Systematic Researcher - Commodities

Thurn Partners; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Thurn Partners is seeking a Systematic Alpha Researcher to join its London-based central research function. This greenfield mandate aims to convert fundamental datasets into systematic, medium-frequency alpha signals for its commodities trading business.

You will work with traders to turn forecasts and proprietary data into repeatable strategies, with ownership of the research agenda and tooling. On-site in London; sponsorship considered case-by-case.

Qualifications

• 3-7 years of quantitative research experience in hedge funds, CTAs, prop trading firms or similar environments.
• A quantamental mindset bridging fundamental reasoning and systematic implementation with interpretable signals.
• Strong Python and rigorous, independent research workflow including honest backtesting and performance attribution.

Responsibilities

• Research, build and test systematic strategies over a days-to-weeks horizon across the existing discretionary commodities trading business.
• Collaborate with fundamental traders and analysts to systematise forecasts, views and datasets into alpha signals.
• Take ownership in a first-hires initiative, shaping the research agenda, tooling and approach.
• Leverage a large data environment spanning fundamentals, flows and market data with cross-team collaboration.
• Contribute to the full research lifecycle: idea generation, signal construction, backtesting, validation and production.

Skills

Python

Quantitative research

Backtesting

Tools

Pandas

NumPy

Job description

A leading global trading firm is looking to hire a Systematic Alpha Researcher to join its central research function in London, as part of a new initiative to build a systematic overlay across its established commodities trading business. This is a genuine greenfield mandate: the firm has deep fundamental expertise across power, gas and the wider commodities complex, and is now investing in researchers who can turn those fundamental views and datasets into systematic, medium-frequency strategies.

What you'll do:

• Research, build and test systematic strategies over a days-to-weeks horizon, layered across an established discretionary commodities trading business.
• Work directly with fundamental traders and analysts, systematising their forecasts, views and proprietary datasets into repeatable alpha signals.
• Take real ownership within a first-hires initiative, shaping the research agenda, tooling and approach rather than maintaining someone else's stack.
• Plug into a vast and differentiated data environment spanning fundamentals, flows and market data, with open collaboration across research and trading teams.
• Contribute across the full research lifecycle: idea generation, signal construction, backtesting, validation and the path to production.

Your profile:

• 3-7 years of quantitative research experience within a hedge fund, CTA, proprietary trading firm, trading house or similar environment.
• A quantamental mindset: comfortable bridging fundamental reasoning and systematic implementation, with signals that are economically interpretable.
• Strong Python and a rigorous, independent research workflow, including honest backtesting and performance attribution.
• Experience with medium-frequency strategies (days to weeks) preferred over pure intraday or long-horizon trend.
• Commodities exposure, particularly European power and gas, is a strong plus but not required; intellectual curiosity about these markets is.

Why this role:

This is not a backfill. It is the ground floor of a new systematic effort inside one of the most established fundamental commodities franchises in the market, with direct access to fundamental researchers and data that pure systematic shops rarely see. If you want your research to shape how a business trades rather than sit in a queue of incremental signals, this is designed for exactly that.

Pre-Application:

• This is a full-time, on-site role based in London; fully remote candidates will not be considered.
• Applicants must have the right to live and work in the UK, or be eligible for sponsorship (confirmed case by case).
• Please ensure you meet the required experience range prior to applying.
• Allow 1-5 working days for a response to any job enquiry.

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