ESILV graduate Victoria Gauthier now works on Société Générale’s USD Rates Sales desk in New York. During Coffee Break #17, hosted by Alexis Planque, International Campus Manager at Société Générale, she reflected on the engineering education, international experience and technical skills that shaped her career in global financial markets.
Engineering graduates are increasingly contributing to financial institutions where artificial intelligence, data analysis and quantitative methods support decision-making and trading activities. Victoria Gauthier’s career demonstrates how an engineering education can lead to front-office positions that merge technology and finance.
ESILV’s Data Engineering & AI education is built for data-driven industries
Victoria Gauthier graduated from ESILV’s Master’s Degree in Engineering, specialising in Data Engineering & Artificial Intelligence. The major prepares engineers to manage the full data lifecycle, from collection and modelling to storage, analysis and interpretation, while developing expertise in artificial intelligence and big data technologies.
Designed for sectors where data has become a strategic asset, the programme equips future engineers to contribute to AI-driven projects across finance, industry, healthcare and digital services.
The major is taught by faculty members who conduct research in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and big data and participate in collaborative innovation projects with leading companies. This close connection between research and industry enables students to work with technologies and methodologies aligned with evolving market needs.
Victoria also completed an academic exchange at Hanyang University in Seoul, one of South Korea’s leading engineering universities, adding an international dimension to her engineering education.
International internships across engineering and finance
Throughout her studies, Victoria built professional experience through internships in several countries, gradually expanding her technical expertise.
She first joined Structured Products Experts in Germany, where she contributed to cybersecurity engineering projects. She then moved to New York to work at Murex as a Front-Office Software Engineer, developing software solutions supporting equity trading activities.
Her final internship was at Société Générale in New York as a Front-Office Quantitative Developer, where she worked on quantitative tools that supported front-office activities in equities and commodities.
These international experiences illustrate how internships complement the engineering curriculum by exposing students to different technologies, industries and professional environments.
From Quant Developer to Rates Sales at Société Générale
After graduating from ESILV, Victoria joined Société Générale full-time in New York as a Rates Sales professional on the USD Rates Sales desk.
She now works with institutional investors, including hedge funds and pension funds across the United States and Canada. Her role consists of serving as the interface between clients and the rates market, coordinating execution with trading desks, and monitoring market activity throughout the day.
“I work on the trading floor at Société Générale in New York as a Salesperson on the USD Rates Sales desk. I act as the interface between our institutional clients and the rates market.”
The position combines financial markets, client relationships and quantitative understanding in a highly dynamic environment.
Applying engineering skills in fast-moving financial markets
Interest rate markets react continuously to macroeconomic indicators, central bank decisions and geopolitical developments. On a trading floor, decisions often need to be made within seconds.
Victoria explains that working in this environment has strengthened several skills developed during her engineering education.
“You manage multiple trades simultaneously and react in real time, constantly adjusting to market movements. In fast-moving, highly liquid markets, thirty seconds is enough for a price to become obsolete.”
Among the competencies she highlights are analytical thinking, attention to detail, adaptability, speed of execution, multitasking and the ability to perform under pressure.
These skills complement the scientific and computational foundations developed through ESILV’s engineering programme and demonstrate how expertise in data engineering and artificial intelligence can be applied well beyond traditional engineering sectors.
Engineering careers at the intersection of technology and finance
Victoria’s professional journey reflects the growing demand for engineers who combine data science, software development and quantitative analysis with an understanding of financial markets.
As banks and financial institutions continue to expand their use of artificial intelligence, automation and advanced analytics, engineering graduates are contributing to a wide range of roles, from quantitative development and financial engineering to client-facing positions that require both technical expertise and market knowledge.
Interested in Data Engineering & Artificial Intelligence?
The Data Engineering & Artificial Intelligence major is part of the ESILV Engineering Programme.
It prepares future engineers to design and deploy data-driven solutions while developing expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data for industries ranging from finance and technology to healthcare and manufacturing.
Learn more about the programme and the opportunities it offers for international careers.
