When people think of working at an investment management company, they might assume that finance, economics, or accounting degrees are essential for joining the workforce. While it’s true that Two Sigma operates in the complex world of financial markets, our employees’ backgrounds are actually far more diverse.
In fact, more than 55% of Two Sigma employees don’t come from a financial background. As what we call a “financial sciences” company, we leverage massive amounts of data, advanced technology, and scientific rigor to make investment decisions. So, it makes sense that such a large portion of our employees, especially in engineering and modeling roles, don’t come from traditional finance backgrounds. They’re drawn from a variety of STEM fields, finding the intellectual challenges and collaborative culture a compelling alternative to conventional finance career paths.
To understand what this journey from science to finance typically looks like, we sat down with colleagues in a wide variety of different roles to hear their unique perspectives.
Financial sciences as a magnet for STEM talent
While “financial sciences” might sound like an obscure term, at its core, it’s a simple, powerful concept. As Jiasen, a quantitative researcher on the Macro Techniques team, put it, “Financial sciences is simply applying the scientific approach to everything we do that’s related to finance.” This means approaching financial markets with the same rigor and curiosity that drives research in any scientific field.
“Financial sciences is simply applying the scientific approach to everything we do that’s related to finance.
This approach makes Two Sigma a natural fit for individuals with STEM backgrounds. They’re drawn to the intellectual challenge of applying their engineering and quantitative skills to complex, real-world problems. Financial markets are a data-rich environment, teeming with hidden patterns and opportunities for discovery. For those with a scientific mindset, it’s a fascinating—and often fun—playground for research and experimentation.
“I think the thing that really excites me about quantitative research is the ability to blend very cutting-edge discoveries that come out of the statistics literature, the computer science literature, and mathematics, and actually be able to apply them to very concrete, very difficult problems, where constant innovation is always required,” explains Sooraj, a researcher on the Equities Forecast Management team.
And more so than in most areas of traditional finance, Two Sigma emphasizes rigorous testing, simulation, and data-driven decision-making. This focus appeals to engineers’ frequent desire for a methodical, evidence-based approach, where facts speak louder than opinions.
Ris, a managing director who oversees several engineering teams that build software for researchers, notes, “The tools that we’re building are similar to what you’d see at other large-scale tech companies.” It’s this blend of cutting-edge technology and scientific rigor that has long made Two Sigma’s approach so compelling to those with STEM backgrounds.
She continues, “Most of the decisions about what we trade, and how, are made in part by algorithms and the models that our researchers build. So that gives Two Sigma a very different culture than you might see in a typical investment manager or investment bank. Here, you tend to see people who are more geeky kind of software folks, like myself.”
Curiosity: the bridge from STEM to finance
Two Sigma’s embrace of financial sciences isn’t just about applying scientific methods; it’s about fostering a culture where curiosity is a driving force behind innovation. This is particularly evident in how individuals with STEM backgrounds find their way to Two Sigma, often from fields seemingly unrelated to finance.
It’s that innate curiosity, that drive to understand how things work, that often sparks the initial interest. Katie, a product manager with a background in mechanical engineering, describes her path: “I knew I wanted to be in a role where I could solve problems, and I kind of stumbled upon the role of product manager, especially within the fintech space, accidentally.”
This “stumbling” is rarely entirely accidental, however; it’s a result of actively seeking out new challenges and exploring uncharted territories.
Two Sigma provides ample opportunities to nurture that curiosity. Our robust learning and development program, including classes, conferences, and seminars, along with our unique Hacker Lab, for example, encourage exploration of diverse interests, both technical and non-technical. But it’s the company’s collaborative environment that truly sets it apart.
Whether it’s through formal training, informal knowledge-sharing, or simply engaging in intellectually stimulating conversations with colleagues over a game of chess, Two Sigma fosters a culture where curiosity is valued and rewarded. This creates a dynamic and intellectually vibrant environment where individuals with STEM backgrounds can thrive.
“What keeps me at Two Sigma is the opportunity to learn and grow,” says Ris. “When you study computer science, you’re signing up for a lifelong journey of learning, and you don’t want to go into a role or a job where that stops.”
Diverse paths, shared discoveries
That “lifelong journey of learning” that Ris describes—this commitment to continuous learning and the inherent curiosity of individuals with STEM backgrounds—is a big part of what leads people from backgrounds far from the financial world to our doors.
Take Mike, the head of Two Sigma’s AI Core team, for example. With a long and distinguished career at Google, where he spearheaded advancements in speech recognition and AI, he saw a parallel opportunity to apply his expertise to the complexities of financial markets.
“When I came here, we said, hey, let’s do a similar thing in finance, because I think finance is ripe for this kind of change,” he explains. His journey underscores Two Sigma’s commitment to seeking out individuals with cutting-edge expertise from other STEM fields, recognizing that innovation can come from cross-pollinating ideas and applying advanced technologies to new domains.
A curiosity-driven path often leads individuals to discover unexpected connections between seemingly disparate fields.
A curiosity-driven path often leads individuals to discover unexpected connections between seemingly disparate fields. Rob, a security architect, found that his experiences in the intelligence community—a career that once involved cloaks and daggers more than code and data—translated surprisingly well to his work at Two Sigma: “When I came here, I quickly realized that the basic problem set is very similar, in that it’s about protecting very sensitive and valuable information.”
These are just a few examples of the unexpected journeys that lead people to a career at Two Sigma. Our employees come from a wide range of STEM disciplines—mechanical engineering, computer science, physics, biology, and even chemical engineering—bringing with them a shared passion for problem-solving, a scientific mindset, and an insatiable desire to learn and grow. It’s this diverse talent pool that allows Two Sigma to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of investing.
Final observations
We recognize that innovation often comes from unexpected places—even in finance. Two Sigma’s culture of curiosity and collaborative environment have long drawn highly talented people from across STEM fields. The result, after more than two decades of this approach, is a diverse team united by a shared passion for solving complex challenges and driving progress in the world of investment management.
Are you a scientist or engineer curious about working with us? Explore our Careers page to learn more!
