Quantitative Research Manager
The Group:
Morningstar’s Quantitative Research Group creates independent investment research and data-driven analytics designed to help investors and Morningstar achieve better outcomes by making better decisions. We utilize statistical rigor and large data sets to inform the methodologies we develop. Our research encompasses hundreds of thousands of securities within a large breadth of asset classes including equities, fixed income, structured credit, and funds. Morningstar is one of the largest independent sources of fund, equity, and credit data and research in the world, and our advocacy for investors’ interests is the foundation of our company.
The Role:
As an Quantitative Research Manager, you will lead multiple high-profile investment research projects across a variety of domains – including but not limited to managed products, equities, fixed-income. You will be expected to keep pace with trends in financial research and data science industries.
As a manager and mentor, you will be expected to adopt an "iron sharpens iron" attitude where the focus is on making everyone better. Not focusing on your colleagues shortcomings but recognizing their strengths. Respect is foundational. We want to pull people up and not push them down.
A successful candidate will have impeccable interpersonal and communications skills, a solid quantitative mindset, a strong understanding of finance, and a deep knowledge of the global investing landscape though with an emphasis on the US market.
This position is based in our Chicago office.
Responsibilities:
• People Management – you will manage a team of researchers and software engineers. Mentoring the people below you by developing their skills and positioning them for success is critical.
• Conduct R&D efforts across a variety of domains – including but not limited to managed products, fixed income, equities, and portfolios.
• Keep pace with trends in financial industry, as well as Data Science and Financial Research industries. Can apply data science techniques to relevant and meaningful financial industry client needs. When making decisions, considers the impact a solution will have on both a global and local level.
• Project Management – utilize and advocate for Agile project management practices to track projects, coordinate with internal groups, and resolve conflicts.
Requirements:
• A bachelor’s degree in quantitative or financial discipline (Masters or higher is desirable)
• Minimum 5 years of experience in software engineering or finance
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Proficient in at least one statistical modeling language (R or Python)
• Proficient with SQL
• Proficient with Agile software engineering practices
• Experience with Morningstar’s mutual fund, fixed income, and equity databases
• Ability to stay organized and to quickly and efficiently handle multiple projects at the same time is crucial in this role
• Intellectual curiosity for the world of quantitative research Ability to create and promote a culture of technology excellence and innovation.
• Experience with Python, AWS and various data storage, big data technology and streaming data processing.
• Creative thinker with the ability to solve problems.