#14: ex-Citadel Quant: The Exact Blueprint To Make $750,000/Year! (in 2026)

Nov 27, 2025

In this discussion, Kevin Zhu, a former quant at Citadel and a developer at Palantir, reveals his unconventional journey into tech. He shares how he overcame early struggles with innovative study methods and landed internships at top firms. Kevin dives into life at Citadel, revealing the intense work culture and contrasts it with his pivot to meaningful AI research at Algoverse, a mentorship program he founded. He also weighs the value of quant roles against personal fulfillment and warns about the imminent challenges of AI in society.

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ADVICE

Use Time Blocking And Deep Work

Use time blocking and calendar management to force structure and beat procrastination.
Pair time blocking with deep work (no phone, single-tasking) to drastically improve study outcomes.

INSIGHT

The Winner Effect In Learning

A single success (CS70 breakthrough) triggered a 'winner effect' that boosted Kevin's confidence and effort across CS courses.
That early positive feedback loop made later competitive recruiting feasible.

ANECDOTE

How Citadel Hired Him

Citadel reached out to Kevin and he completed many interviews across SWE, trading, and quant research, including a final behavioral round with a team lead.
Ken Griffin personally reviewed new candidates, and Kevin's research background helped secure an offer.

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Today I sit down with Kevin Zhu — former Citadel quant and Palantir developer, to unpack how he built an unconventional, accelerated career in tech. We break down the systems he used to go from a struggling freshman to landing top-tier quant offers, what Citadel was actually like, why he walked away, and how he’s now pivoting toward meaningful AI research.

We also dive into whether CS is still worth it, the real math needed for quant roles, and how to build a career that’s both competitive and fulfilling. A must-listen for CS students, aspiring quants, and anyone navigating elite tech recruiting.

Computer science students, new grads, and software engineers…want to land your dream software engineering job or internship? Click here 👉 https://www.amanmanazir.com/coaching/?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcasts_description&utm_campaign=KevinZhu_Quant_Palantir&video=Trop--U5ncs

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I’m Aman Manazir, a career coach and software engineer. I interned at companies like Amazon, Shopify, and HP in college, and the day I graduated I landed a $168,000/year* full-time software engineering job. I help you make it as a computer science student & software engineer and get your dream job offer.

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👉 Kevin’s AI Research Program (Algoverse): https://www.algoverseairesearch.org/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=amanmanazir%0A
👉 Kevin’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW00d0U-WhIbyPDdu_gihCA
👉 Kevin’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinzhu.ai/

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⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction - Kevin's Journey to Citadel
01:44 Mastering High School Math at Age 12
05:01 The Kumon Experience and Future Plans
08:27 Growing Up in Suburban Illinois Schools
10:06 Parents as Professors - Early Lab Experience
12:05 Childhood Research and Lasting Friendships
14:09 Arriving at Berkeley - Culture Shock
18:23 First Semester Struggles and Winter Recovery
20:38 Building Study Systems That Actually Work
22:00 Self-Help Books and Productivity Deep Dive
25:00 Time Blocking Changed Everything
27:00 CS70 Discrete Math Breakthrough Moment
29:36 Breaking Into Competitive Tech Recruiting
31:27 The Startup to Amazon Pipeline
33:29 Landing Multiple Quant Offers
36:26 Goldman Sachs Quant Experience
38:48 Software Engineering Accelerator
42:38 Citadel Interview Process Deep Dive
45:00 Super Day - Multiple Interview Rounds
47:20 DRW Offer and Negotiation Strategy
49:29 $154/Hour at Age 21
50:42 Jane Street and Top Firms
52:40 Ken Griffin Stories and Headphones
54:15 Joining Palantir After Citadel
55:27 Why I Left Palantir Early
57:13 Leaving Quant Entirely - The Decision
59:47 Money Isn't Everything - Finding Meaning
1:02:40 Starting Algorverse AI Research Program
1:05:00 Paper Featured by OpenAI
1:06:20 Bell Labs for AI - The Vision
1:07:15 Mentorship vs Self-Teaching Debate
1:10:00 Math Requirements for Quant Careers
1:15:00 Upper Division Classes Strategy
1:19:06 AGI Timelines and AI Safety
1:23:40 Functioning Despite AI Concerns
1:26:59 Is CS Still Worth It?
1:28:54 The Future of Software Engineering