Quantitative Research Analyst (Financial Engineer) in Office of Investment Adviser

[Karla Jones]

The Securities and Exchange Commission is seeking a Quantitative Research Analyst (Financial Engineer) in our Office of Investment Adviser and Investment Company within the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations to be located in NEW YORK REGIONAL OFFICE, NEW YORK, NY, BOSTON REGIONAL OFFICE, BOSTON, MA, CHICAGO REGIONAL OFFICE, CHICAGO, IL, LOS ANGELES REGIONAL OFFICE, LOS ANGELES, CA, and the SAN FRANCISCO REGIONAL OFFICE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA.

The mission of the SEC is to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation. We seek high-caliber professionals who share the same values of integrity, fairness, accountability, resourcefulness, teamwork and commitment to excellence. The SEC offers challenging work in a collegial environment, while enjoying quality of life and a competitive compensation package.

The Quantitative Research Analyst (Financial Engineer) will:

• Serve as a quantitative research analyst working with SEC staff in building sophisticated models, determining proper empirical methodology, organizing data collection, writing unique programs, preparing written reports, and summarizing the studies in formal and informal presentations.
• Participate in examinations of registered investment advisers, investment companies, broker-dealers, and private fund managers, conducting interviews of compliance professionals and quantitative/modeling experts at the firms, and designing document requests to elicit information about registrant’s products and strategies and support the enforcement staff in investigating and litigating cases arising out of exam referrals in above areas.
• Provide senior level technical expertise for the design and conduct of comprehensive, complicated financial data studies, surveys, reviews, and research projects where the boundaries are extremely broad and difficult to determine in advance.
• Conduct research in areas such as the analysis of new financial instruments and strategies, options, and derivates which involves the application of financial engineering methodologies and employing financial theory and applied mathematics, as well as computation and the practice of programming.
• Support the review and verification of trading strategies for a variety of instruments and markets such as high frequency trading, algorithmic trading, statistical arbitrage, correlation trading, and volatility trading. Perform research and development for statistical analysis of real time market making systems including predictive forecasting algorithms and high throughput, low latency, and multi-threading systems or other smart execution systems.
• Work with large volumes of financial data from different instruments and sources for back-testing and validation of models, algorithms, and strategies.
• Develop and presents authoritative reports based on the evaluation and interpretation of studies in the assigned area of financial engineering.

REQUIREMENTS:

The successful candidate MUST be a US Citizen.

• Candidates must submit Official/Unofficial transcripts at the time of application. Failure to provide transcripts will result in your application being disqualified.
• Resume

SK 14 Level:Must possess at least one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS/SK-13 grade level applying the theories, principles, and processes of quantitative research; interpreting complex financial and securities industry data; using models and other types of data analysis and statistical software applications, to manipulate and use large data sets and ensure the accuracy of information produced.

Preferred Experience:

• Expert-level knowledge and current documented successful accomplishment in the field of quantitative research and the specialized area of financial engineering as it relates to the securities industry
• Broad and current knowledge of statistical analysis methods, stochastic calculus, signal processing, machine learning, artificial intelligence, neural networks, anomaly detection, and outlier analysis.
• Specialized knowledge of financial engineering to develop, maintain and/or validate models used for forecasting, valuation, instrument and strategy selection, portfolio construction, and risk management covering a wide range of financial instruments, including equities, fixed income, currencies, futures, commodities, and/or derivatives.
• Proficiency in computer processes, methods, and languages such as Java, C/C++, Matlab, R, SQL, VBA, Perl, or similar languages and the state-of-the-art database techniques.
• Experience in utilizing sophisticated models and products for managing risks in portfolio construction, trade decision, and execution and hedging, including multi-factor models such as BARRA; risk management metrics and methods such as VaR and stress testing models, hedging techniques, credit risk, counterparty risk, market risk, valuation and pricing, and model sensitivity and risk statistics.
• Experience in working with large volumes of financial data for different instruments and sources to include back-testing models, algorithms, and strategies for validation.
• Advanced communication skills to convey complex and technical information both orally and in writing. Expert level skill in presenting technical findings in meetings and formal presentations.
• Strong interpersonal skills to interact effectively with industry representatives as well as with SEC senior officials, supervisors, co-workers, and the public.

Preferred: Graduate degree in: financial engineering, computational or mathematical finance, computer science, statistics or related field.
EDUCATION:

• Candidate must possess at least an undergraduate degree in: finance, engineering, mathematics, statistics, computer science, actuarial science, Economics or related technical field.

For more information about the position and to apply, please visit our website:
http://www.sec.gov/jobs/ohr/job721323.html
Please use Vacancy Identification Number: 721323
The closing date of this position is: August 31, 2012