MIO performs asset class-specific and cross-asset class market research as well as macroeconomic research as part of its process for assessing investment opportunities, and for deciding how to manage our portfolios’ exposures. This includes monitoring economic conditions around the world and understanding how they compare with history, understanding historical asset returns and monitoring current asset pricing, and quantifying relationships between economic conditions and market performance. The asset classes we cover include equities, fixed income, credit, commodities, FX, among others.

Our Quantitative Research Analyst program is designed for those who have an aspiration to pursue an investment management career at MIO. This position will not be a good fit (professionally or financially) if you are not willing to commit for at least 3-5 years, or if you are not interested in quantitative modeling and financial markets. MIO has transitioned to a hybrid working arrangement. The new hire will be expected to report to our Midtown, New York offices 3 days/week. COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory for this position (subject to accommodation for health and religious reasons). 

The Quantitative Research Analyst will be responsible for supporting tasks related to creating new research and maintaining existing research. His or her principal duties will include:

• Understanding the quantitative research topic agenda, quickly gaining familiarity and starting to develop content-area expertise
• Working with a Portfolio Manager and/or Investment Research Manager in setting the conceptual and technical approaches, finding and selecting raw data inputs, producing the research outputs (for example, an ongoing dashboard monitoring a relationship, or a one-time white paper determining the nature of a relationship), and documenting the research methodology
• Ownership over existing body of research, thoroughly understanding the content, making substantial content improvements (i.e., insights, usability, visual quality), managing and improving the processes for keeping our research output updated (e.g., automating and systematizing the production of ongoing research). Wherever possible, integrating research so that insights from one research can be used to improve other research, or insights can be combined to produce new insights
• Actively assist in systematizing MIO’s quantitative research, including standardizing research production and developing/managing a portion of MIO’s quantitative research database (including metadata maintenance and streamlining), at times working closely with Investment IT team. Optimizing macroeconomic and financial data sourcing across the organization
• Potentially supporting Portfolio Managers and/or Investment Research Managers in implementing and monitoring trades in order to provide perspective on and validation of their strategies hypotheses

The most important qualities for the Quantitative Research Analyst will be their strong analytical thinking abilities and their tangible skillset, such as programming and data analytics. However, their desire to produce high-quality output, openness to new ideas, and their affinity for a values-oriented (rather than profit-driven) environment, in which the best interests of our investors are placed above personal objectives, are also paramount to success in the position.

The Quantitative Research Analyst will need to be comfortable manipulating large datasets and then drawing intuitive conclusions from them. They must be able to present findings graphically and intuitively to a non-technical audience. Strong communication skills are critical. A focus on drawing practical conclusions will be more important than theoretical rigor.

Prior knowledge and experience with financial markets and/or macroeconomic concepts, terminology and data would be helpful in enabling the candidate to quickly come up to speed on our existing research, and to be more immediately productive in creating new research.

The candidate’s background will ideally include:

• 0-1.5 years of professional work experience strongly preferred, not required
• A master’s degree with a record of outstanding academic achievement (required)
• Coursework in financial engineering, business, and economics is highly desirable (and may be required for certain roles); graduate coursework in statistics and/or econometrics
• Comfortable and proficient with a programming language (e.g., Python, C++); highly proficient in Excel and VBA; proficiency in MatLab, R, and/or Tableau (or any other data visualization packages) is helpful although not required
• Working knowledge of Bloomberg; knowledge of other industry-standard macroeconomic and financial market data sources (e.g., IHS Global Insights, Markit, Haver, Thomson Reuters Datastream, S&P Capital IQ, Moody’s Economy.com)

In addition, a successful candidate will possess the following personal attributes:

• Attention to detail; a strong dedication to producing error-free work
• Strong, naturally curious, problem-solver (e.g., issue identification, structuring)
• Strong mathematical, analytical, and quantitative skills
• Excellent communication skills; ability to communicate complex concepts in simple terms and to link quantitative insight with business logic and intuition
• Team player who places the best interests of the firm above personal objectives
• Integrity; strong personal values; work ethic; maturity
• Desire to work in a values-oriented environment rather than a profit-driven environment