Quantitative Risk & Portfolio Analytics - Associate

Morgan Stanley; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Morgan Stanley Investment Management is seeking an Associate for the Central Trading & Risk Management team on a multi-manager, market-neutral equity platform. You will perform factor attribution, construct and optimize portfolios, and develop Python-based tools to improve investment workflows.

In this highly analytical role you will assess exposures, stress test portfolios, and communicate risks and opportunities to portfolio managers and senior leadership.

Qualifications

• 2-5 years of relevant experience, preferably buy-side in a multi-manager platform.
• Strong understanding of equity markets, equity index futures, and market-neutral construction.
• Experience with equity risk models (MSCI Barra, Axioma, or in-house).
• Deep knowledge of statistical methods and quantitative techniques.
• Proficiency with Python and SQL.
• Experience with large financial datasets and time series.
• Experience with portfolio optimization, stress testing, and simulations.
• Demonstrated interest in financial markets and quantitative investing.
• Excellent verbal communication and relationship management skills.

Responsibilities

• Perform factor attribution and portfolio exposure analysis across managers and strategies.
• Develop and enhance portfolio construction and optimization methodologies.
• Research new alpha signals and evaluate interactions with portfolio positioning.
• Design quantitative tools supporting investment decision making.
• Conduct stress testing and scenario analysis across portfolios.
• Monitor fund-wide exposures and identify concentrations or emerging risks.
• Partner with trading to improve execution and implementation efficiency.
• Communicate portfolio risks, opportunities, and positioning implications to managers and leadership.
• Analyze portfolio performance and attribute returns across factors, sectors, themes, and positions.
• Design and develop Python-based analytical tools, research infrastructure, and automation.

Skills

Python

SQL

Quantitative methods

Time series data

Portfolio optimization

Stress testing

MSCI Barra / Axioma knowledge

Communication

Independent work

Education

Advanced degree in quantitative field

Tools

MSCI Barra

Axioma

SQL databases

Job description

Description

Morgan Stanley Investment Management (“MSIM”), together with its investment advisory affiliates, operates in 23 countries with $2 Tn in assets under management or supervision as of July 2026. Morgan Stanley Investment Management strives to provide outstanding long-term investment performance, service and a comprehensive suite of investment management solutions to a diverse client base, which includes governments, institutions, corporations and individuals worldwide.

We are seeking an Associate to join the Central Trading & Risk Management team of a multi-manager, market neutral equity hedge fund. The team partners directly with portfolio managers to optimize portfolio construction, manage risk, develop quantitative investment tools, and improve investment performance across the platform. This is a highly analytical role with broad exposure to the investment process, combining risk management, quantitative research, portfolio construction, and data analysis. This role provides a unique opportunity to influence investment decisions across multiple portfolio managers and strategies while helping shape the quantitative infrastructure of MSIM's flagship market-neutral equity platform.

Job Description

• Perform factor attribution and portfolio exposure analysis across managers and strategies.
• Develop and enhance portfolio construction and optimization methodologies.
• Research new alpha signals and evaluate interactions with portfolio positioning.
• Design quantitative tools supporting investment decision making.
• Conduct stress testing and scenario analysis across portfolios.
• Monitor fund-wide exposures across portfolios and identify concentrations or emerging risks.
• Partner with trading to improve execution and implementation efficiency.
• Monitor market developments and proactively communicate portfolio risks, opportunities, and positioning implications to portfolio managers and senior leadership.
• Analyze portfolio performance and attribute returns across factors, sectors, themes, and individual positions.
• Design and develop Python-based analytical tools, research infrastructure, and automation that improve portfolio analytics and investment workflows.

Qualifications

• 2-5 years of relevant job experience, preferably on the buy side in a multi-manager platform.
• Strong understanding of equity markets, equity index futures, and market-neutral portfolio construction.
• Experience with equity risk models, such as MSCI Barra, Axioma, or in-house models.
• Deep knowledge of statistical methods and quantitative techniques.
• Proficiency with Python and SQL.
• Experience working with large financial datasets and time series.
• Experience with portfolio optimization, stress testing, and simulations.
• Demonstrated interest in financial markets and a passion for quantitative investing.
• Excellent verbal communication and relationship management skills.
• Ability to work both independently and be a strong team contributor with proactive drive to deliver results.
• Outstanding attention to detail and committed to process and related improvements.
• Flexible, quick learner with the ability to multi-task.
• Advanced degree in quantitative discipline such as Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related field from an accredited university.

Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate is intellectually curious, collaborative, and enjoys solving complex investment problems using data and quantitative methods. They are equally comfortable building research tools, analyzing risk, and engaging with portfolio managers on investment decisions. They possess strong communication skills, thrive in a fast-paced investment environment, and can translate sophisticated quantitative analyses into actionable insights.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM MORGAN STANLEY:

At Morgan Stanley, we raise, manage and allocate capital for our clients – helping them reach their goals. We do it in a way that’s differentiated – and we’ve done that for 90 years. Our values - putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, committing to diversity and inclusion, and giving back - aren’t just beliefs, they guide the decisions we make every day to do what's best for our clients, communities and more than 80,000 employees in 1,200 offices across 42 countries. At Morgan Stanley, you’ll find an opportunity to work alongside the best and the brightest, in an environment where you are supported and empowered. Our teams are relentless collaborators and creative thinkers, fueled by their diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are proud to support our employees and their families at every point along their work‑life journey, offering some of the most attractive and comprehensive employee benefits and perks in the industry. There’s also ample opportunity to move about the business for those who show passion and grit in their work.

To learn more about our offices across the globe, please copy and paste https://www.morganstanley.com/about-us/global-offices into your browser.

Expected base pay rates for the role will be between $120,000 and $150,000 per year at the commencement of employment. However, base pay if hired will be determined on an individualized basis and is only part of the total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include commission earnings, incentive compensation, discretionary bonuses, other short and long-term incentive packages, and other Morgan Stanley sponsored benefit programs.

Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a workforce that is diverse in experience and background. Our recruiting efforts reflect our strong commitment to a culture of inclusion, where individuals are hired, developed, and advanced based on their skills and talents.

Our workforce reflects a broad cross-section of the global communities in which we operate, bringing a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and experiences.

For more information, please visit: https://www.morganstanley.com/people-opportunities/eeo.