I have a background in engineering (undergrad and masters) and I was wondering which sell-side desk at a BB will test my quant skills the most.
Trending Content - Sales and Trading Forum
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
September 30, 2026
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
High Finance Applications
Guaranteed
Get at least one offer GUARANTEED
- 1:1 support
- 92% success rate
- 2,000+ mentor network
- Unlimited Live bootcamps
- AI for resume + LinkedIn
- Networking automation tools
- HireVue simulation tool
- Full course library
- Private Slack community
- 20hrs of mocks
- + much more...
what do you mean by most quantitative? DO you mean full of coding where traders are algos/systems for systematic platform? or using game theory/basic math intuition for trading complex products? it depends.
Obviously I'm talking about traders here not quant/structurers
The primary mandate of the desk is to make markets and hedge risk, some products that are traded will naturally be easier to hedge due to their liquidity and the simplicity of the product. Some desks like electronic market making will be more complex from a system perspective but the underlying product may not be.
By quantitative I mean which desk trades the most complex products that have many sensitivities that require complex deduction and hedging ability/risk management on the part of the trader.
Exo and QIS
....ok? so you can use chatgpt, nice?
Any vol desk will require quant skill set. Exotics more so, but rates vol, fx options, and macro credit are great “quanty” desks to sit on with great buy side exits. XVA trading would also be good to look into
What is traded on a vol desk? Like an equity options or swaptions desk?
Vol=non linear. Vol desks will trade any non linear products in their asset class. If it is more bespoke then it might get kicked to a separate exotics desk but at some banks the line is pretty thin.
In terms of FICC, fx vol is not quanty (at least not the trading side). fixed income linear + vol is quantitative. Commods can be fairly quantitative as well (just judging by the number of quant trading firms in the space), but that could also be due to illiquidity allowing for edge to be formed.
edit: whoever is down-voting this is fine to have that opinion, but have experience in the space (and know quite a fxo traders who would agree.... a lot of them wish they were in rates linear/vol or eq vol instead)
May I ask what math level will be required for a FX vol trading desk? Many thanks!
Who cares honestly? The world is run by sociable chads who can negotiate, not nerds who are too busy worrying about quantitative desks. Quantitative has ruined S&T in the 21st century.
Minima laboriosam est error voluptas et ad. Sapiente et labore qui aut possimus animi perferendis. Officiis doloremque exercitationem deserunt quia ipsa.
Blanditiis rerum rerum quidem molestiae aut. Mollitia doloribus voluptatem ipsum et nulla nostrum. Voluptatem quia reiciendis sint quidem ratione amet ducimus ut. Explicabo doloribus atque hic ex culpa eius ad. Repellendus deserunt assumenda repellat id dolore. Consequatur fuga sint unde nam.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...