Software Engineer

Vamsy Vrishank

Welcome, This is a place where I document my learning, research, some revision notes, and evolving ideas in data engineering, machine learning and quantitative finance.
I enjoy exploring markets and non-market problems constantly experimenting and uncovering deeper insights.
Feel free to reach out to me.

01

About Me

I am an engineer driven by a love for solving complex problems. My journey began at National Institute of Technology, Trichy and led to PayPal, where I worked as a Software Engineer tackling data at extreme volumes.

I enjoy engineering challenges and problem solving by seeking deeper insights and utilizing data. I am currently pursuing a Master's in Financial Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology.

Technical Stack

Python
Python
C++
C++
R
R
MATLAB
MATLAB
SQL
SQL
Spark
Spark
TensorFlow
TensorFlow
NumPy
QuantLib
BigQuery
BigQuery
Kafka
Kafka
Docker
Docker

Core Skills

Data Engineering
Software Engineering
Machine Learning

Quantitative Skills

Stochastic Calculus
Σ Time Series Analysis
Derivatives Pricing
σ² Volatility Modeling
β Risk Management
μ Portfolio Optimization
λ Factor Models
Probability Theory
02

Education

Stevens Institute of Technology

Master of Financial Engineering

Algorithmic Trading Strategies Specialization

GPA: 3.959/4.0 Jan 2025 – May 2026

Relevant Coursework

Stochastic Calculus Algorithmic Trading Strategies Market Microstructure Derivatives Pricing Time Series Analysis Risk Management Computational Methods (C++/Python) Portfolio Theory Advanced Derivatives Pricing and Hedging

National Institute of Technology, Trichy

Bachelor of Technology

Metallurgy, Materials Science & Microeconomics

GPA: 8.01/10.0 July 2017 – May 2021

Relevant Coursework

Forecasting in Microeconomics Numerical Methods Fluid Dynamics Game Theory Transport Phenomena
03

Experience

Software Engineer

PayPal

Enterprise Data Lake / Unified Enterprise Customer

Bangalore, Karnataka Sep 2021 – Dec 2024
  • Engineered NRT data pipelines with Google Pub/Sub for reporting and risk-flagged transactions, reducing latency 80% and improving throughput 30%, enabling fraud and compliance monitoring.
  • Consolidated fragmented data across PayPal, Braintree, Venmo, and Hyperwallet using Reltio MDM into unified longitudinal datasets, eliminating silos for risk modeling, fraud detection, and ML recommendations.
  • Migrated petabyte-scale infrastructure to GCP (BigQuery/Dataproc) Enterprise Data Lake, enabling consolidated access for downstream teams reducing costs approx. $4M+ annually.
  • Built high-concurrency microservices with connection pooling to track table refresh states across Oracle and BigQuery, maintaining 100% data integrity across distributed pipelines.
04

Projects

Dynamic Beta Hedging & Replication Model

Python • Optimization

Developed Mean-Variance Optimization framework with Two-Fund Separation Theorem to construct minimum-variance synthetic hedge baskets, isolating idiosyncratic risk from concentrated equity positions. Implemented closed-form Lagrangian solver for efficient frontier computation. Achieved beta neutrality with 30–40% volatility reduction relative to unhedged position.

Derivative Pricing Engine

C++ • Monte Carlo • PDE

Implemented Black-Scholes, Heston, and SABR models in C++ using Monte Carlo, PDE (Crank-Nicolson), and binomial/trinomial tree solvers for equity options. Applied Factory and Strategy design patterns for extensible Greeks computation (Delta, Gamma, Vega) across pricing methods.

Indicator-Driven Trading Strategies with ML

Python • Random Forest

Engineered MACD-RSI rule-based strategy and Random Forest classifier on technical features (EMA, RSI, PPO, MACD, CMO) to forecast price direction. Optimized entry/exit via out-of-sample Sharpe ratio and momentum thresholds (δ = 2–15%) across 10 large-cap stocks.

05

Achievements

🏆

Vanguard ETF Portfolio Challenge

Ranked 6th out of 150+ teams with Sharpe ratio of 2.74 over 12-week period

2025
🥇

DataByte Competition

Ranked 1st in Data Science Club NIT Trichy competition — multiclass classification using CNN ensemble

2021
07

Notes & Blog

Thoughts on cool things.

Comprehensive Guide
System Design

Inference Pipelines: A Structured Reference

A definitive breakdown of the hardware bottlenecks, memory architectures, and framework optimizations required to scale machine learning to millions of users.

Volatility Modeling

Understanding Regime-Switching Volatility Models

Exploring Hidden Markov Models for volatility regime detection and their applications in adaptive trading strategies. We examine transition probabilities, state persistence, and real-world implementation challenges.

Risk Management

CVaR vs VaR: Beyond Traditional Risk Metrics

Why Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR) provides superior tail risk measurement compared to VaR. Practical implementation for portfolio optimization and position sizing.

Market Microstructure

Jump Detection in High-Frequency Data

Implementing Lee-Mykland jump detection methodology. How to distinguish between continuous price diffusion and discontinuous jumps in tick data.

Portfolio Theory

Black-Litterman Model: Theory to Practice

Complete walkthrough of the Black-Litterman model for portfolio optimization. Incorporating investor views with market equilibrium returns.

Machine Learning

Feature Engineering for Financial Time Series

Beyond technical indicators: creating predictive features from price data, volume patterns, and order book dynamics for ML models.

Execution

Optimal VWAP Execution Strategies

Mathematical framework for Volume-Weighted Average Price execution. Balancing market impact, timing risk, and implementation shortfall.

06

Reading List

Books that shaped my understanding of quantitative finance, trading, and systematic strategies.

Advances in Financial Machine Learning

Marcos López de Prado

Essential framework for ML in finance — fractional differentiation, meta-labeling, and bet sizing strategies.

Algorithmic Trading & DMA

Barry Johnson

Comprehensive guide to market microstructure, execution algorithms, and direct market access.

Active Portfolio Management

Grinold & Kahn

The bible of quantitative portfolio management — information ratio, transfer coefficient, and alpha forecasting.

Dynamic Hedging

Nassim Taleb

Deep dive into options, volatility trading, and risk management from a practitioner's perspective.

Inside the Black Box

Rishi Narang

Demystifying quantitative and algorithmic trading strategies — from alpha generation to execution.

Stochastic Calculus for Finance II

Steven Shreve

Rigorous foundation in continuous-time models, Brownian motion, and derivatives pricing theory.

Quantitative Trading

Ernest Chan

Practical strategies for algorithmic trading — mean reversion, momentum, and statistical arbitrage.

Market Microstructure in Practice

Lehalle & Laruelle

Modern perspective on limit order books, optimal execution, and high-frequency market making.

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