Quantitative Trader Intern (PhD 2026)

Tower Research Capital is a leading quantitative trading firm founded in 1998. Tower has built its business on a high-performance platform and independent trading teams. We have a 25+ year track record of innovation and a reputation for discovering unique market opportunities.

Tower is home to some of the world’s best systematic trading and engineering talent. We empower portfolio managers to build their teams and strategies independently while providing the economies of scale that come from a large, global organization. 

Engineers thrive at Tower while developing electronic trading infrastructure at a world class level. Our engineers solve challenging problems in the realms of low-latency programming, FPGA technology, hardware acceleration and machine learning. Our ongoing investment in top engineering talent and technology ensures our platform remains unmatched in terms of functionality, scalability and performance.

At Tower, every employee plays a role in our success. Our Business Support teams are essential to building and maintaining the platform that powers everything we do — combining market access, data, compute, and research infrastructure with risk management, compliance, and a full suite of business services. Our Business Support teams enable our trading and engineering teams to perform at their best.

At Tower, employees will find a stimulating, results-oriented environment where highly intelligent and motivated colleagues inspire each other to reach their greatest potential.

Responsibilities: 

• Designing, implementing, and deploying high-frequency trading algorithms
• Working with a dedicated mentor to research and enhance existing trading strategies
• Exploring trading ideas by analyzing market data and market microstructure for patterns
• Creating tools to analyze data for patterns
• Contributing to libraries of analytical computations to support market data analysis and trading
• Developing, augmenting, and calibrating exchange simulators

Qualifications:

• Availability for 4-6 month
• PhD student focusing on mathematics, statistics, physics, electrical engineering, computer science, economics, or related fields
• A strong background in C++, R, Python, or an object-oriented programming language
• Strong problem-solving abilities
• A passion for new technologies and ideas
• The ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment
• Strong communication skills
• Interest in financial markets

Preferred Qualifications (not required):

• Past industry experience
• Experience with machine learning 

Anticipated New York weekly base salary range $3,000-5,000.

Benefits:

Tower’s headquarters are in the historic Equitable Building, right in the heart of NYC’s Financial District and our impact is global, with over a dozen offices around the world. 

At Tower, we believe work should be both challenging and enjoyable. That is why we foster a culture where smart, driven people thrive – without the egos. Our open concept workplace, casual dress code, and well-stocked kitchens reflect the value we place on a friendly, collaborative environment where everyone is respected, and great ideas win.

Our benefits include:

• Competitive compensation package
• Free breakfast, lunch, and snacks daily
• Exciting networking and social events (e.g. Broadway shows, escape rooms, cooking classes)
• Opportunities to learn from senior management across the firm
• Mentors from your alma mater and other top institutions

At Tower, you’ll find a collaborative and welcoming culture, a diverse team and a workplace that values both performance and enjoyment. No unnecessary hierarchy. No ego. Just great people doing great work – together.

Tower Research Capital is an equal opportunity employer.