SEO Career Mentor, Quant/Software Engineering 

Title: SEO Career Mentor, Quant/Software Engineering  

Department: SEO Career   

Reports to: SEO Career Program Track Associate Directors   

Employment Type: Independent Contractor (1099)  

Rate: $30.00 per hour    

LOCATION/HOURS:
This is a part-time, remote position. It is expected that position duties will be performed remotely. Access to our office location and event attendance is optional.  

• This position requires a commitment of at least 5-10 hours/week and weekend and evening availability. Weekend and evening availability is required to support program participants who are full-time students or pursuing internships.    
• Contracts will be renewed every 6- 12 months.

ABOUT SEO    
For more than 60 years, SEO has created a more equitable society by closing the educational and career opportunity gap for ambitious young people.   

ABOUT SEO CAREER

SEO Career is the nation’s premier professional development program providing undergrads with pre-internship development, training, and internship support across multiple lines of business. SEO Career currently partners with over 200 organizations offering summer internships and has a 40+ year track record of matching talent with opportunity. SEO Career accomplishes this through two stages of its program: SEO Edge and SEO Career Success.   

Participants receive the coaching and technical training needed to compete for paid internship opportunities with SEO partner organizations with the goal of landing a full-time job offer at the conclusion of the internship. SEO Career launched in 1980 and has over 10,000 alumni to date.      

POSITION OVERVIEW    

SEO Career Mentors leverage experience in their industry to support our participants. Mentors may be asked to support either Edge, Success, and/or Hire based on skillset and availability.   

• Phase 1: Edge - preparation for the internship interview process including technical assessments and coding interviews.
• Phase 2: Success - supporting a cohort of interns to prepare for and succeed in their internship, as well as during the post-internship offer process 
• SEO Hire - supporting graduating seniors (with no offers) or recent alumni (with 1-2 years’ work experience) through interview process  

Mentors are assigned a cohort of participants within our Finance, Corporate Services, Technology (FCT Tracks)   

Learn more about SEO Career program tracks and roles here.   

RESPONSIBILITIES      

• Establish successful relationships with undergraduates to advise, support, and motivate them in the pursuit of their career goals     
• For Edge, conduct practice interviews and provide feedback to those pursuing internship opportunities in Software Engineering, Data Science, Quantitative Analytics, Quantitative Trading or related fields   
• For Success, support a cohort of interns as they complete pre-internship coursework and activities in Software Engineering, Data Science, Quantitative Analytics, Quantitative Trading or related internship roles
• For Success, provide coaching and mentoring advice to a cohort of interns through the internship experience and as they navigate the post-internship offer process    
• For SEO Hire, conduct practice interviews with candidates    
• Document and provide detailed inputs regarding participant interactions regularly and promptly in SEO’s systems    
• Participate in and provide content for SEO’s training curriculum (e.g., hosting informational webinars about your career journey and relevant technical, industry, or market topics; panel discussions, technical skill-building workshops, identifying relevant content/speakers, etc.)    
• Attend scheduled specialist meetings    

QUALIFICATIONS     

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree    
• At least two (2) years of work experience in a related role, specifically within the financial services industry    
• Experience in coaching and development of students, peers, or professionals is highly desirable   
• Experience conducting or leading technical interviews for software engineering, data, quantitative, or trading roles (live coding, technical screens, and assessments)
• Strong proficiency in multiple programming languages, including Python, Java, C/C++, JavaScript, and SQL with hands-on experience in:
• Data structures and algorithms
• Object-oriented programming and scripting
• Debugging, testing, and version control (Git/GitHub)
• Familiarity with technical interview formats, including:
  • Online assessments (HackerRank, CodeSignal, LeetCode-style problems)
  • Brain teasers, logic problems, and quantitative reasoning
  • Behavioral and technical case-style interviews
  • Available to work evenings and/or weekends, as well as a level of professionalism to follow through on scheduled meetings and events  

COMPETENCIES/ SKILLS    

• Demonstrated understanding and experience of their employment and market outlook, and other important factors that impact selection and success.   
• Comfortable teaching and reinforcing core technical concepts.
• Working knowledge of the barriers to entry and opportunity for early career professionals in corporate America.  
• Adept at building rapport and trust with students in a manner that is engaging and beneficial.   
• Must be able to communicate in a professional, meaningful, and supportive manner with college students and SEO colleagues.   
• Seen as a trusted and reliable source of information while being able to influence and motivate program participants to meet stated objectives.   
• Ability to work evenings and/or weekends.  

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS     

This position is benefits ineligible in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations.  

The compensation listed in this posting reflects what SEO believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and SEO reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time.  

EEOC Policy    

At SEO we are committed to cultivating a team that embodies the backgrounds and experiences of the constituencies we serve and the communities we live in, and a workplace that reflects the impact we make in the world. Candidates from all communities – including people of color, women, members of the LGBTQIA+ Community, veterans, and people with disabilities – are strongly encouraged to apply.  

Equal Employment Opportunity is not just the law, it is our commitment.  

Sponsors for Educational Opportunity is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer – M/F/D/V. We will consider all qualified applicants for employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information or characteristics, or any other legally protected status.  

If you need accommodation while applying for a role with SEO, due to a disability, please email SEO Talent.  

THE ORGANIZATION  

Established in 1963 by Michael Osheowitz, SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity) is an educational non-profit founded on the belief that talent is everywhere; but opportunity is not. Our programs are designed to educate, train, mentor, and amplify the voices of our participants to give them a seat at the table – every table. We propel human potential.  

SEO is an innovator in education, mentorship, and creating educational career opportunities that maximize the full potential of our participants. Each year SEO serves 7,000+ participants nationally, and the organization is widely recognized for developing best-in-class programs with exceptional results.  

Not every SEO participant is on the same journey, but all are hungry for opportunity and SEO creates an ecosystem of excellence. Learn more about SEO's programs here: https://www.seo-usa.org/our-programs/.