Difference Between a Quantitative Developer and a Quantitative Analyst

You might be seeing that trading desks and risk hubs keep posting “quant” vacancies, yet many ads mix two very different profiles. Well, that’s because the two different “quant” roles specialize in different skills. Below is a quick look at how a Quantitative Developer and a Quantitative Analyst differ, and where the two jobs overlap.

What Each Role Tackles:

Quantitative Developer

• Turns Jupyter notebooks into production code
• Speeds up pricing engines and intraday risk runs
• Writes in C++, Java or Python and keeps the CI/CD pipeline healthy

Quantitative Analyst

• Designs and calibrates pricing or risk models
• Tests models against regulation (FRTB, SR 11-7)
• Tracks market data shifts and explains results to trading desks

Both use Python and heavy maths, but only the developer owns the final code released to production. The easiest way to summarize the difference is that Developers are coders first and foremost, looking for ways to create more efficient and effective algorithms to improve market trading.

Analysts are researchers first and foremost, using code to test different ideas of what’s happening in markets, but also doing heavy research into companies and commodities themselves, using data and models to assess risk and value.

Are Quant Specialists in Demand in Poland?

• eFinancialCareers listed 12 Quant Developer and 15 Quantitative Analyst ads on the same day
• On pracuj.pl, a generalist Polish board, only one ad for each title appeared, but we believe this is because most banks hunt on niche channels instead of the mainstream boards

A Recruiter’s View from Verita HR

At Verita HR, the team has been working with quantitative analysts and developers since 2014. This was when the first investment banking client asked the Verita HR team for help with a range of roles with python, C#, C++, and VBA. It prompted the team to build one of the largest database of quants in Poland.

“Our deep understanding of the industry is what sets us apart. Quants are a key part of our business at Verita HR,” said Patrycja Skwiot-Włodarska, Recruitment Manager at Verita HR Group. “These rockstars of the banking industry have been at the forefront of our efforts to help clients in Poland, especially in Krakow.”

“Poland has a strong education system and a vibrant internal market. Poles are ambitious. They want to work internationally, and they want to prove themselves against their peers from Hong Kong, London, or New York.”

“At Verita HR we keep uptodate with trends and challenges that investment banks and quants face today. We talk to them about market risk, credit risk, or fixed income roles. And, most importantly, we respect their profound skill when it comes to using technology in banking. If you need to understand this market better, reach out to us to find out more.”

Salary snapshot for 2025

In Poland salaries are in the main quoted as monthly, but as this story is also for our international readers and followers, we have rounded up the salaries to an annual figure. More in-line with how candidates are sourced in the UK or U.S.

Quant Developer

Job ads for graduates in Warsaw quote “up to 400k PLN total comp in year one.” Senior ranges cluster around 25k–35k PLN per month on B2B contracts (roughly 300–420k PLN yearly)

Quant Analyst

The national mean sits near 199k PLN a year; the top quartile pushes 242k PLN. PayScale’s user data shows a median of 119k PLN and a ceiling around 221k PLN.

Even after inflation, both figures sit well above the “Blue Card” minimum salary of 10k PLN per month for highly skilled hires.

What The Online Crowd Says

A popular post on r/quant noted “more and more quant positions being offered in Poland or Hungary,” but warned that salaries can feel lower than Frankfurt or Zurich.

Another Reddit thread looked at how many quant jobs vs applicants there really are, and more reasonable folks in the thread believe it’s competitive, but there are many positions. In short, the work is here, even if the pay gap with Western Europe has not closed.

Where The Jobs Are

• Citi, HSBC, ING, and UBS all run quantitative risk or analytics centres in Warsaw, Katowice, or Kraków, posting regular graduate and senior openings
  
• Hedge-fund recruiters advertise Warsaw roles that rival London comp for top graduates
  
• Local fintechs recruit Python Quant Developers for derivatives trading engines in Wrocław and Gdańsk

Five Quick Hiring Tips

1. Write two job specs, not one: If you need stochastic maths and low-latency code, budget for two hires. The skillset and daily job of an Analyst and Developer are different enough to require it.
   
2. Budget for the right tools: Developers will most likely ask for new GPUs, while analysts need access to quality data feeds.
   
3. Offer research time: Analysts value a weekly slot to work on papers or attend meet-ups, as, like most researchers, being up to date with the field is critical.
   
4. Look outside Warsaw: Universities in Kraków and Wrocław produce maths PhDs of a high caliber, giving you more options.
   
5. State contract type early: Seniors often prefer B2B contracts as they’ve earned their independence, whereas juniors lean toward full employment.

Can Verita HR Help You Find a Quant?

Verita HR placed its first Quant Developer in 2014. Today, we are handling more than a dozen quant vacancies for global banks and buy-side firms on a rotating basis.

• Community reach: 5,500 members in the “Recruitment in IT – Poland” LinkedIn group and active participation in Facebook groups.
  
• Market insight: Our recruiters attend events like Women in Tech, Infoshare, and HackYeah to keep skills fresh.
  
• Technical backing: Internal teams learn directly from solution architects who have shipped pricing engines and risk platforms.

Reach out to the Verita HR quantitative desk here today and let us introduce you to Poland’s quality candidates.

Verita HR offers services including RPO | Permanent Recruitment | Outsourcing | Media Services

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