From Data Science to Core Development
Transitioning from data science and machine learning to a core development role at DRW, Timofei has built his career by combining technical expertise with hands-on experience. Here’s a look at his journey and a typical day in his role.
Can you describe your career path and what led you to pursue a software developer role at DRW?
My career path started with Data Science/Machine Learning internships at JetBrains. With a strong foundation in quant discipline and some practical, experience I joined small trading company as a quantitative developer, which introduced me to the world of high-frequency trading (HFT). After some time, I realised that I'm more interested in programming/engineering rather than quant related domains. This shift led me to apply for core developer role at DRW after I graduated.
Describe a typical day for you in your role.
I typically arrive at the office around 8am, catch up on updates from my colleagues in Singapore and the U.S., then spend some time to plan my day. Usually, I start with urgent tasks, then I work on more complex problem that require more intellectual effort while my mind is still fresh. At some point I have a lunch with my colleagues where we often discuss everyone's projects, it's a great way to be up to date with projects you don't directly work on. During the last couple of hours of my work day, I wrap things up, review PRs, and reflect on the general direction of the projects I work on.
What type of tools do you use regularly to succeed in your role at DRW?
I work as a core developer so I have to deal a lot with high-performance and low-level software. You need to have a very strong background in OS, computer architecture, algorithms, networking and distributed systems in order to be successful. We also leverage a lot of low-level networking software libraries.
What are some of the key challenges you face in your role?
I think the key challenge as a core developer is understanding what users actually need. You are working directly with quants and traders, and unlike desk developers, you have to provide solutions and services that are used company-wide, rather than your specific team.
As we celebrate 30 years of our London office, what do you enjoy most about its culture?
The thing that I enjoy the most at DRW is the collaborative culture. Everyone is really approachable, which makes it very easy to connect with people here. For instance, if you're curious about what someone does or their projects, you can ask, and they're always happy to share insights to help you learn.