Trevor, Managing Director, Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management: Advize Career Interview

A career path starting with engineering at Arizona State University unexpectedly shifted to a passion for computer science and AI after an internship at Palo Alto Research Center's AI lab.

This led to a master's degree and a current role as Managing Director of Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management, where the individual leads a team of scientists, researchers, and engineers building AI systems for algorithmic trading.

The work is a blend of leadership, technical coding (30-60% of time), research, and communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

The individual thrives on the creative problem-solving, describing it as "extremely artistic," and the constant influx of new ideas in this rapidly evolving field.

While a strong foundation in math and coding and agile development methodologies are crucial, networking proved to be the most valuable skill.

The biggest challenge is bringing large-scale AI systems into production, yet the individual finds immense joy in the applied math problems and the "field of magic" that AI represents.

Success requires resilience, a strong aptitude for science and math, and a significant time commitment. Although a master's or PhD is highly advantageous, exceptional skills and achievements can sometimes outweigh formal qualifications.

Entry-level positions for undergraduates include quant machine learning researcher roles and AI/ML-focused positions.

Advizer Information

Name

Job Title

Company

Undergrad

Grad Programs

Trevor Richardson

Managing Director, Quantitative Strategies

O Asset Management

Arizona State University

M.S. Computer Science at Arizona State University

Majors

Industries

Job Functions

Traits

Engineering - Industrial

Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)

Data and Analytics

Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School

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Career Path of a Managing Director of Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management

Initially pursuing engineering, a scholarship recipient at Arizona State University, the individual's career path unexpectedly shifted after an internship at Palo Alto Research Center's AI lab revealed a passion for computer science and AI, leading to a master's degree and a career in data science, culminating in the current role as Managing Director of Quantitative Strategies where the individual "run[s] a group of scientists and researchers and engineers building AI systems." The individual's success is largely attributed to leveraging their network, demonstrating the importance of "tapping your networks" and perseverance in overcoming initial academic challenges.

Career Path of a Managing Director of Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management

Main Responsibilities of a Managing Director, Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management

Trevor's Managing Director role at O Asset Management involves a blend of leadership, managing a team using Scrum and Jira, and technical work, including coding (30-60% of their time), research, and analysis. A crucial aspect of the position is effectively communicating complex technical results to non-technical stakeholders, requiring the ability to "meet them halfway from a communication perspective" and justify resource allocation decisions.

Main Responsibilities of a Managing Director, Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management

A Day In The Life Of A Managing Director Of Quantitative Strategies At O'Donnell Asset Management

A Managing Director in quantitative strategies at a small asset management firm spends their day deeply involved in technical work, "keeping the server running" for deep learning experiments and collaborating with scientists and engineers to improve algorithmic trading strategies. This involves continuous learning from academic journals ("C B P R I C M L I C L R, uh, these are all fabulous journals") and the open-source community to inform strategy development and staying on top of the field of finance.

A Day In The Life Of A Managing Director Of Quantitative Strategies At O'Donnell Asset Management

Most Important Skills For A Managing Director Quantitative Strategies At O Asset Management

To succeed as a Managing Director of Quantitative Strategies, a strong foundation in "math and coding" is crucial, encompassing linear algebra, probability theory, vector calculus, and statistics; equally important is proficiency in software engineering, including "the use of GitHub," and agile development methodologies. Beyond technical skills, the ability to navigate diverse personalities within a team and communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences are essential for career advancement in this field.

Most Important Skills For A Managing Director Quantitative Strategies At O Asset Management

Favorite Parts of Being a Managing Director, Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management

Trevor, a Managing Director of Quantitative Strategies, thrives on the "bleeding edge" of a rapidly evolving field, enjoying the constant influx of "new ideas and approaches." The creative problem-solving, described as "extremely artistic," and the exhilarating breakthroughs after numerous failed experiments ("one of 'em works") are what truly drive Trevor's passion for the work.

Favorite Parts of Being a Managing Director, Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management

Biggest Challenges Faced By A Managing Director, Quantitative Strategies At O Asset Management

Trevor's biggest challenge as Managing Director of Quantitative Strategies is "bringing large-scale AI systems into production," citing difficulties in hiring individuals with specialized "ML Ops" skills and managing the substantial technical debt inherent in scaling AI prototypes to robust production systems. A significant portion of AI models never reach production, highlighting the difficulty of this process.

Biggest Challenges Faced By A Managing Director, Quantitative Strategies At O Asset Management

Favorite Parts Of Working In The Finance Industry As A Managing Director Quantitative Strategies

Trevor, Managing Director of Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management, thrives on the "applied math problems" inherent in the role, stating that "there's not a single day that goes by that there isn't some component of my job that I just enjoyed the process of it," finding particular joy in the "field of magic" that AI represents within the work.

Favorite Parts Of Working In The Finance Industry As A Managing Director Quantitative Strategies

What Type Of Person Thrives In The Hedge Fund Industry According To A Quantitative Strategies Managing Director At O Asset Management

Trevor, a Managing Director in Quantitative Strategies at a FinTech hedge fund, explains that success in this high-stakes industry requires resilience in the face of frequent setbacks—"people that don't give up when they first see the first sign of failure"—and a strong aptitude for science and math, coupled with a passion for the work and a willingness to dedicate significant time and effort. The competitive global landscape necessitates hard work and dedication to achieve impactful results; it's not a "nine to five kind of path".

What Type Of Person Thrives In The Hedge Fund Industry According To A Quantitative Strategies Managing Director At O Asset Management

What a Managing Director Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Industry

Trevor, a Managing Director at O Asset Management, emphasizes the significant hurdle of entering the competitive AI industry without a master's or PhD, sharing that even with a master's, "it was very difficult for me to get the first job." Despite this, the hiring manager highlights the possibility of exception for undergraduates with exceptional skills and achievements such as "a publication at a top venue," suggesting that while advanced degrees are highly advantageous, demonstrable skill and exceptional performance can sometimes outweigh formal qualifications.

What a Managing Director Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Industry

Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Quantitative Strategists

Entry-level positions in quantitative finance and AI for undergraduates include "quant machine learning researcher" roles prioritizing technical skills over specific degree type, and AI/ML-focused positions such as machine learning engineer or data scientist; however, the latter title's scope varies widely, so careful consideration of specific job descriptions is crucial, as Trevor's experience starting as a data scientist shows.

Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Quantitative Strategists

Significant Career Lesson From A Managing Director At O Asset Management

Trevor, Managing Director of Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management, credits strong networking as the most significant lesson learned in their career, stating that "connecting people has been by far the most valuable thing." This advice, instilled by a mentor at PARC, proved crucial, as their first two jobs resulted directly from professional relationships rather than formal applications.

Significant Career Lesson From A Managing Director At O Asset Management

College Experiences That Helped a Managing Director of Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management Succeed

Trevor's undergraduate experience led to a pivotal decision: dropping out of their master's program in industrial engineering because they "really hated it" and wanted "something fundamentally different". This courageous choice allowed them to pursue computer science, ultimately leading to a fulfilling career that they describe as the "best thing that ever happened".

College Experiences That Helped a Managing Director of Quantitative Strategies at O Asset Management Succeed

Advizer Personal Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-woods-richardson/