Senior Associate, Global R&D

Job Description

The Team: The Global Research & Design team within S&P Dow Jones Indices consists of highly numerate, computer literate, thoughtful and curious individuals with a remarkable enthusiasm to learn and collaborate. The team is responsible for all elements of the design process underpinning new S&P index launches. The team are experts in portfolio construction techniques and financial theories and how to apply them into innovative index solutions to meet clients needs. The teams work includes background research, data gathering, client-engagement, back-testing and finalizing index methodologies. Index designs cover potentially all asset-classes, with product lines focusing on global equities, thematics, factors, dividends, multi-asset, fixed income and commodities. Environment, Social and Governance (ESG), climate and other sustainable investing objectives are often dominant themes. The Impact: The role involves direct engagement with clients on the design of new indices critical to supporting revenue growth for the business. An awareness of topical market trends and a desire to translate clients investment objectives into systematic, passive index strategies can have a direct impact on the success of the end products in the market. Particularly successful new index launches can have tens of billions of dollars in AUM linked to them. Whats in it for you: Gain exposure to alternative data sets, sophisticated portfolio construction techniques, and a broad range of quantitative methods in finance. Interact with a wide range of strategic global clients encompassing asset owners, asset managers, ETF providers, exchanges and investment banks. Assigned to global cross-functional teams offering opportunities to work closely with many divisions and people across the business. Opportunity to contribute to the construction of new R&D python-based platforms to help enable a more effective and efficient environment for the team. Responsibilities: Support in the research and design of new indices Understand and transform complex datasets Run historical time-series simulations (backtests) to evaluate new index concepts and their delivery of index objectives Prepare and update presentation slides for internal and external events Utilize programming skills in a proficient manner to ensure robust and efficient index design and support internal platforms Write finalized index methodology documents for external use What Were Looking For: Degree in computer science, math, engineering, economics, or finance strongly preferred. Knowledge of Python and/or similar strongly preferred. Commitment to studying the CFA Must be able to demonstrate excellent analytical and quantitative capabilities to solve original, non-routine problems in a timely and insightful manner Must be able to work independently and in collaboration with other team members multiple projects.