Quantitative Researcher(unpaid)

About the Role

Meridian Capital is seeking a Quantitative Researcher for a specialized 3-month contract. The primary objective is to audit, stress-test, and optimize the mathematical and logical foundation of their current trading algorithm. This engagement is performance-oriented and structured in two phases:

• Phase 1 (The 2-Week Sprint): Within the first 14 days, evaluate existing quantitative logic and deliver at least one profitable, mathematically robust model for live deployment.
• Phase 2 (Ongoing Optimization): For the remainder of the 3-month contract, develop advanced quantitative metrics, refine statistical models, and continuously optimize the system for peak performance and risk mitigation.

Target Performance Metrics

Optimization efforts must achieve or exceed:

• Sharpe Ratio: > 1.5
• Sortino Ratio: > 1.8
• Win Rate: 45% or greater
• Monthly Return: Minimum 5% consistent growth

Compensation & Profit Sharing

• Fixed Stipend: ₹5,000 per month (paid upon initial verification of a profitable, working algorithm).
• Performance Share (30%): 30% of all trading profits generated by the firm, activating upon deployment of quantitative logic into the live algorithm.

Must-Have Qualifications

• Strong academic foundation in Mathematics, Statistics, Quantitative Finance, Computer Science, or a heavily quantitative engineering discipline.
• Proven, hands-on experience in statistical modeling, backtesting frameworks, and algorithmic trading logic.
• Deep, intuitive understanding of risk-adjusted return metrics (e.g., Sharpe, Sortino, Calmar, Maximum Drawdown).
• Ability to rapidly prototype, stress-test, and deploy mathematical logic tailored for financial markets under tight deadlines.
• Strong working knowledge of Indian stock market dynamics, market micro-structure, and historical market data handling.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency in Python, R, or C++ for extensive quantitative analysis and data manipulation.
• Prior experience building, auditing, or optimizing end-to-end systematic trading strategies.
• A pragmatic, objective mindset that prioritizes live-market applicability and robust execution.