2 offers- which one to choose?

Hello Everyone, 

I am confused between 2 offers and I would like your input in them. Both of these roles are in a big European country, not UK:

1) Quant in Trading Risk in bulge bracket bank (one of the Morgan Stanley, Jp Morgan, GS, Citi, BoFa): senior role, pretty good salary, big exposure to London team too. On the downside, it is a risk role.
2) Equity Derivatives trader in smaller Bank (think Nomura, HSBC, ING ), in the European entity of this bank: junior role, smaller salary but still ok. On the downside I am afraid of pigeonholing myself.


I have a very quantitative background (advanced degree in mathematics/physics) and the dream job is quant trader/quant researcher in a hedge fund/trading firm in London. Maybe it's even too late for me for that, but this is at least the dream. The plan is to stay 1-2 years in any of these jobs and then try either for a quant or a trader role in London. My dilemma is the following:

I know that the trader job seems more aligned perhaps, but it is in a smaller and more regional bank. Also, when I see in Linkedin, all the traders in big banks are coming from a target school and then through the grad programme of the respective banks/trading firms and not from external moves from smaller banks. For example I have not seen a senior trader going to GS from ABN AMRO, whereas for quants I have seen this happening. Also, as a quant I can prove much more knowledge from personal projects (and I have done that in the past), whereas as a trader I don't think this is so possible.

In a nutshell, I am afraid that it is much easier to pigeonhole myself in this trading position.


So, what do you guys think? I would appreciate any feedback.