Quant Researcher

About this role

Job Purpose/Background:

BlackRock’s Index Fixed Income (IFI) business is the leading index investment group in the world, with responsibility for managing the firm’s Index Fixed Income portfolios, including Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), mutual funds, and segregated mandates. The IFI team builds and utilizes the industry’s leading suite of index investment tools to manage $1.5 trillion in global index fixed income assets across Developed and Emerging Markets. Our clients include corporate and public pension plans, central banks, sovereign wealth funds and retail investors.

The IFI Research team is a newly formed global unit, following a decision by BlackRock Global Markets (BGM) to invest in this capability. Partnering with colleagues across BGM, the team will work with IFI portfolio management, technology, and product teams globally to build proprietary quantitative research capabilities that will help our index platform deliver better investment outcomes for clients and capture future growth opportunities.

A successful candidate will be familiar with constituent-level FI fund/benchmark data and have strong technology and quantitative research skills (e.g. signal construction and back testing). They will be a self-starter who excels at conducting high-quality empirical research, whilst also collaborating within a global team. They will also possess sound written and verbal communication skills and be able to discuss projects with both experts and non-experts alike.

Key Responsibilities:

• Partnering globally with other researchers, IFI PM, PM Architecture, Technology and Product Strategy teams to research and develop solutions for concrete index portfolio management problems
• Creating, testing and enhancing quant drivers, FI index metrics, optimizers, simulators and ML techniques
• Helping drive a full research process: idea generation, data collection, modelling, portfolio/product implementation and articulation of strategies to key stakeholders
• Helping drive modern research data and research technology solutions
• Collaborating with technology teams to help develop research databases and back testing frameworks
• Leveraging, as well as contributing to, broader research initiatives across BlackRock
• Developing and maintaining strong relationships with cutting-edge researchers in both the professional and academic communities to fuel their research
• Index advocacy – contributing to IFI’s efforts to work with external index providers to help modernize FI indices

Knowledge/Experience:

• Quantitative investing or similar quantitative finance role
• 4-6 years of relevant experience in the industry
• Developing systematic signals/insights/analytics from constituent-level (bond) index or (bond) ETF data
• Conducting high-quality quant research with large complex datasets, and using optimizers
• Presenting research methodology and output to stakeholders

Skills/Qualifications:

• Master’s or Ph.D. in a quantitative discipline: e.g., economics, finance, statistics, engineering
• Strong programming skills in Python, SQL, R, MATLAB, or similar languages
• Ability to interface with large databases and manipulate/link large research datasets
• Ability to formulate and conduct detailed empirical studies and communicate complex ideas
• A genuine interest in, and strong knowledge of, fixed income markets, instruments, data and analytics
• Knowledge of BlackRock Aladdin data and tools beneficial

Competencies:

• Ability to work cooperatively and effectively across a global team with diverse skillsets
• Outstanding professional and academic achievement
• Strong work ethic, detail-oriented, and well-organized
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Excellent problem-solving skills and process-oriented approach

Our benefits

To help you stay energized, engaged and inspired, we offer a wide range of benefits including a strong retirement plan, tuition reimbursement, comprehensive healthcare, support for working parents and Flexible Time Off (FTO) so you can relax, recharge and be there for the people you care about.

Our hybrid work model

BlackRock’s hybrid work model is designed to enable a culture of collaboration and apprenticeship that enriches the experience of our employees, while supporting flexibility for all. Employees are currently required to work at least 4 days in the office per week, with the flexibility to work from home 1 day a week. Some business groups may require more time in the office due to their roles and responsibilities. We remain focused on increasing the impactful moments that arise when we work together in person – aligned with our commitment to performance and innovation. As a new joiner, you can count on this hybrid model to accelerate your learning and onboarding experience here at BlackRock.

About BlackRock

At BlackRock, we are all connected by one mission: to help more and more people experience financial well-being.  Our clients, and the people they serve, are saving for retirement, paying for their children’s educations, buying homes and starting businesses. Their investments also help to strengthen the global economy: support businesses small and large; finance infrastructure projects that connect and power cities; and facilitate innovations that drive progress.

This mission would not be possible without our smartest investment – the one we make in our employees. It’s why we’re dedicated to creating an environment where our colleagues feel welcomed, valued and supported with networks, benefits and development opportunities to help them thrive.

For additional information on BlackRock, please visit @blackrock | Twitter: @blackrock | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock

BlackRock is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to age, disability, family status, gender identity, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and other protected attributes at law.