Menu

Marketside chats #3: More options for non-dummies

December 19, 2013

This article will: show you how to convert stock volatilities to something intuitive explain in basic terms the fancy concept of convexity Please read Marketside chats #2: Options for non-dummies first for some of the other terminology.   Implied volatility (IV, a.k.a. vol) The implied volatility of a stock (or index) is the standard deviation of its expected future… Read more

Configuration… Hardcode it!

November 21, 2013

If you’ve read other Wealthfront engineering blog posts (Continuous Deployment: API Compatibility Verification, Move cash faster, Pushing a Feature On My First Day), you’re aware that continous integration and deployment forms the core of our development process. Many consequences of a continuous integration and deployment process such as ours are obvious – high confidence test… Read more

How To Find a Great Engineering Culture

November 19, 2013

Earlier this year I decided to return to startups after five amazing years at LinkedIn. Finding a company with an engineering-driven culture was one of my highest priorities. My challenge was developing a framework to determine if a prospective employer had what I was looking for. Over the years I have observed that successful company… Read more

DevOps at Wealthfront

November 12, 2013

A DevOps engineer starting a new position fully expects to be handed over keys to a custom model helicopter (aka company’s infrastructure) and encouraged to take a daring flight on day one. No two helicopters are quite the same, and flying a different model is not quite as intuitive as riding a new custom bike…. Read more

Worlds Collide

November 08, 2013

Before I ever became interested in finance or big data, I was working on software for real-time, concurrent embedded systems. I was the main contributor for the Soft Walls project, a 9/11-inspired project where we were designing aircraft control algorithms to prevent pilots from entering no-fly zones. I was later a contributor to the Ptolemy… Read more

Two Hour Change Leads to Three More Years.

October 31, 2013

A short time ago I was applying for jobs at a select few software companies. As an applicant, I tried to determine which company would not only allow for internal improvement in coding and self, but also an environment which I could actively influence. Many might find it appealing enough to fit inside of a… Read more