Senior Member of Research Staff, Optimization

The Voleon Group; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Daily catered lunches

Modern office environment

Competitive benefits packages

Job summary

The Voleon Group, based in Berkeley, California, is seeking a Senior Member of the Optimization Research Staff to lead initiatives in optimization modeling. You will join a team of experts pioneering AI applications in finance, driving key projects that will influence trading decisions and risk management.

Ideal candidates have a Ph.D. and extensive experience in optimization techniques, showcasing excellence in problem-solving and software development. Enjoy a collegial environment with competitive compensation, daily catered lunches, and opportunities for professional growth.

Qualifications

• 5-10+ years of experience in optimization techniques and mentoring.
• Experience with optimization solvers and mathematical programming.
• Strong skills in software development techniques, especially Python/C++.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement large-scale optimization methods.
• Oversee complex projects impacting critical systems.
• Mentor researchers and communicate effectively with stakeholders.

Skills

Optimization techniques

Statistical methods

Machine learning

Software development

Numerical methods

Education

Ph.D. in a relevant field

Tools

Python

C++

Job description

Voleon is a technology company that applies state-of-the-art AI and machine learning techniques to real-world problems in finance. For nearly two decades, we have led our industry and worked at the frontier of applying AI/ML to investment management. We have become a multibillion-dollar asset manager, and we have ambitious goals for the future.

Your colleagues will include internationally recognized experts in artificial intelligence and machine learning research as well as highly experienced finance and technology professionals. In addition to our enriching and collegial working environment, we offer highly competitive compensation and benefits packages, technology talks by our experts, a beautiful modern office, daily catered lunches, and more.

As a Senior Member of the Optimization Research Staff, you will work at the forefront of optimization modeling and research at Voleon. Your research colleagues have collectively published hundreds of academic articles in top-tier venues on machine learning, systems, and theory, and we meet regularly to stay current on the latest academic research and share ideas. Founded in 2007 by two leading scientists (see management bios), Voleon supports a culture of curiosity, collegiality, and creativity.

Financial markets are noisy, high-dimensional, and subject to complex constraints, costs, and uncertainties. We have spent over a decade pioneering scientific advances in applying large-scale optimization techniques to this domain. Your work will focus on the models and optimization systems that help determine how Voleon trades in financial markets, taking into account our predictions and costs, and returning trade decisions in real time. We are interested in efficiently solving this optimization problem (algorithm development and production coding), as well as improving the problem formulations themselves to make better trading decisions. We also implement optimization models and algorithms in other areas of interest at the company.

Years of academic training has prepared you for this moment. You won’t just conduct research, you’ll apply it on a daily basis, working with a team across the entire life cycle of applied research problems. Your work will span from basic research to productizing solutions and validating their efficacy in live trading. This role is a means to make a difference: you will help direct billions of dollars in trades daily while making an enduring impact on our field.

Relocation and work visa eligibility for qualified candidates

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and improve large-scale constrained optimization methods that determine trading decisions under forecasts, risk, costs, liquidity, and operational constraints
• Demonstrate strategic vision and perspective to oversee work that affects one or more complex systems and mission-critical areas
• Complete large scope, highly complex projects resulting in noteworthy improvements to product performance and risk management
• Develop a rich understanding of Voleon’s domain and methodologies
• Prepare and analyze new datasets to assess their predictive efficacy
• Develop, validate, and implement new models into production
• Design and conduct experiments to improve simulations and evaluate the success of new models in a live environment
• Build collaborative relationships cross-functionally and with key contacts outside own area of expertise, with the potential to serve as an external spokesperson for the organization
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with key stakeholders at each stage, facilitating meaningful discussions around complex issues and driving progress towards tangible outcomes
• Mentor other researchers and provide technical guidance, coaching, and feedback
• Keep up to date on the latest academic research to identify novel approaches to explore for application to our domain
• Contribute to Voleon's efforts to recruit exceptional talent

Requirements

• 5-10+ years of related experience in modern optimization techniques and algorithms directing key research projects and mentoring colleagues
• Experience with numerical methods, optimization solvers, mathematical programming, convex or nonconvex optimization
• Capability to run multiple projects simultaneously, exercising judgment in the methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for determining results
• Ability to make well-reasoned design decisions, identifying and proactively potential issues, trade-offs, risks, and the appropriate level of abstraction
• Proven success solving large-scale computing problems
• Expertise in modern statistical methods and machine learning with a track record as an applied researcher
• Evidence of strong mathematical abilities
• Strong skills in software development techniques and production level coding (Python and/or C++ preferred)
• Effective at communicating complex technical issues simply and transparently, including writing insightful documentation
• Ability to influence without requiring formal authority, with a proven track record of influence beyond your team
• Interest in financial applications is essential, but prior finance industry experience is not a prerequisite
• Ph.D. level coursework is required, and a Ph.D. degree in a relevant field is preferred

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in stochastic control, and reinforcement learning

Friends of Voleon Candidate Referral Program

If you have a great candidate in mind for this role and would like to have the potential to earn $15,000 if your referred candidate is successfully hired and employed by The Voleon Group, please use this form to submit your referral. For more details regarding eligibility, terms and conditions please make sure to review the Voleon Referral Bonus Program.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Voleon Group is an Equal Opportunity employer. Applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, sex, gender, marital status, sexual orientation and identity, genetic information, veteran status, citizenship, or any other factors prohibited by local, state, or federal law.