Equity Research Science Associate

Do you want to understand what drives the value of stocks? Do you enjoy using empirical methods to extract information from hundreds, or thousands, of datapoints? When your research ideas run up against data limitations, do you welcome the challenge? Do you enjoy staking out a position on what is about to happen, communicating your reasoning to skeptical audiences, and then finding out if you turned out to be right or wrong? Are you excited by the prospect of working in dynamic and diverse teams with a broad range of skillsets? Does your head turn if someone asks, "Now how might we take this hypothesis to data?" Does research sound more fun for you when there is money on the line?
If this describes you, let’s discuss an opportunity to begin a career in the world of sell-side equity research:
• learn to build and maintain financial models on Excel
• test hypotheses about companies and their suppliers, customers, and competitors
• apply hypothesis-driven empirical research methods to evaluate historical information and make projections
• communicate investment recommendations succinctly, both verbally and in writing
• educate colleagues about replicable statistical computing workflows and habits
• work under tight deadlines, keep up with rapid changes in market developments, and contribute to informed views about investment strategies

Your team

You will be part of a small equity research team tasked with expressing an informed view on the value of 5-30 companies in a particular sector. Your team operates within the global research department of a large, globally distributed investment bank. This department serves the needs of clients who are professional investors, by helping them identify and access investments that match their objectives. As an equity research associate with deep expertise in the empirical social sciences, you will have skills that are non-traditional in this environment. You will be a pioneer, helping to establish the next frontier of sell-side equity research.

Your expertise

• Post-graduate degree in an empirical social science like economics, sociology, political science, demography, population health, public policy, education, or related field.
• Ideally >2 years’ experience in designing and executing hypothesis-driven empirical research projects. For PhD applicants, research experience gained while earning a degree counts.
• Demonstrated track record of turning over projects under tight external deadlines (on the order of hours, not days).
• Significant experience or formal training in statistical computing. Using Python as the primary coding language would be a major plus.
• Experience in using Microsoft Excel would be a plus
• Finance industry-related certifications (such as CFA Level 1) would be a major plus.

About us

UBS is the world’s largest and the only truly global wealth manager. We operate through four business divisions: Global Wealth Management, Personal & Corporate Banking, Asset Management and the Investment Bank. Our global reach and the breadth of our expertise set us apart from our competitors..

We have a presence in all major financial centers in more than 50 countries.

Join us

At UBS, we know that it's our people, with their diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds, who drive our ongoing success. We’re dedicated to our craft and passionate about putting our people first, with new challenges, a supportive team, opportunities to grow and flexible working options when possible. Our inclusive culture brings out the best in our employees, wherever they are on their career journey. We also recognize that great work is never done alone. That’s why collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. Because together, we’re more than ourselves.

We’re committed to disability inclusion and if you need reasonable accommodation/adjustments throughout our recruitment process, you can always contact us.

Disclaimer / Policy statements

UBS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We respect and seek to empower each individual and support the diverse cultures, perspectives, skills and experiences within our workforce.