Senior Quantitative Index Architect—AI-Driven

Morningstar Credit Ratings, LLC; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 148,000 - 226,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k match up to 6%

Stock ownership potential

Life insurance

Health benefits

Wellness incentives

Disability insurance

Sabbatical program

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

Volunteer program

Employee resource groups

Job summary

Morningstar Inc. is seeking a principal quantitative analyst in Chicago to lead the development and launch of new benchmark indexes. You will work across research, product, technology, and commercial teams to bring ideas from concept to market, applying advanced quant methods and AI-enabled workflows.

You will use Python, R, SQL, and MATLAB to prototype ideas, run back-tests, and build scalable index solutions, while communicating complex concepts clearly to clients and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in indexes, asset management, investment banking, fintech, systematic investing, or related investment technology environment.
• Strong quant toolkit, including hands-on experience with investment analysis, factor research, portfolio construction, back-testing, risk analytics, or systematic strategy design.
• Comfortable writing code and working with data using Python, R, SQL, MATLAB, or similar tools to prototype ideas, analyze large datasets, and automate repeatable workflows.
• Excited by AI-first ways of working, with experience using tools such as Microsoft Copilot, GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Gemini, ChatGPT, or similar platforms; exposure to AI agents, RAG, or workflow orchestration is a plus.
• Clear communicator who can translate complex quant, AI, and investment concepts into methodology documents, research notes, presentations, and compelling client-facing narratives.
• Experience developing and using optimized portfolio construction and risk modelling tools, factor investment strategies, private equity data, and index derivatives strategies is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

• Build and launch new benchmark, thematic, factor, strategic beta, and multi-asset indexes from concept to market in partnership with research, product, technology, operations, and commercial teams.
• Drive the full product innovation cycle—spot opportunities, explore data, test signals, run back-tests, shape methodology, solve implementation challenges, and get products launch-ready.
• Use quant techniques, machine learning, portfolio construction, risk analytics, and statistical testing to turn investment ideas into durable, rules-based index methodologies.
• Push the use of AI, coding assistants, and agentic workflows to automate research, speed up analysis, test methodology logic, and make product development smarter and faster.
• Bring builder energy to the team by creating tools, prototypes, dashboards, research insights, and client-ready stories that make complex quant and AI ideas easy to understand and exciting to use.

Skills

Quant research

Portfolio construction

Back-testing

AI tooling

Communication

Tools

Python

R

SQL

MATLAB

Job description

Morningstar Inc. is seeking a principal quantitative analyst in Chicago to lead the development and launch of new benchmark indexes. You will work across research, product, technology, and commercial teams to bring ideas from concept to market, applying advanced quant methods and AI-enabled workflows.

You will use Python, R, SQL, and MATLAB to prototype ideas, run back-tests, and build scalable index solutions, while communicating complex concepts clearly to clients and stakeholders.