David Bookstaber

610-240-0332
david@bookstaber.com
978 Heatherstone Drive
Berwyn, PA 19312

Work Experience

AQR Capital — Associate
2011-
  • Quantitative analyst with reinsurance group.

Magnetar Capital — Quant Analyst
2007-2010
  • Built realtime risk and performance monitors for an ultra-high-frequency stock trading system. Coupled production systems with massive historical databases to support a full research and implementation cycle, which ranged from historical identification of alpha sources ("edge") through decomposition of production slippage.
  • Designed a generalized research and development system for comprehensive alpha analysis, backtesting, and implementation of low-frequency quantitative strategies.
  • Completed detailed analysis of the characteristics of exchange-traded and closed-end funds for arbitrage.
  • Worked closely with theorists on the reinsurance business, including Bob Jarrow, to build and run an insurance-like strategy trading commodity futures and options.

Morgan Stanley — FrontPoint Quantitative Fund Portfolio Manager
2005-2007
Co-manager of an international quantitative market-neutral equity hedge fund.
  • Built an MS SQL database-backed production system in .NET that maintained $400MM in North American, Japanese, and European stocks based on quantitative signals combined with proprietary optimization and risk-control algorithms. Integrated our system with FrontPoint’s trading and order management systems.
  • Developed realtime trading components integrating FIX messaging for automated algorithmic execution, as well as realtime data scrapers for accessing and parsing news and SEC filings.
  • Created and used quantitative research platform to evaluate and test myriad data sources, models, and strategies.

Scribe Reports — Partner
2003-2005
Led remote development team from concept through release of online performance attribution and risk analysis reports for hedge funds. Coded core analytics in C++. Tested and refined web interface. Wrote technical specifications for Java middleware to bridge Linux-based database, web, and production server components.

United States Air Force — Captain
Electronic Systems Center — Scientist, Hanscom AFB
2002-2003
Led modeling and simulation teams in Air Force strategy and system analysis group.

Electronic Systems Center — Program Manager, Hanscom AFB
2000-2002
Security Lead for the Air Force Global Command & Control System. Officer in charge of security testing and certification of C2 systems. Engineered secure-network architectures and operating procedures that saved money and increased capacity. Authored security documentation and policy. Led proposal, source selection, and administration of software development contract.

15th Operations Support Squadron — Assistant Chief, Weather Ops, Hickam AFB
1999-2000
Managed team of forecasters. Troubleshot and upgraded forecasting equipment. Automated weather forecasting tasks and training, resulting in streamlined operations and record inspection scores for the flight. Supervisor of showcase Base Operations facility. Served as Investigating Officer for the Wing Inspector General.


Statistical Arbitrage Trading System — Sole Developer (part-time)
1999-2002
Coded, tested, refined, marketed, and implemented a stat-arb strategy to hedge daily trades in equities. Sourced and integrated market data feeds. Developed automated trading interface with money management firm. Operated system and created daily risk-management and performance reports.

Microsoft — Intern Program Manager, Redmond, Washington
Summer 1998
Performed product management, testing, and troubleshooting for the SQL On-Line Analytical Processing group.

Goldman Sachs — Intern Analyst, New York City
Summer 1997
Organized internal recruiting and training for Fixed Income, Currency & Commodities Division.

Education

Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
B.S. in Computer Science and Mathematics, May 1999, Magna Cum Laude, with Distinction. GPA: 3.8
Air Force ROTC Scholarship. Scholarship from Department of Education’s Science Academy. Tau Beta Pi. Elizabethan Club.


Loomis Chaffee School, Windsor, Connecticut.
Diploma 1993, Cum Laude. 3-year Varsity Riflery. Eagle Scout.


Other

Served on the Tredyffrin Township Budget Advisory Working Group: A team of seven volunteer experts enlisted to find solutions to the municipality’s $2.7MM structural deficit. Over the course of six months in 2009 we performed a complete study of the township's services and operations. Our 70-page final report identified over $4MM in potential budget savings as well as almost $2MM in non-tax revenue enhancements and numerous zero-cost methods of improving township services.


Proficient in Spanish. Essays published in the Washington Times, Armed Forces Journal International, Army Times, et. al.

Pastimes