2027 Quantitative Prediction Markets Research Summer Analyst

About the role

You will own the end to end research lifecycle for prediction markets and sports analytics projects at AQR from initial concept through final implementation. You will work directly with portfolio managers and research teams to construct models and validate ideas within a culture of rigorous testing and transparent collaboration. Your daily work will involve challenging existing assumptions, designing model specifications, and presenting findings to both technical researchers and business partners. The role requires you to champion the application of option and contingent claim pricing concepts within the context of prediction markets and event contracts. You will be responsible for shipping trading strategy prototypes that enhance portfolio construction and signal integration frameworks. A core portion of this role involves leading data acquisition for sports and political events and ensuring quality and format consistency for ongoing model refinement. You will leverage the Quanta Academy Summer Term curriculum and testing frameworks to iterate quickly and maintain high standards. Knowledge sharing will be conducted through workshops, classes, and Quanta Academy sessions to elevate the capability of the broader research community. The position is structured as a 10 week summer engagement based in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Key facts

What you'll do

Design intake procedures for prediction markets data, cleaning event contracts and sports analytics inputs to ensure model readiness for analysis.

Construct models for financial, economic, sports, political, cultural, and crypto events using Python and AI methods to support strategy development and decision making.

Review backtested results against academic theory, validate underlying assumptions, and document insights to facilitate collaboration with researchers and partners.

Ship trading strategy prototypes that enhance portfolio construction, utilizing the Quanta Academy Summer Term curriculum and established testing frameworks to accelerate development.

Partner with portfolio managers and researchers to align prediction markets signals with real world event contracts and prevailing market conditions.

Lead data acquisition for sports and political events, ensuring quality, format consistency, and timeliness for ongoing model refinement and iteration.

Champion option and contingent claim pricing concepts within prediction markets, testing the boundaries of current practice and documenting edge cases.

Guide knowledge sharing through workshops, classes, and Quanta Academy sessions to elevate team capability, maintain transparency, and spread best practices.

Perform rigorous validation of data sources, cleaning routines, and model outputs to uphold the standards expected by AQR's research and investment teams.

Translate complex analytical findings into clear narratives that enable non technical stakeholders to understand implications and make informed decisions.

Work independently and within team settings to solve ambiguous problems, manage competing priorities, and deliver high quality outputs under tight timelines.

Apply quantitative reasoning and structured problem solving to assess the validity of prediction market mechanisms and their relevance to investment research.

Contribute to the development of internal tools and frameworks that streamline data handling, analysis, and reporting for prediction markets initiatives.

Engage with academic and practitioner literature to identify emerging methods and incorporate relevant advances into ongoing project work.

Support the communication of research outcomes through internal presentations and collaborative sessions that bridge researchers and business stakeholders.

Maintain a disciplined approach to risk and validation, ensuring that all models and prototypes adhere to AQR's standards for rigor and reliability.

Requirements

Hold a degree from a top program in a quantitative discipline such as operations research, applied math, computer science, or statistics with a focus on finance or economics.

Demonstrated expertise in AI is required, along with strong Python skills and familiarity with prediction markets and data science methodologies.

You should exhibit strong problem solving abilities and quantitative aptitude, working effectively both independently and within team settings.

A high degree of intellectual curiosity is necessary, along with the ability to communicate clearly in verbal and written form for both technical and non technical audiences.

Success requires being well organized, detail oriented, and capable of focusing within a dynamic and collaborative environment as a results oriented contributor.

You must be able to commit to the full duration of the 10 week summer engagement based in Greenwich, Connecticut.

This role requires consistent availability during standard working hours to participate in team meetings, reviews, and collaborative sessions.

You must have the legal right to work in the United States without sponsorship for this position.

Nice to have

Diverse knowledge and interests in sports, politics, finance analytics, and related cultural topics are preferred.

Tools and Skills

Proficiency in Python, AI, prediction markets, option and contingent claim pricing, data science, Quanta Academy, sports analytics, political analysis, and crypto events will be utilized.

Practical notes

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About the company

We are quantitative investors who apply a systematic, disciplined process to manage risk and generate long term value. Our teams design and test investment strategies using data research and shared principles.

We offer a range of strategies designed to complement other holdings and respond to different market conditions. You will work on models research and implementation alongside experienced professionals who value clarity and rigor.