Teen prodigy Kairan Quazi, who gained international attention in 2023 for becoming a SpaceX engineer at just 14, has now moved on with his career. The 16-year-old is starting a new job as a quant developer at Citadel Securities, a major trading firm in New York City. At Citadel, he will work with both traders and engineers, focusing on the company’s global trading systems.
Despite having many offers from AI companies, Quazi chose to go with Citadel. This decision resulted in questions arising that why did he choose to leave Starlink, to join a trading company. Read below to get all the answers to your questions.
Teen Prodigy Kairan Quazi Leaves SpaceX
This week, the 16-year-old Kairan Quazi, who made headlines throughout the world in 2023 after graduating from college and getting hired as a SpaceX engineer at the age of 14, begins working as a quant developer at New York City's Systematic Trading Giant Citadel Securities.
A corporate representative of Citadel stated that Quazi will be working on the company's worldwide trading infrastructure in his new position, occupying the "intersection of engineering and quantitative problem-solving" and collaborating with both traders and engineers.
Who is Kairan Quazi?
Kairan Quazi was born to Jullia Quazi, a Wall Street professional, and Mustahid Quazi, a chemical engineer. Quazi's experiences, as an American-Bangladeshi, are a blend of cultures and the embrace of technological viewpoints.
In 2023, Quazi made history by earning a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Santa Clara University. He went on to become the youngest graduate in the 170-year history of the school. In addition to his academic achievements, he demonstrated leadership qualities by being elected as an Associated Student Government senator in 2021–2023. During his tenure, he took part in campus politics and promoted a number of student initiatives.
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Why did Quazi Join Citadel?
Despite offers from top AI labs and significant tech firms, Quazi chose Citadel Securities because of its special blend of quick feedback loops and intellectual challenge. He designed software for SpaceX that decides where Starlink satellites aim their beams to provide dependable internet connections for millions of users, working on production-critical systems.
"Quant finance offers a pretty rare combination: the complexity and intellectual challenge that AI research also provides, but with a much faster pace," Quazi told Business Insider. "At Citadel Securities, I'll be able to see measurable impact in days, not months or years."
Kairan Quazi Academic Journey
Quazi's academic career started even before he attended college. Quazi graduated from Las Positas College with an Associate of Science in Mathematics at the age of eleven. This early success demonstrated his exceptional capacity for critical thinking and problem-solving, which would be useful in his subsequent pursuits in artificial intelligence and computer science.
Kairan Quazi’s Quest for First Job
In a 2023 interview with Vogue, Quazi talked about the challenges he had when he was 14 years old and wanted to join the technology industry. "I experienced cultural adultism in my job search," Quazi explained, referring to the numerous age-related biases he encountered despite the fact that American labor rules permit employment of 14-year-olds who have completed their mandatory high school education.
Quazi further revealed that recruitment agencies often rejected his outstanding resume and would disqualify him based on his age, which they viewed as a hindrance. Additionally, he displayed the cognitive dissonance that most hiring managers exhibit when evaluating a candidate's qualifications, taking into account solely his age while ignoring his exceptional skills and background.
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