Nikola Yanakiev

Product Engineer

Sofia, Sofia City, Bulgaria2 yrs 6 mos experience

Key Highlights

Expert in developing systematic trading strategies.
Published research on quantum algorithms for optimization.
Strong foundation in physics and quantitative analysis.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Quantitative Researcher with a focus on Fintech and Quantum Computing.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Quantitative ResearchStatistical ArbitrageMachine LearningStatistical ResearchQuantum ComputingAcademic ResearchNumerical AnalysisSoftware Project Management

Other Skills

Academic PublishingC#Data AnalysisEconometricsGenetic AlgorithmsGitMathematicsMean-Variance OptimizationNeural NetworksPython (Programming Language)Quantum InformationResearchSecondary EducationSystematic TradingTeaching

About

I am a Quantitative Researcher at BAM specializing in the development and deployment of systematic equities strategies within mid-frequency environments. My work involves applying advanced statistical research, mathematical modeling, and sophisticated data analysis techniques — with a particular focus on extracting alpha from alternative data sources — to discover and rigorously test novel trading signals and algorithms. I possess a strong foundation in computational physics, numerical methods, and object-oriented programming, holding a BA and MSci in Physics from the University of Cambridge. My graduate research focused on quantum algorithms for combinatorial optimization, culminating in the development of a novel algorithm and an academic publication. I am driven by a passion for physics, mathematics, and finance, and thrive on solving complex, data-driven problems to find innovative and commercially viable solutions. I am committed to continuous learning and collaboration within the research community.

Experience

Balyasny asset management l.p.

Quantitative Researcher

Sep 2025 – Present · 6 mos · London Area, United Kingdom · On-site

Member of a systematic statistical arbitrage team dedicated to generating alpha in the equities space. Conducts quantitative research and data analysis across diverse datasets to identify and develop predictive trading signals. The role involves daily collaboration with the Portfolio Manager and fellow researchers to implement strategies and optimize the systematic portfolio.

Python (Programming Language)Data AnalysisGitQuantitative ResearchStatistical ArbitrageMachine Learning+2

Worldquant

2 roles

Senior Quantitative Researcher

Promoted

Jan 2025 – Aug 2025 · 7 mos · Budapest, Hungary · On-site

Senior Quantitative Researcher at WorldQuant. Developing and implementing alpha-generating equity long/short neutral strategies. Leveraging extensive analysis of options, trading flow, and high-frequency intraday data, I utilize advanced quantitative methods, including genetic algorithms and neural networks, to rigorously validate and optimize trading models. I also research methods for linearly combining existing alphas, employing techniques based on mean-variance optimization to enhance signal strength and portfolio performance.

Quantitative Researcher

Aug 2023 – Jan 2025 · 1 yr 5 mos · Budapest, Hungary · On-site

ResearchPython (Programming Language)Numerical AnalysisMathematicsStatistical ResearchQuantitative Research

Hitachi

Quantum Computing Engineer

Jun 2023 – Aug 2023 · 2 mos · Cambridge, England, United Kingdom · Hybrid

As a Quantum Computing Engineer, I continued my Master's research, focusing on the development of a novel quantum optimization algorithm. This work culminated in my Master's thesis, which was successfully developed into a published academic paper titled "Quantum Algorithms for Optimization" in the journal Physical Review A.

Python (Programming Language)Quantum InformationQuantum ComputingAcademic ResearchAcademic Publishing

The cavendish laboratory - department of physics at the university of cambridge

Computational Physicist

Jul 2022 – Sep 2022 · 2 mos · Cambridge, England, United Kingdom

Developed a Python application, previously written in C#, to iteratively solve partial differential equations of
relevance in physics using the finite difference and element methods
Used this code to simulate layered semiconductor gate devices which process quantum information
Application will help in conducting further research on the topic of quantum information and computation
Gained valuable experience in object-oriented programming and numerical methods, as well as NumPy and SciPy

Python (Programming Language)C#Numerical AnalysisSoftware Project Management

The university of göttingen

Particle Physics/Machine Learning Research Assistant

Jul 2021 – Sep 2021 · 2 mos · Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany

During my time in Prof. Quadt's Research Group at The University of Göttingen I worked on a project aiming to reduce the systematic uncertainties present in collision data from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. To realise this I trained neural networks using Python's TensorFlow and Keras libraries which had to distinguish between different Monte Carlo generators used in Particle Physics analyses for collision event creation. Overall, my experience in Göttingen was very rewarding, for I was able to deepen my knowledge in Particle Physics, understand at first hand how data analysis is carried out in large research groups such as ATLAS, including presenting any results in weekly reports, and also hone my programming skills in C++, Python and Bash.