From 4U Maths to Quant Trading - Q&A with IMC (2 Viewers)

[Trebla]

Hi all,

Ever wondered what career paths are out there if you are good at Maths and pursuing a STEM degree at university? Quant trading could be the career for you!

I am excited to introduce our BoS Trials sponsor @IMC Trading to the Bored of Studies forum, who will be sharing exclusive insights into what it is like to work for a global quant trading firm.

We understand that many people might not be familiar with what quant trading actually is, so we have set up this thread as a unique opportunity to interact directly with the industry and ask questions. This thread is open to current HSC and university students. I encourage you to get your questions in sooner than later, as this thread will close on Friday 12th December 2025.

Who is IMC Trading?
IMC is a global trading firm supported by cutting edge quantitative models and world-class technology. They are known to hire employees who are strong at Maths (i.e. quants), have a fast dynamic work environment, and yes, have an enviable competitive salary for graduate employees straight out of uni!

What questions can I ask?
As a guide, you might like to ask questions on topics such as:

• What quant trading actually involves
• The degrees and skills that are relevant for this industry
• IMC’s workplace culture
• Types of maths or coding commonly used
• Programs and opportunities available for prospective uni students

Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive - feel free to ask any other questions you’re curious about! No question is too basic or too small. Everyone is here to learn and IMC is happy to help. So go ahead - don’t be shy, just ask!

I’ve barely started university. Why should I ask questions now?
Because four words – the earlier the better!

IMC has a LaunchPad program designed for first year uni students with applications for 2026 opening early-next year (that's only a few months away!). This program gives you a head-start helping to fast-track participants into IMC’s highly sought-after internship and graduate programs. If you’re even considering a career in quant trading, this thread is a rare opportunity to explore your options and get your foot in the door early on!

BONUS free merch
If there are enough people engaging, we may consider giving away some free merch posted straight to you! More details to come if that happens

 

[Flatuitous]

Does quant have a lot of job security?

I can imagine it being super stressful to keep up with everyone else's numbers or else you'll get sacked

 

[liamkk112]

Hi all,

Ever wondered what career paths are out there if you are good at Maths and pursuing a STEM degree at university? Quant trading could be the career for you!

I am excited to introduce our BoS Trials sponsor @IMC Trading to the Bored of Studies forum, who will be sharing exclusive insights into what it is like to work for a global quant trading firm.

We understand that many people might not be familiar with what quant trading actually is, so we have set up this thread as a unique opportunity to interact directly with the industry and ask questions. This thread is open to current HSC and university students. I encourage you to get your questions in sooner than later, as this thread will close on Friday 12th December 2025.

Who is IMC Trading?
IMC is a global trading firm supported by cutting edge quantitative models and world-class technology. They are known to hire employees who are strong at Maths (i.e. quants), have a fast dynamic work environment, and yes, have an enviable competitive salary for graduate employees straight out of uni!

What questions can I ask?
As a guide, you might like to ask questions on topics such as:

• What quant trading actually involves
• The degrees and skills that are relevant for this industry
• IMC’s workplace culture
• Types of maths or coding commonly used
• Programs and opportunities available for prospective uni students

Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive - feel free to ask any other questions you’re curious about! No question is too basic or too small. Everyone is here to learn and IMC is happy to help. So go ahead - don’t be shy, just ask!

I’ve barely started university. Why should I ask questions now?
Because four words – the earlier the better!

IMC has a LaunchPad program designed for first year uni students with applications for 2026 opening early-next year (that's only a few months away!). This program gives you a head-start helping to fast-track participants into IMC’s highly sought-after internship and graduate programs. If you’re even considering a career in quant trading, this thread is a rare opportunity to explore your options and get your foot in the door early on!

BONUS free merch
If there are enough people engaging, we may consider giving away some free merch posted straight to you! More details to come if that happens

hi, i'm a second year ( almost third year now ) mathematics student. although i'm not heavily interested in pursuing quant roles at the moment, i do have a few questions because i'm curious.

firstly, i'm quite interested to know the "level of math" that goes on in these workplaces. some people who i've talked to have said that quant trading firms use everything from measure theoretical probability and martingales, to pde, to even algebraic topology methods, whereas some others say it's much more about traditional probability skills and data science related stuff like time series analysis. is the level somewhere between these things, or moreso leaning towards one side?

secondly, are there roles available that don't heavily lean into the coding side of things? obviously, in the modern world and in such a fast paced environment as the trading floor, computers are necessary to adjust to movements in the market. however, are there roles that mainly focus on the "modelling" side of things, without directly interacting with code as much? if such roles exist, is there a lot of cross collaboration between these different roles, where those who write code give feedback to the "modellers" and vice versa?

lastly, on a similar note to the last question i was curious about if these programs preferred some mixture of math and computer science or at least a degree with a programming focus, compared to just a degree in math. people who are interested in quant trading seem to recommend everything from actuarial science to electrical engineering as a "preferred degree" so it'll be interesting to hear from the source if there is a such a preference.

thank you !

 

[carrotsss]

firstly, i'm quite interested to know the "level of math" that goes on in these workplaces. some people who i've talked to have said that quant trading firms use everything from measure theoretical probability and martingales, to pde, to even algebraic topology methods, whereas some others say it's much more about traditional probability skills and data science related stuff like time series analysis. is the level somewhere between these things, or moreso leaning towards one side?

js interviewer told me they used basically none of their uni maths knowledge lol

 

[idkkdi]

js interviewer told me they used basically none of their uni maths knowledge lol

this. u could build out some grothendieck-esque schemes model but alternatively u can also just quickly put to use a nasty linear regression

 

[IMC Trading]

Hi all,

Ever wondered what career paths are out there if you are good at Maths and pursuing a STEM degree at university? Quant trading could be the career for you!

I am excited to introduce our BoS Trials sponsor @IMC Trading to the Bored of Studies forum, who will be sharing exclusive insights into what it is like to work for a global quant trading firm.

We understand that many people might not be familiar with what quant trading actually is, so we have set up this thread as a unique opportunity to interact directly with the industry and ask questions. This thread is open to current HSC and university students. I encourage you to get your questions in sooner than later, as this thread will close on Friday 12th December 2025.

Who is IMC Trading?
IMC is a global trading firm supported by cutting edge quantitative models and world-class technology. They are known to hire employees who are strong at Maths (i.e. quants), have a fast dynamic work environment, and yes, have an enviable competitive salary for graduate employees straight out of uni!

What questions can I ask?
As a guide, you might like to ask questions on topics such as:

• What quant trading actually involves
• The degrees and skills that are relevant for this industry
• IMC’s workplace culture
• Types of maths or coding commonly used
• Programs and opportunities available for prospective uni students

Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive - feel free to ask any other questions you’re curious about! No question is too basic or too small. Everyone is here to learn and IMC is happy to help. So go ahead - don’t be shy, just ask!

I’ve barely started university. Why should I ask questions now?
Because four words – the earlier the better!

IMC has a LaunchPad program designed for first year uni students with applications for 2026 opening early-next year (that's only a few months away!). This program gives you a head-start helping to fast-track participants into IMC’s highly sought-after internship and graduate programs. If you’re even considering a career in quant trading, this thread is a rare opportunity to explore your options and get your foot in the door early on!

BONUS free merch
If there are enough people engaging, we may consider giving away some free merch posted straight to you! More details to come if that happens

Hi all,

We’re really excited to be partnering with Bored of Studies and to have the opportunity to speak with you directly via this forum!

A little about us - IMC are a global trading firm powered by a cutting-edge research environment and a world-class technology backbone. Since 1989, we’ve been a stabilising force in financial markets, providing essential liquidity upon which market participants depend. Across our offices in the US, Europe, Asia Pacific, and India, our talented quant researchers, engineers, traders, and business operations professionals are united by our uniquely collaborative, high-performance culture and our commitment to giving back. From entering dynamic new markets to embracing disruptive technologies, and from developing an innovative research environment to diversifying our trading strategies, we dare to continuously innovate and collaborate to succeed.

Whether you're passionate about math, problem-solving, programming, or emerging tech, a career in the trading industry could be the perfect place to apply those skills in a real-world setting. As Trebla mentioned, our Launchpad program is ideal for students in their early years of university. It offers a unique glimpse into what life is like at IMC, whether you're interested in trading, engineering, or quantitative research. This hands-on, fast-paced experience is designed specifically for curious, ambitious students who are passionate about STEM and eager to explore where those skills could take them in the real world.

We’re really looking forward to chatting with you and answering any questions you may have about IMC or potential careers in engineering and trading!

Chevonne
Campus Recruitment Team – IMC