Day in the Life: Anastasia, Graduate Software Engineer at IMC Trading
Meet Anastasia, a Graduate Software Engineer at IMC Trading, where she builds and optimizes systems for the Equity Options team. Her days are a mix of focused coding sessions, problem-solving with colleagues, and cross-team collaboration. Between cycling to the office, sharing breakfast with her team, and taking short breaks to recharge, Anastasia shows how she balances technical work with moments that keep her energized and clear-headed.
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Name: Anastasia
Job: Graduate Software Engineer
What does a Graduate Software Engineer do at IMC Trading?
I am a Java Software Engineer developing systems for the Equity Options team. The projects I work on vary greatly; some are trading driven, such as implementing functionalities needed for a new trading strategy, while others focus on optimizing our current systems.
Here’s what a day in Anastasia's life looks like at the office!
8-8:30 AM — Cycling to the office:
This takes around 20 minutes. Since I moved to the Netherlands, it’s one of my favorite parts of the day, it energizes me and helps me get into a work mindset. If it’s sunny, I sometimes stop in Vondelpark to admire the nature and take some deep breaths.
8:30-9 AM — Breakfast with colleagues:
I grab a light breakfast at the office with my colleagues. It’s a great way to catch up and discuss the news. Global news affects the trading industry directly, so we try to stay up to date.
9-9:30 AM — Coffee & planning:
I make a good cup of coffee and quickly read emails, organize them, and plan the day. I like to set one attainable goal, finishing it earns me a little pat on the back. IMC keeps meetings to a minimum, so we have a morning stand-up only twice a week.
9:30-12 PM — Focus mode:
This is one of the times when I am most productive. A trick that helps me enter deep work mode is listening to the same song that I associate with focus. For me, an old jazz song usually does the trick. The nature of my tasks can vary, but from the outside it always looks the same: I am sitting at my desk with my AirPods in and concentration mode on.
12-1 PM — Lunch & a short walk:
We have an in-office restaurant with a salad bar, snacks, sandwiches, and soups.
1-3:30 PM — Afternoon deep work:
One project I am working on at the moment involves reducing CPU load on certain deployments by leveraging asynchronous resource sharing. These days, I am monitoring the rollout of this change to production to ensure that it does not interfere in any unintended way with the current behavior. This is usually what I do around this time, when the US market opens (3:30 PM Amsterdam time): I focus on verifying that my changes are correct and that the traders are aware of them and know how to use them.
3:30-3:45 PM — Quick reset:
If the system is healthy, I take a few minutes for myself and have a tea. There is still work to do, so continuing with a clear head is important.
3:45-6 PM — US overlap:
I work closely with teams in our US office, so I use this window to coordinate and get answers to any questions. Overseas communication can be tricky, so I give regular updates and make sure I understand what my peers are working on. Once this is done, I continue with usual project work.
6 PM onwards — Unwind:
Time to get active and meet friends 🎉
How do you unwind at the end of a workday?
I like to have a diverse set of activities, but lately it is either pilates, a light run, reading in a cozy place, or having dinner with friends.
What do you love about your job and your employer?
I love the autonomy I have and the ownership I feel over my journey in the company. At IMC, everyone contributes to all parts of the development process, and you can make an impact even early in your career.
Curious about the career opportunities at IMC Trading? You’ll find all the latest on events and jobs on the app. Check out their open jobs here!
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