Join NUSA
Become part of Northeastern's premier quantitative finance community
Jump to Application ↓Why Apply?
See what our teams build in the research library.
NUSA’s JRAP program (Junior Research Analyst Program) is a 4-month intensive, academy-style curriculum covering finance foundations, programming fundamentals, mathematical concepts, and advanced quantitative finance topics. You’ll learn how quants manage risk, how portfolio managers build trading algorithms, and gain deep technical insight into market mechanics.
JRAP members receive exclusive access to industry speaker events, networking socials, game nights, and office hours—culminating in becoming a quantitative research analyst in our QR track or quantitative developer in our QD track, where you’ll contribute to a quantitative research or development project as an official NUSA Researcher. No prior finance or advanced math knowledge is required—just a smart, passionate mindset and basic programming familiarity.
Hands-On Projects
Algorithm development & risk management exercises to hone your skills
Continuing Development
Opportunity to participate in a live quant research or development project the following semester
Workshops and Resources
Exclusive industry speakers, game nights, office hours, and technical workshops
Choose Your Track After JRAP
Quantitative Researcher
As a QR you’ll join one of our research pods:
- Lead alpha-generating research projects
- Develop and backtest statistical models
- Construct and optimize multi-factor portfolios
- Present findings to club leadership & industry partners
Quantitative Developer
As a QD you’ll build the engines behind our research:
- Design robust data ingestion pipelines
- Implement backtesting and execution frameworks
- Automate risk-reporting and live monitoring
- Collaborate with QR teams to productionize models
NUSA Applications
See the application form for current recruitment details and deadlines.
What we look for
- Intellectual curiosity and passion for quantitative finance
- Basic programming knowledge (experience is a plus)
- Willingness to commit 5–10 hours/week and attend weekly meetings
- Collaborative mindset and eagerness to learn
Application process
- Complete the online application form
- Attend the Super Day interview (90 minutes, technical & behavioral) (scheduling details will be shared with applicants)
Note: Select applicants may be offered a fast-tracked version of JRAP based on their application performance.
Interview Transparency
Our application and interview process isn't designed to trick you or catch you off guard. In our Super Day interviews, we want to:
- Walk through your resume and understand your relevant experience
- Solve a live coding challenge on data structures or simple algorithms [leetcode easy]
- See how you may solve logic puzzles/riddles
- Discuss how you’d manage edge-cases and risk in a trading strategy
- Chat about your teamwork style and how you learn new concepts
- Discuss your interest in quantitative finance and NUSA
Afterwards, we share anonymized feedback themes so you know where you stood and how to improve.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to apply to be in the club?
No! The JRAP program is an exclusive program for those wanting to level-up their skills and participate in real research. General body meetings are open to students who want to get involved. Check our events page for updates.
Do I need prior finance experience?
No! We welcome students from all backgrounds. Strong quantitative skills and enthusiasm to learn are more important than prior finance knowledge.
What's the time commitment?
Members attend weekly 2-hour meetings and contribute 5–10 hours per week to projects and learning.
When will I hear back?
Check the application form for the current recruitment timeline. Interview scheduling and decision updates will be shared with applicants.
How competitive is it?
We review all applications holistically, looking for students who demonstrate strong potential and genuine interest in quantitative finance. JRAP is designed to be an intensive, close-knit cohort experience.