The Group

Morningstar’s Research group provides independent analysis on individual securities, managed investments, portfolios, and markets. The group also collects and maintains high-quality data on the equities, managed investments, and fixed-income investments we cover in our database, one of the largest investment databases in the world. Morningstar is one of the largest independent sources of manager, equity, and credit research in the world. We transform data into insights that investors can use to reach their financial goals. 
  
The Role

This role is an ideal position for someone looking to drive innovation and quality in Managed Investment Data. The Data Content Researcher is an action-oriented individual, motivated by high goals and possessing an entrepreneurial mindset. The Data Content Researcher will develop and provide deep subject matter expertise in Morningstar’s data sets, universes, and methodologies, with an emphasis on institutional investments including, but not limited to, models, separate accounts, and collective investment trusts. Those vehicles span single asset class and multi-asset investment strategies and may own individual equities, fixed income securities, mutual funds, exchange-traded products and other underlying investments.

As a Data Content Researcher, you will collaborate with teams across the company to define and execute upon Morningstar’s unique value proposition in response to industry trends. You will collaborate with data consultants, technology squads, product managers, research analysts, client solutions leaders, and clients to continually expand our data expertise, data offerings, and our processes.

The Data Content Researcher will research and help develop new data opportunities, including collected data, proprietary calculations, and Morningstar ratings. You will also help ensure that the data points are being leveraged globally, consistently, and in a way that supports actionable decision-making by investors across Morningstar products. The Data Content Researcher will play a key role in the support and training of our global Managed Investment Data team, Research, Sales, Solutions and Product teams. This role is based in Chicago. 

Responsibilities

• Oversee multiple projects concurrently. Proactively drive new business initiatives through research, documentation, implementation, and communication of new data and methodologies. 

• Engage with research analysts, clients, and industry bodies to proactively research and recommend content related enhancements and improvements. 

• Serve as a subject matter expert on institutional investment vehicles, internally and externally with clients, including in-depth knowledge of the utilization of institutional investments and the use cases associated with them. Be the voice of Morningstar Data on industry trends.

• Work with local Data Consultants and relevant regional teams to balance global standards with regional needs. 

• Provide a vital junction between Research, Data, Solutions, & Product teams across regions to ensure successful design and implementation of complex projects. 

• Foster a team dynamic that is motivated to improve the customer experience. 

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree

• Experience working across stakeholder groups such as Research, Technology, Sales, Client Service, and Product, ideally with all levels of management across the organization

• Experience working with single asset class portfolios, multi-asset portfolios, or fund-of-fund portfolios

• Experience working directly with asset managers or third-party data vendors 

• Ability to work periodically with offshore development teams during off-hours

• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality regarding new IP with external parties 

Nice to Have:

• Experience utilizing LEAN, Six Sigma, or Agile methodologies in a project management or data operations setting

• Experience with SQL, Python, or other basic programming skills

• Demonstrated evidence of a self-directed or entrepreneurial mindset

• Experience working with Morningstar’s internal database tools and data collection processes, including DataManager, XOI, and RDB

001_MstarInc Morningstar Inc. Legal Entity