Financial Quantitative Analysts
Overview
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Overview
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
Develop quantitative techniques to inform securities investing, equities investing, pricing, or valuation of financial instruments. Develop mathematical or statistical models for risk management, asset optimization, pricing, or relative value analysis.
Demand
Core Tasks
Develop core analytical capabilities or model libraries, using advanced statistical, quantitative, or econometric techniques.
Provide application or analytical support to researchers or traders on issues such as valuations or data.
Maintain or modify all financial analytic models in use.
Research or develop analytical tools to address issues such as portfolio construction or optimization, performance measurement, attribution, profit and loss measurement, or pricing models.
Apply mathematical or statistical techniques to address practical issues in finance, such as derivative valuation, securities trading, risk management, or financial market regulation.
Devise or apply independent models or tools to help verify results of analytical systems.
Research new financial products or analytics to determine their usefulness.
Define or recommend model specifications or data collection methods.
Confer with other financial engineers or analysts on trading strategies, market dynamics, or trading system performance to inform development of quantitative techniques.
Interpret results of financial analysis procedures.
Collaborate with product development teams to research, model, validate, or implement quantitative structured solutions for new or expanded markets.
Produce written summary reports of financial research results.
Consult traders or other financial industry personnel to determine the need for new or improved analytical applications.
Identify, track, or maintain metrics for trading system operations.
Prepare requirements documentation for use by software developers.
Collaborate in the development or testing of new analytical software to ensure compliance with user requirements, specifications, or scope.
Analyze pricing or risks of carbon trading products.
Develop solutions to help clients hedge carbon exposure or risk.
Develop methods of assessing or measuring corporate performance in terms of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.
Assess the potential impact of climate change on business financial issues, such as damage repairs, insurance costs, or potential disruptions of daily activities.
Develop tools to assess green technologies or green financial products, such as green hedge funds or social responsibility investment funds.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Mathematics
100%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Computers and Electronics
90%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Economics and Accounting
86%
Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
English Language
72%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Engineering and Technology
62%
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Administration and Management
60%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Customer and Personal Service
48%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Design
48%
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Law and Government
46%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Sales and Marketing
46%
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Top 10 Skills
Mathematics
85%
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Critical Thinking
83%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
80%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Complex Problem Solving
78%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Active Listening
75%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
75%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making
73%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Active Learning
70%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Writing
68%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Persuasion
65%
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Top 10 Abilities
Mathematical Reasoning
83%
The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
Number Facility
80%
The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
Deductive Reasoning
78%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
78%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Comprehension
78%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension
78%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral Expression
75%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Information Ordering
73%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Problem Sensitivity
73%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Recognition
73%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Top 10 Work Activities
Interacting With Computers
100%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Analyzing Data or Information
97%
Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Processing Information
97%
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Getting Information
96%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
91%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information
85%
Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
84%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
81%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
79%
Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Thinking Creatively
79%
Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Detailed Work Activities
Develop technical specifications for systems or equipment.
Advise others on analytical techniques.
Monitor business indicators.
Develop business or financial information systems.
Assess the cost effectiveness of products, projects, or services.
Apply mathematical models of financial or business conditions.
Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets.
Analyze business or financial data.
Discuss business strategies, practices, or policies with managers.
Confer with personnel to coordinate business operations.
Develop financial analysis methods.
Analyze risks related to investments in green technology.
Measure effectiveness of business strategies or practices.
Work Context
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
Education
Majors based on the broader career Financial Specialists, All Other
Major
Interests
Investigative
96%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Conventional
81%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Artistic
53%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Enterprising
43%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Realistic
34%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Social
19%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Top 10 Work Styles
Analytical Thinking
99%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attention to Detail
96%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Achievement/Effort
89%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Dependability
89%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Persistence
89%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Integrity
88%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Initiative
85%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Stress Tolerance
85%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Innovation
80%
Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Adaptability/Flexibility
77%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Work Values
Independence
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Recognition
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Working Conditions
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Relationships
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
