Full-Time

Quantitative Researcher

Aquatic Capital Management

Aquatic Capital Management

11-50 employees

Quantitative investment manager using predictive models

Compensation Overview

$150k - $200k/yr

+ Discretionary bonus

Chicago, IL, USA + 1 more

More locations: New York, NY, USA

In Person

PhD

Category
Quantitative Finance (1)
Required Skills
Python
Quantitative Research
Machine Learning
C/C++
Data Analysis

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Requirements
  • An active PhD graduate or postdoctoral researcher pursuing a degree in mathematics, statistics, machine learning, physics, computer science, or another scientific discipline.
  • Exceptional mathematical, analytical, and problem-solving ability.
  • Programming proficiency in Python or C++.
  • Experience solving data-intensive problems is a plus.
  • Demonstrated ability to complete statistical or applied mathematical research is a plus.
  • Successful participation in mathematical competitions such as the International Mathematical Olympiad or Putnam is a plus.
  • Prior experience in a quantitative role within a trading environment is a plus.
Responsibilities
  • Work with a team to develop signals, models, and strategies for trading financial markets.
  • Design and implement components of the research system.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of research-system components using rigorous statistical methods.
  • Work across multiple areas of quantitative-finance research.
Desired Qualifications
  • Intellectual curiosity, creativity, and rigor.
  • Willingness to challenge assumptions and revise opinions in response to compelling evidence.
  • Self-motivation, productivity, urgency, and accountability.
  • Ownership of work while working independently and within a small team.
  • Meticulous attention to detail.
  • Ability to manage and prioritize multiple threads of work.
  • Ability to work across disciplines.
  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
  • Comfort providing and receiving actionable feedback in a collaborative team setting.
Aquatic Capital Management

Aquatic Capital Management

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Aquatic Capital Management builds quantitative investment strategies for institutional clients using proprietary research and advanced financial models to predict market movements. Its main product is data-driven investment models and signals derived from cutting-edge research, which help hedge funds, pension funds, and other large investors make informed trading decisions. The models are developed by a team of researchers and engineers who work in a meritocratic, collaborative environment, leveraging technology to avoid legacy constraints and stay agile in changing markets. Revenue comes from offering these performance-driven investment strategies and insights to clients. Unlike firms tied to old platforms, Aquatic emphasizes rapid iteration, top talent, and a culture that supports ongoing innovation. The company’s goal is to deliver highly accurate predictions and superior investment results by continuously improving its models and research capabilities.

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Chicago, Illinois

Founded

2015

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Aquatic keeps hiring across Chicago, New York, and London as of September 2026.
  • July 2026 postings added research business, AI automation, and systems-engineering roles.
  • Recent SEC filings show active portfolio moves, including AMD and Northern Trust positions.

What critics are saying

  • A 51-person firm faces brutal key-person risk if Graham or core quants leave.
  • Citadel, AQR, Jump Trading, and Balyasny poach Aquatic’s talent in 2026.
  • Systematic alpha decays quickly; crowded equity signals can vanish within months.

What makes Aquatic Capital Management unique

  • Jonathan Graham founded Aquatic in 2019 after leading Citadel stat-arb and HFT.
  • Aquatic runs in-house research, production trading, and infrastructure across Chicago, New York, London.
  • Its August 2026 openings target PhD quants, C++ engineers, and GPU specialists.

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Benefits

Vacation

Mentoring and development programs

Weekly happy hours

Daily catered meals

Company News

MarketBeat
May 14th, 2025
Acacia Research (NASDAQ:ACTG) Upgraded by StockNews.com to "Hold" Rating

Finally, Aquatic Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Acacia Research in the fourth quarter worth $82,000.

Offshore Magazine
Sep 10th, 2024
Motive Offshore acquires Acteon's Aquatic business

Motive Offshore Group, which specializes in rental, inspection and engineering equipment for the energy sector, has acquired Aquatic, a specialist in laying and retrieving flexible products from the seabed.

eFinancialCareers
May 16th, 2024
The "extremely kind" new hedge fund with an ex-Citadel founder has been hiring

This month, Aquatic hired David Harks as a software engineer.