Research Analyst

Potomac; Washington (District of Columbia, MD); On-site; USD 60,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

Health savings account option

401(k) & other retirement benefits

Paid maternity leave

Paid paternity leave

Commuter benefits

Disability insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Potomac is a boutique tactical asset manager expanding its research capabilities. The Research Analyst will develop and enhance systematic investment strategies, build portfolio analytics tools, and contribute to risk management.

You will work with senior investors to translate data-driven insights into advisor and client outcomes. The role emphasizes deep quantitative research, model development, backtesting, and collaboration across the investment team.

Qualifications

• 4–8 years of relevant investment, quantitative research, asset management, or portfolio analytics experience.
• Strong understanding of portfolio construction, investment research, and risk management.
• Strong Python skills and experience working with financial and market datasets.
• Experience conducting quantitative investment research, including model development and backtesting.

Responsibilities

• Conduct quantitative research to support development, testing, and enhancement of systematic investment strategies.
• Analyze equities, fixed income, commodities, currencies, ETFs, and other liquid markets.
• Build, test, and maintain factor, trend, momentum, and risk-based models.
• Research market regimes, portfolio construction techniques, and risk-management approaches.
• Perform backtesting, sensitivity analysis, and ongoing evaluation of investment models and strategies.
• Help improve data quality, research processes, and the efficiency of the investment research platform.
• Prepare research and recommendations for review by senior investment leadership and the Investment Committee.
• Support portfolio allocation and strategy evaluation through quantitative analysis.
• Assist in evaluating potential new investment strategies, products, and vehicles.

Skills

Python

Quantitative research

Portfolio analytics

Education

CFA designation or progress toward CFA

Advanced degree in finance/economics/math/statistics/engineering/CS

Tools

Pandas

SQL

Backtesting

Job description

The Opportunity

At Potomac, we’re not for everyone—and that’s by design. We attract people who think critically, communicate clearly, and execute with urgency. People who care deeply about their work and don’t need handholding to make things happen.

We’re a boutique tactical asset manager with a differentiated product that serves the independent broker‑dealer and RIA channel. Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, we combine institutional‑grade investment expertise with a quantitative process that is Built to Conquer Risk®.

Summary

Potomac is seeking an experienced quantitative investment professional to support the development and enhancement of systematic investment strategies, portfolio construction, and risk management across our investment platform. This role is ideal for someone with a strong foundation in quantitative investment research who is ready to take on meaningful responsibility for research, analysis, and model development while continuing to grow your investment judgment and portfolio management experience.

The Research Analyst will work closely with senior members of the investment team to evaluate investment ideas, improve our research capabilities, and help translate data‑driven insights into better outcomes for advisors and investors.

Key Responsibilities

Research & Investments

• Conduct quantitative research to support the development, testing, and enhancement of systematic investment strategies
• Analyze equities, fixed income, commodities, currencies, ETFs, and other liquid investment markets
• Build, test, and maintain factor, trend, momentum, and risk-based models
• Research market regimes, portfolio construction techniques, and risk‑management approaches
• Perform backtesting, sensitivity analysis, and ongoing evaluation of investment models and strategies
• Help improve data quality, research processes, and the efficiency of the investment research platform
• Prepare research and recommendations for review by senior investment leadership and the Investment Committee
• Support portfolio allocation and strategy evaluation through quantitative analysis
• Assist in evaluating potential new investment strategies, products, and vehicles

Portfolio Analytics

• Support portfolio managers with performance, risk, exposure, and attribution analysis
• Develop and maintain tools for portfolio analytics, scenario analysis, and ongoing monitoring
• Monitor portfolio characteristics and identify trends, risks, or areas requiring further research
• Analyze the potential portfolio impact of new strategies, products, and investment vehicles
• Help improve the tools and analytical frameworks used to monitor investment portfolios

Investment Communication

• Translate quantitative research into clear, practical investment insights
• Contribute research and analysis to investment commentary, white papers, presentations, and advisor‑facing materials
• Present research findings internally and, as appropriate, to advisors and clients
• Partner with senior investment professionals to explain portfolio positioning, investment methodology, and quantitative research

Qualifications

• 4–8 years of relevant investment, quantitative research, asset management, or portfolio analytics experience
• Strong understanding of portfolio construction, investment research, and risk management
• Strong Python skills and experience working with financial and market datasets
• Experience conducting quantitative investment research, including model development and backtesting
• Ability to analyze investment results and communicate findings clearly to both quantitative and non-quantitative audiences
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with careful attention to research quality and detail
• Demonstrated intellectual curiosity and genuine interest in financial markets
• Ability to work independently on research projects while collaborating effectively with senior investment professionals

Preferred

• Experience in systematic investing, quantitative asset management, or quantitative portfolio research
• Experience working with futures, options, ETFs, or other liquid investment vehicles
• Experience building investment research tools, dashboards, data pipelines, or analytical platforms
• Familiarity with factor research, trend following, tactical asset allocation, or other systematic investment approaches
• CFA designation or progress toward the CFA charter, or an advanced degree in finance, economics, mathematics, statistics, engineering, computer science, or a related quantitative field

Salary range: $60,000-$115,000 + discretionary bonus based on experience. Potomac is not your typical asset manager. We cut through the industry BS with brutal transparency and an obsession with execution. If you’re looking for a slow pace and low volume, this isn’t for you. If you want to drive, build, and scale, this is your shot.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance
• Health savings account option
• 401(k) & other retirement benefits
• Paid maternity leave
• Paid paternity leave
• Commuter benefits
• Disability insurance
• Paid time off