Proprietary Trading Intern – Summer 2026
The D. E. Shaw group seeks talented individuals with unique perspectives to join us as Proprietary Trading interns. Trader interns sit at the core of our discretionary investment strategies and take on complex challenges to deepen their understanding of financial markets, investment processes, and trade construction. They gain exposure to the firm’s portfolio management strategies, process-oriented investment philosophy, and risk management in an inclusive, collaborative, and engaging working environment. This is a ten-week program that will take place in New York and is expected to run from June to August 2026.
What you’ll do day-to-day
You’ll gain exposure to general trading activities, participate in monitoring markets and positions, and analyze market events. Because our approach sits at the intersection of finance and technology, you’ll employ a number of technological platforms to analyze market data and make qualitative decisions based on your analyses.
Who we’re looking for
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Candidates who approach problem solving with curiosity, think creatively, and have the ability to generate interesting and orthogonal insights (e.g., through involvement in coding or trading competitions, hackathons, investment clubs, or STEM research experience) will excel in this role.
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We seek individuals with an aptitude for deep analysis who can recognize connections across a wide range of sources and synthesize information into clear and persuasive messages.
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Applicants should be able to support arguments with data and quantitative analysis.
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We welcome applicants from all fields of study. No previous finance experience is necessary. Students in this program are usually approaching their final year of full-time study.
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The position offers a monthly base salary of $18,000, overtime pay, a sign-on bonus of $10,000, travel coverage to and from the internship, and choice of furnished summer housing or a $10,000 housing allowance. It also includes a $3,300 stipend for self-study materials and a $4,000 stipend for personal technology equipment. If you have any questions about the compensation, please ask one of our recruiters.
At the D. E. Shaw group, we believe the diversity of our employees is core to our strength and success. We are committed to supporting our people in work and in life, which is why we offer benefits such as a family planning and surrogacy program and a charitable gift match to all full-time employees.
Additionally, our staff-led affinity groups are pillars of our community, helping to celebrate diversity, promote leadership and development opportunities, and facilitate inclusive mentorship. Members and allies organize a wide range of educational and social programming, from expert talks to film festivals.