At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead research and prototyping of advanced AI solutions for risk management in equity structured products.
- Company: BBVA, a global leader in finance with over 160 years of history.
- Benefits: Pivotal leadership role, high-energy environment, and collaborative team culture.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AI in Global Markets and influence pricing and risk management.
- Qualifications: Master's or PhD in a quantitative field with 7-12+ years of relevant experience.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team at the forefront of AI innovation in finance.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.
BBVA is a global company with more than 160 years of history that operates in more than 25 countries where we serve more than 80 million customers. We are more than 121,000 professionals working in multidisciplinary teams with profiles as diverse as financiers, legal experts, data scientists, developers, engineers and designers.
Advanced Analytics & Algorithmic Trading is the team of Data Scientists within C&IB Global Markets, focused on developing trading algorithms, business intelligence tools, and advanced analytics solutions for trading and sales teams. The team blends strong technical expertise with a deep understanding of financial markets to deliver innovative, high-impact solutions.
About the job:
- Develop AI-driven predictive models for market risk factors relevant to structured products (volatility surfaces, correlation, skew dynamics, liquidity indicators, etc.).
- Prototype optimization models for dynamic hedging, incorporating RL, deep learning, and advanced numerical techniques.
- Research efficient AI-based estimators for pricing and risk metrics (Greeks, scenario computations, exposures), including neural approximators and surrogate models.
- Explore reasoning models and agent-based architectures capable of supporting trading decision workflows.
- Investigate fine-tuning and alignment of large language models (LLMs) to act as safe, reliable trading agents or risk copilots.
- Work daily with traders, structurers, data scientists and quants to ensure research topics are aligned with business needs.
- Quickly validate prototypes with end users, then collaborate with the execution team to scale and deploy successful concepts.
- Present research roadmap, insights, and technical results to senior market stakeholders.
Qualifications
- Academic & Technical Background:
- Master's or PhD in Physics, Mathematics, Engineering, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.
- 7–12+ years of experience in quantitative research, systematic trading, financial AI, or pricing/risk model development in financial markets.
- Deep knowledge of derivatives and financial markets, ideally with direct exposure to equity structured products.
- Strong foundations in:
- Stochastic processes
- Numerical PDE/SDE methods
- Optimization and optimal control
- Machine learning / deep learning (PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX, scikit-learn)
- Reinforcement learning and sequential decision models
- Agentic AI frameworks and LLM fine-tuning
Programming Skills:
- Expert-level Python is mandatory.
- Experience with KDB+/Q, C++, Java or GPU acceleration is a plus.
- Familiarity with modern ML toolchains.
Soft Skills & Cultural Fit:
- Strong ability to operate in a front-office-adjacent, high-pressure environment with tight feedback loops.
- Entrepreneurial mindset, able to independently identify high-impact AI opportunities.
- Excellent communication skills: able to interface with traders yet also produce rigorous research output.
- Fluent English required; Spanish welcome but optional.
- Passion for cutting-edge AI innovation and its safe application in financial markets.
What We Offer:
- A pivotal VP/ED leadership role shaping the future of AI in Global Markets.
- A high-energy environment where research rapidly becomes production.
- The opportunity to build novel AI models that directly influence pricing, hedging, and risk management at scale.
- A highly collaborative team combining quantitative finance, advanced analytics, machine learning research, and algorithmic trading.
We are seeking an exceptional Senior AI Quant (VP/ED) to lead research and prototyping of advanced AI solutions within Global Markets, with an initial focus on risk management for equity structured products. This is a strategic leadership role driving the next generation of modeling capabilities that will reshape how Global Markets prices, hedges, and manages risk. This role sits embedded within Global Markets to ensure strong connectivity with the business units. You will lead the research stream—focused on ideation, prototyping, and validation—while partnering closely with the execution teams who industrialize the most promising AI models. Both teams report jointly to the Head of the Advanced Analytics & Algorithmic Trading team, ensuring alignment between research excellence and business impact.
Senior AI Quant in London employer: BBVA Group
Contact Detail:
BBVA Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior AI Quant in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Connect with professionals in the industry on LinkedIn, attend relevant meetups, and engage in discussions. This can open doors to opportunities that aren't even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository where you can display your projects, especially those related to AI and quantitative analysis. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios specific to AI quant roles. Use mock interviews to build confidence and refine your responses, focusing on your technical expertise and problem-solving abilities.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s a great way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, being part of our Talent Community means you’ll be in the loop for future opportunities that match your profile.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior AI Quant in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to highlight your experience in AI, quantitative research, and financial markets. We want to see how your skills align with the role of Senior AI Quant, so don’t hold back on showcasing relevant projects!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re passionate about AI in finance and how your background makes you the perfect fit for our team. We love seeing enthusiasm and a clear understanding of the role.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t forget to highlight your programming expertise, especially in Python and any other relevant languages. We’re looking for someone who can hit the ground running, so make sure we know what you bring to the table!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, you’ll join our Talent Community for future opportunities that match your profile!
How to prepare for a job interview at BBVA Group
✨Know Your AI Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the latest AI techniques and tools relevant to the role. Brush up on your knowledge of reinforcement learning, deep learning frameworks like PyTorch and TensorFlow, and be ready to discuss how these can be applied to financial markets.
✨Showcase Your Quant Skills
Prepare to demonstrate your understanding of quantitative research and financial models. Be ready to discuss your experience with stochastic processes, numerical methods, and how you've used these in past projects to solve real-world problems.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Since this role involves interfacing with traders and presenting technical results, practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms. Use examples from your past work to illustrate your points and show that you can bridge the gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
✨Align with Business Needs
Research the company’s current challenges and think about how your skills can address them. Be prepared to discuss how you would validate prototypes with end users and collaborate with execution teams to ensure your AI solutions are impactful and aligned with business objectives.