Lead Alpha Researcher, Systematic Equities

IMC Trading; Greater London; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

IMC Trading in London seeks a Lead Alpha Researcher to advance systematic equities alpha across a global platform. You will lead a European research team, drive a portfolio of high‑impact ideas, and collaborate with traders and engineers to scale production alpha initiatives.

You bring 5+ years in quantitative alpha research, strong ML and Python skills, and a proven track record of delivering profitable signals in production. This is a senior leadership role.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a quantitative field (MS/PhD).
• 5+ years in systematic intraday trading or alpha research.
• Proven track record of profitable alpha signals in production.
• Experience leading researchers in a high-performance environment.
• Strong ML experience with robust validation practices.
• Proficiency in Python and statistical methods.
• Excellent communication across global teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead research, development, and deployment of alpha signals and models across equities.
• Manage and grow a core part of the European alpha research team.
• Define and prioritise the alpha research agenda.
• Deliver measurable improvements in production trading performance through robust research and validation.
• Establish best practices for research methodology, validation, reproducibility, and deployment.
• Foster a research culture built on scientific rigour and collaboration.
• Develop scalable research tools, datasets, and modelling frameworks.

Skills

Alpha research leadership

Machine learning

Predictive modelling

Python

Research direction

Mentoring / people leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Statistical methods

Education

Master’s or PhD in quantitative field

Job description

The Role

IMC is seeking a Lead Alpha Researcher to join our Systematic Equities team in London. This is a senior hands‑on research and leadership role focused on developing and scaling alpha generation, predictive modelling, and machine learning capabilities across our global equities business.

You will lead a key part of the European alpha research team, managing researchers and driving a portfolio of high‑impact alpha initiatives from idea generation through production deployment. You will work as part of a closely coordinated global alpha initiative, helping to set priorities, develop researchers, elevate research quality, and scale high‑impact ideas across regions.

Working closely with traders, researchers, and developers globally, you will drive the discovery, validation, and deployment of new sources of alpha that improve production trading performance.

Our Systematic Equities business benefits from significant advantages in market access, execution quality, global reach, and technology. The continued growth of machine learning and data‑driven research creates opportunities to unlock these advantages and tackle some of the most impactful problems in systematic trading.

IMC competes and wins as a team, with open idea sharing and collaboration across disciplines, desks, and offices.

Responsibilities

• Take a leading role in research, development, and deployment of alpha signals and predictive models, contributing to a globally coordinated alpha effort across equities markets.
• Manage, grow, and develop a core part of the European alpha research team.
• Help define and prioritise the alpha research agenda.
• Deliver measurable improvements in production trading performance through robust research, disciplined validation, and close collaboration with trading teams.
• Establish and uphold best practices for research methodology, validation, reproducibility, and deployment across the alpha research team.
• Foster a research culture built on scientific rigour, intellectual curiosity, open idea sharing, and continuous improvement.
• Drive the development of scalable research tools, datasets, and modelling frameworks that increase team productivity.

Skills & Experience

• Master’s or PhD in Machine Learning, Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, or another quantitative discipline.
• 5+ years of experience developing systematic, intraday horizon trading strategies, predictive models, and alpha signals.
• Demonstrated track record of generating profitable, value‑adding, and orthogonal signals in a production trading environment.
• Experience managing, mentoring, or leading researchers in a high‑performance research environment.
• Demonstrated ability to influence research direction, prioritise opportunities, and drive impactful research outcomes.
• Strong practical experience applying machine learning techniques to prediction problems, with a clear understanding of overfitting risks and robust model validation.
• Deep understanding of statistics, experimental design, hypothesis testing, and research methodology.
• Strong programming skills in Python.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across research, trading, engineering, and global office locations.