Research Analyst/Associate

Alliance & Leicester; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution in London is seeking a candidate for a unique client-facing role in their Global Equity Derivatives team. The ideal applicant will develop and back-test cutting-edge quantitative strategies for alpha generation and hedging. Candidates must demonstrate a strong academic background, programming skills in Python, and a deep understanding of quantitative finance. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to innovative financial solutions in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Prior experience developing and back-testing quantitative investment strategies.
• Strong background in quantitative finance or applied mathematics.
• Proficiency in statistics and time series analysis.

Responsibilities

• Undertake back-testing of systematic strategies.
• Quantify performance drivers leading to trading opportunities.
• Contribute to derivatives and quantitative research.

Skills

Quantitative analysis

Programming in Python

Machine learning

Statistical analysis

Fluent English

Education

Advanced Master's degree in quantitative finance

Tools

SQL

MS Excel

Job description

Company Overview

At Bank of America, we are guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better through the power of every connection. Responsible Growth is how we run our company and how we deliver for our clients, teammates, communities and shareholders every day. One of the keys to driving Responsible Growth is being a great place to work for our teammates around the world. We’re devoted to being a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone. We hire individuals with a broad range of backgrounds and experiences and invest heavily in our teammates and their families by offering competitive benefits to support their physical, emotional, and financial well-being.

Bank of America believes both in the importance of working together and offering flexibility to our employees. We use a multi-faceted approach for flexibility, depending on the various roles in our organization.

Working at Bank of America will give you a great career with opportunities to learn, grow and make an impact, along with the power to make a difference. Join us!

Location Overview

Our London office is based just a stones throw from the magnificent St. Paul’s Cathedral on bustling King Edward Street. Here you’ll find modern workspaces and a state‑of‑the‑art auditorium space. We’re proud to host an onsite restaurant that shares our commitment to sustainability by providing delicious seasonal menus which have been created with the planet in mind. Make sure to take time for yourself and head up to our rooftop terrace and take in the spectacular views across London. Finally, your physical wellness is well-catered for with our onsite gym facilities and medical centre.

The Team

The Global Equity Derivatives and Quant Investment Strategies (QIS) Research team at Bank of America is consistently top-ranked (in Extel/II surveys), with 15+ analysts spread across locations around the world: London, Paris, Madrid, Dubai, Hong Kong, New York and San Francisco. The team has a broad scope to take views on and publish derivatives content across asset classes, including on systematic strategies for alpha generation or hedging, and portfolio construction. Members routinely engage with global institutional clients, helping BofA establish thought leadership in derivatives and cross-asset quantitative strategies.

Role Description

A unique London-based, client-facing role in the Global Equity Derivatives and Cross-asset QIS Research team within Global Research at BofA. The successful candidate will help develop and publish leading-edge, quantitatively-driven, systematic strategies for alpha generation and hedging, as well as help develop portfolio overlay solutions across equities and derivatives. The role also involves internal engagement with structuring, sales and trading teams, as well as external exposure to global institutional clients.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will undertake back-testing of systematic strategies, quantify performance drivers and structural dislocations that lead to trading opportunities in equity derivatives, under real world constraints (e.g., liquidity criteria, transaction costs, rebalancing thresholds, etc). Their work shall enable the development of new strategies as well as the formulation and communication of forward-looking views on risk premia and existing strategies. Apart from strategy development, the successful candidate will contribute to wide-ranging derivatives/quantitative research published by the broader team.

Qualifications

• Prior experience of developing and back-testing quantitative investment strategies in Equities, including Equity Derivatives in a financial institution.
• Strong academic background in quantitative finance, financial engineering or applied mathematics (e.g. Advanced Masters degree).
• Advanced proficiency in quantitative analysis and statistics including time series and big/complex, high frequency datasets.
• Exposure/experience in applying machine learning or AI tools, natural language processing or advanced information theory.
• Strong programming skills, preferably in Python, exposure to SQL and proficiency in MS Excel.
• Fluency in English is essential and a second European language may be advantageous.
• Effective written and presentation skills a key asset for a quant researcher is not only to write but also to explain complex concepts in simple terms and with powerful visuals.
• Candidates should have a keen eye for detail. Accuracy, consistency and intuition to back-up mathematical rigour is crucial in this fast-paced environment.
• Candidates must show a long-term interest in the field of quantitative finance and demonstrate achievements towards their pursuit of a career in this field.