Equities & Digital Assets R&D Analyst, Index Design

CFA Institute; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

S&P Dow Jones Indices is seeking an Equities & Digital Assets R&D Analyst to support research, design and delivery of innovative index concepts within the Equities & Digital Assets value stream. You will translate client needs into systematic index ideas and work with cross-functional teams to ensure quality and governance.

The role requires strong numeracy, programming capability, and the ability to handle complex datasets, with potential involvement in research publications and

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of equity markets, portfolio construction, factor investing, financial theory and index design principles.
• Proficiency in Python or similar programming languages, with experience building repeatable analytics workflows.
• Excellent analytical and quantitative skills for solving non-routine problems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for internal and client-facing materials.
• Ability to work independently across multiple priorities with attention to detail and delivery mindset.

Responsibilities

• Support the research, design and analysis of new indices and related capabilities within the Equities & Digital Assets Index Design value stream.
• Translate investment objectives, product requirements and client needs into clear, testable index design concepts.
• Access, clean, transform and validate complex equity, market and reference datasets used in index research and back-testing.
• Develop and run backtests, sensitivity analyses and quantitative research to assess whether index concepts meet objectives.
• Apply programming skills to build robust, repeatable analytical workflows, tools and templates.
• Support methodology drafting, documentation, design reviews and governance processes for index approval and launch.
• Prepare analysis, charts, presentation materials and research content for internal stakeholders and client discussions and external thought leadership.

Skills

Equity markets understanding

Python programming

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Independent working

Education

Master's degree or quantitative discipline

CFA progress or charter desirable

Tools

Python

Job description

About the Role:

Grade Level (for internal use): 10

The Team

S&P Dow Jones Indices is seeking an Equities & Digital Assets R&D Analyst within the Index Design team to support the research, design, analysis and delivery of differentiated index solutions within the Equities & Digital Assets value stream. Reporting to an Index Design Team Manager, with oversight from the Head of Equities & Digital Assets Index Design, the role will help translate product and client needs into systematic, scalable and well-documented index concepts.

The Equities & Digital Assets Index Design team supports S&P DJI's world-leading brand by driving equity index expansion and extending our leadership in index IP and data into the DeFi ecosystem., Through rigorous research, portfolio construction and financial theory, the team develops innovative and robust index strategies that address evolving client needs while upholding S&P DJI's standards of quality, transparency and governance.

As part of this team, the analyst will contribute to these efforts while working closely with commercial, analytical, and technology colleagues across the value stream.

The Impact

The analyst will contribute across the full index design lifecycle, including background research, data gathering and validation, quantitative analysis, back-testing, methodology development, documentation and support for internal and external stakeholder discussions. The role requires strong numeracy, programming capability, attention to detail and the ability to work with complex datasets in a controlled and repeatable manner.

The role may also involve contributing to research publications, presentations, thought leadership and the development of tools, templates and repeatable processes that improve the efficiency, scalability and analytical quality of index design and launch.

This role is a strong opportunity for a highly analytical and curious individual to develop deep expertise in Equities & Digital Assets index design while contributing to a value stream focused on high-quality delivery, client relevance and scalable innovation. The ideal candidate will be numerate, technically capable, thoughtful and collaborative, with the drive to turn market insight and investment objectives into robust index solutions.

The candidate will gain exposure to equity markets, digital assets, alternative datasets, portfolio construction techniques, quantitative research methods and the evolving tools and processes used to make index design more scalable and effective.

Responsibilities

• Support the research, design and analysis of new indices and related capabilities within the Equities & Digital Assets Index Design value stream
• Translate investment objectives, product requirements and client needs into clear, testable index design concepts
• Access, clean, transform and validate complex equity, market and reference datasets used in index research and back-testing
• Develop and run backtests, sensitivity analysis and quantitative research to assess whether index concepts meet their stated objectives
• Apply programming skills to build robust, repeatable and well-controlled analytical workflows, tools and templates
• Support methodology drafting, documentation, design reviews and governance processes required for index approval and launch
• Prepare analysis, charts, presentation materials and research content for internal stakeholders, client discussions and external thought leadership

Other Responsibilities

• Work under the direction of the Index Design Team Manager to deliver agreed team backlog items, priorities and timelines
• Collaborate effectively with R&D colleagues, Index Engineering, Product Management, Commercial, Operations, Governance and other functional partners
• Adopt agreed Index Design operating standards, analytical controls and agile working practices defined at the value stream and team level
• Manage multiple research and design workstreams with clear communication, disciplined execution and timely escalation of risks or dependencies
• Build subject matter expertise in equity markets, index construction, portfolio design and emerging industry trends relevant to client needs

What We're Looking For

Basic Required Qualifications

• Strong understanding of equity markets, portfolio construction, factor investing, financial theory and the principles that underpin index design
• Proficiency in Python or similar programming languages, with experience building repeatable analytical workflows and working with complex datasets
• Excellent analytical and quantitative skills, with the ability to solve non-routine problems clearly, accurately and efficiently
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical analysis to internal stakeholders and support client-facing materials
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across multiple priorities, while operating with attention to detail, strong judgment and a delivery mindset

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent experience in finance, economics, mathematics, engineering, computer science or a related quantitative discipline preferred
• CFA progress, CFA charter, or commitment to relevant professional development desirable

About S&P Global Dow Jones Indices

At S&P Dow Jones Indices, we provide iconic and innovative index solutions backed by unparalleled expertise across the asset-class spectrum. By bringing transparency to the global capital markets, we empower investors everywhere to make decisions with conviction. We're the largest global resource for index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500 ® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average ® . More assets are invested in products based upon our indices and over USD 11.3 trillion benchmarked to our indices, our solutions are widely considered indispensable in tracking market performance, evaluating portfolios and developing investment strategies.

S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global is the world's foremost provider of credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets. With every one of our offerings, we help many of the world's leading organizations navigate the economic landscape so they can plan for tomorrow, today. For more information, visit www.spglobal.com/spdji.

What's In It For You?

Our Mission

Advancing Essential Intelligence.

Our People

We're more than 35,000 strong worldwide-so we're able to understand nuances while having a broad perspective. Our team is driven by curiosity and a shared belief that Essential Intelligence can help build a more prosperous future for us all.From finding new ways to measure sustainability to analyzing energy transition across the supply chain to building workflow solutions that make it easy to tap into insight and apply it. We are changing the way people see things and empowering them to make an impact on the world we live in. We're committed to a more equitable future and to helping our customers find new, sustainable ways of doing business. Join us and help create the critical insights that truly make a difference.

Our Values

Integrity, Discovery, Partnership

Throughout our history, the world's leading organizations have relied on us for the Essential Intelligence they need to make confident decisions about the road ahead. We start with a foundation of integrity in all we do, bring a spirit of discovery to our work, and collaborate in close partnership with each other and our customers to achieve shared goals.

Benefits

We take care of you, so you can take care of business. We care about our people. That's why we provide everything you-and your career-need to thrive at S&P Global.

Our benefits include:

• Health & Wellness: Health care coverage designed for the mind and body.
• Flexible Downtime: Generous time off helps keep you energized for your time on.
• Continuous Learning: Access a wealth of resources to grow your career and learn valuable new skills.
• Invest in Your Future: Secure your financial future through competitive pay, retirement planning, a continuing education program with a company-matched student loan contribution, and financial wellness programs.
• Family Friendly Perks: It's not just about you. S&P Global has perks for your partners and little ones, too, with some best-in class benefits for families.
• Beyond the Basics: From retail discounts to referral incentive awards-small perks can make a big difference.

For more information on benefits by country visit: https://spgbenefits.com/benefit-summaries

Global Hiring and Opportunity at S&P Global

At S&P Global, we are committed to fostering a connected and engaged workplace where all individuals have access to opportunities based on their skills, experience, and contributions. Our hiring practices emphasize fairness, transparency, and merit, ensuring that we attract and retain top talent. By valuing different perspectives and promoting a culture of respect and collaboration, we drive innovation and power global markets.

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Equal Opportunity Employer

S&P Global is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, marital status, military veteran status, unemployment status, or any other status protected by law. Only electronic job submissions will be considered for employment.

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