How to break into Commodity Trading with a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering and Master's in Math

I am graduating with my bachelor's degree in Chem Engr from UW-Madison. I will going to Uchicago for Master in Physical Science Division. I was thinking about doing Math for the Master's degree. I once had a phone interviewed with Trafigura during my junior year when I had almost no knowledge about commodity trading. I will work for a BB bank's IBD department in China as my summer internship.

I hope someone can shed some light on this and help me identify some of the things I need to do. Or tell me what is the chance of getting a job at companies like Glencore, Trafigura, or energy trading places like BP and Shell Trading with such a background.

For example, books that I need to read and skills that I should get.

 

Given your school, I'm guessing BP recruits directly from your campus. If commodities trading is your goal, I wouldn't focus to much on getting a masters in math. Just try to get in with a major, go through their commercial development program, and then you can shoot for places like Traf.

 
Best Response

Advanced degree won't really help you at all with getting a commodities trading gig; pursue it only if you personally find it interesting. My experience is primarily with energy commodities but there are two main ways to get on a physical trading desk--either be recruited directly on to the desk (usually in operations, risk or a commercial development program i.e junior trader) or the longer route (and more relevant to engineers) is to work at a refinery, and eventually work your way to the optimization/buying desk.

First and foremost, you have to familiarize yourself with the particular commodity (or sector) you want to trade, as in read about prices, trends, consumption, production and whatever you can find. Go ahead and apply to BP IST, Trafigura Graduate program and to any company that has a desk you can be on.

 

Great comment. I'd like to PM you but I can't due to this new account. In terms about prices, trends, consumption, and other information, what website/book do you suggest me to go to? I was thinking about building models to simulate petroleum using past data by implementing it on python as I had a firm grasp of python and maths (simulation, modeling, probability theory, random walk, discrete stochastic process). Would that kind of project help? How can I show the interviewer that I am a good fit as a trader trainee at firms like BP IST, and Trafigura?

 
hh_boolean:

Great comment. I'd like to PM you but I can't due to this new account. In terms about prices, trends, consumption, and other information, what website/book do you suggest me to go to? I was thinking about building models to simulate petroleum using past data by implementing it on python as I had a firm grasp of python and maths (simulation, modeling, probability theory, random walk, discrete stochastic process). Would that kind of project help? How can I show the interviewer that I am a good fit as a trader trainee at firms like BP IST, and Trafigura?

Not sure what you really mean--you can make your own model to mimic the DOE/API stats but there is a lot of noise/bias in those numbers, and more importantly you don't need intricate models to build S&D model. There isn't a clear cut way to show that you are a good fit for any of these programs and a huge factor is luck, but the best way to at least have a leg up is to show that you know that commodity. Read everything you can online/daily about whatever commodity (let's say oil) that you can--have a general idea where it's trading, if it's a certain trend, spreads to other grades, S&D news (refinery outage etc) and then form your own market view. Doesn't have to be right but you need a view and be able to defend it.

 

I am not sure it is a key element, but I have several questions connected to the Chemistry for the ordinary people. After you were graduated from this, will you have enough time to assist peple in everything? For instance, in creation of the new forms like  to protect the surfaces and screens from mud for a long time?

 

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