Rates Trader

What you'll do

micro1 is staffing a project for a leading investment bank's algorithmic trading desk, and this role brings the trader's view. An AI produces trading strategies and decision rationales for rates products; you say whether they would make sense on a real desk.

The products named are interest rate swaps, swaptions, Treasury futures, Eurodollar and SOFR contracts, and repo. For each strategy you assess realism and market viability, write structured commentary on the logic, and flag the scenarios where the model's recommendation drifts away from what a desk would actually do. You then suggest how the logic could be made more accurate.

Unlike most evaluation work, the ad explicitly includes verbal discussion as well as written feedback, so expect some calls to walk through your reasoning. Contribution is flexible and tied to project milestones.

Who fits

• A current or former rates trader at an investment bank or hedge fund
• Extensive hands-on trading across swaps, swaptions, Treasury futures, Eurodollar or SOFR, and repo
• Algorithmic or systematic trading experience on a rates desk; VP, Director or similar seniority is strongly preferred
• Deep understanding of rates market structure, pricing and risk management
• Strong written and spoken communication, and comfort explaining why a quantitative strategy would or would not work in practice

Prior collaboration on technology or trading system projects is a plus. No AI experience is needed.

What it pays

$80–100/hour, micro1's published band. That is a narrow range, and it sits below the $80–150 band on the Quantitative Rates Researcher listing for the same bank project. For a VP-level trader the hourly rate is modest against desk compensation; this suits someone between roles or recently off a desk rather than someone weighing it against a bonus. No weekly hours, duration or compensation mechanism are published.

Worth knowing

Good:

• Narrow band, so the rate you see is close to the rate you get
• Desk intuition is the qualification; you do not need to code
• 20 openings, flagged as new on the board
• A sister research role on the same project means the customer wants both trader and quant input

Less good:

• The seniority it asks for (VP, Director) is high relative to the pay ceiling
• Verbal discussions are part of the work, so it is less purely asynchronous than most AI training gigs
• If you still trade, your firm's outside-activity and confidentiality rules almost certainly apply
• No hours, project length or payment terms published
• Contractor engagement: no benefits, no notice period, your own tax to manage

About this listing

Posted by micro1 on its own jobs portal and read on 12 October 2026. The $80–100/hour band, 20 openings and skills list are its published text. Location is given only as remote, with no country restriction. Payment terms and schedule are not published on the listing. See micro1.