DRW's Quantitative Analyst interviews typically open with a timed math and probability online assessment, then move into behavioral screens and technical rounds covering probability, options, and market-making games; candidates report mixed timelines and no guaranteed offers.
$213K
Avg. Base Comp
$264K
Avg. Total Comp
3-5 rounds
Typical Rounds
Not reported
Process Length
DRW's quant hiring for Quantitative Analyst and closely related trading roles often starts with a timed online math assessment. Candidates report six questions on probability and math reasoning and describe them as genuinely difficult. Many treat it as the real gatekeeper: one intern candidate advanced with about four of six correct, and another said they would focus hardest on the assessment if they tried again.
Once through, candidates typically move into a recruiter, HR, or behavioral screen that probes motivation ("why DRW," how DRW compares to peers like Jane Street) alongside a resume walkthrough. In one 45-minute technical interview, about 35 minutes went to these questions. Prepare a crisp motivation story, but don't let it crowd out technical readiness.
Technical rounds lean heavily on probability and statistics. Topics include confidence intervals, Bayes' theorem, Markov chain stable distributions, inclusion-exclusion, and checking whether a function is a valid distribution. Several candidates were also pushed on options theory, including pricing and greeks, and one was questioned on it after being told it wouldn't be needed. Later rounds, reported mainly on internship tracks, add market-making games, dice games, card-flip scenarios, and mental-math brainteasers. One example was pricing a two-way market on a large altcoin trade. Interviewers generally want you to think out loud and break problems into smaller steps rather than jump to a final answer.
Feedback timing varied, from one-week turnarounds to last-minute reschedules and a drawn-out process. None of the candidates in these reports received an offer, so treat each stage as a genuine elimination point.
Synthesized from 11 candidate reports by our editorial team.
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Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
Candidates report starting with a timed online assessment of six math questions testing probability and math reasoning, described as genuinely difficult. One intern candidate advanced with about four of six correct, and others describe this stage as the main gatekeeper.
After the assessment, candidates typically have a Zoom or phone screen covering background and resume details along with motivation questions such as why DRW and how it compares to competitors. Interviewers are generally described as friendly. One candidate described the HR call as semi-technical, and another said behavioral questions took up most of a 45-minute technical interview.
Technical rounds focus heavily on probability and statistics: Bayes' theorem, confidence intervals, Markov chains, and checking whether a function is a valid probability distribution. Several candidates were also tested on options pricing and greeks, in one case after being told options theory wouldn't be needed. Candidates describe being asked to explain reasoning step-by-step rather than simply state a final answer.
Candidates who advance, especially on internship tracks, describe an onsite or super day with multiple back-to-back rounds. These include market-making games such as pricing a two-way market, dice games, card-flip scenarios, mental-math brainteasers, and in one case a question on the difference between C++ and Python. Interviewers are typically described as engaged and willing to probe reasoning with follow-ups.
Feedback speed varied by candidate. Some heard back with an interview invite within about a week of the assessment, while others described last-minute reschedules or a process that dragged on. Every candidate in these reports was rejected, in some cases after a single interview and in another about a week after a full super day.
