Quantitative Research Engineer (f/m/d)

Zürich

Full time

The Financial Engineering team serves as the center of excellence for quantitative research and artificial intelligence within Swiss Life Asset Managers' portfolio management.

We are responsible for designing and analyzing systematic investment strategies, security selection models, hedging approaches, and advanced portfolio construction and optimization techniques. Our work includes developing quantitative forecasting models to enhance the investment process and support strategic portfolio optimization.

The team collaborates closely with portfolio managers throughout both the analytical and implementation phases of each strategy. In addition, we advise institutional clients on portfolio optimization within client-specific constraints as part of our asset-liability management services. Beyond research and advisory, we also develop AI-driven applications that are deployed across the organization to improve efficiency and decision-making.

You will have the unique opportunity to grow professionally by developing new skills, learning about other fields, and collaborating with a new team. You will be at the forefront of building exciting solutions for our company and making an essential contribution in connecting the dots across our divisions.
We welcome applications from recent graduates and early-career professionals eager to develop expertise across quantitative finance, AI, and engineering.

Location: Zurich (limited remote). Team across two sites: Zurich and Paris.

In this interdisciplinary and challenging environment, we are looking for a motivated Quantitative Research Engineer (f/m/d), whose tasks will include:

Responsibilities

  • Designing and developing advanced AI applications, including LLM-based agentic systems for process automation and decision-making.
  • Analyzing and optimizing client portfolios under specific constraints and objectives as part of asset-liability management.
  • Implementing portfolio construction and optimization techniques.
  • Developing and deploying systematic investment and risk management strategies.
  • Building quantitative models to support investment decision-making processes.
  • Supporting the team in client presentations and meetings (with growing responsibility).
  • Applying machine learning algorithms to solve challenges in asset management and finance.

Experience

  • MSc or PhD in applied mathematics, natural sciences, computer science, or quantitative finance/economics.
  • Strong background in AI and machine learning methodologies.
  • Solid foundation in statistics, stochastic processes, numerical mathematics, and optimization techniques.
  • Strong hands-on OOP in Python; comfortable across the Python data/ML stack (pandas, NumPy/SciPy, scikit-learn, Pydantic, FastAPI etc.).
  • Familiarity with cloud infrastructure and CI/CD practices, including containerization.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; results-oriented, self-motivated, eager to learn, and a collaborative team player.
  • Ability to communicate and present complex topics clearly and concisely, adapting to different audiences.
  • Fluency in English is required; good knowledge of German and/or French is a plus.

Strong Assets (Preferred but Not Required):
  • Experience in the financial industry.
  • Hands-on experience in AI development, including prompt/context engineering.
  • Software engineering skills and ability to develop and deploy complex software projects
  • Experience in developing modern JavaScript/TypeScript frontends with frameworks (e.g. React).
  • Familiarity with Azure cloud services and infrastructure-as-code tools (e.g., Terraform).
  • Advanced DevOps capabilities, including Bash scripting, automation, and CI/CD practices (e.g., Jenkins, Docker, Bitbucket Pipelines, Azure DevOps, Python packaging systems).
  • Experience in leveraging AI for coding.

Only direct applications will be considered for this vacancy and we do not accept dossiers from recruitment agencies.

Benefits

Working conditions

Working conditions Our employees are our most valuable asset. At Swiss Life Asset Managers, we place particular emphasis on compensating them fairly and in line with the market. In addition to the basic salary, compensation consists of a bonus based on the company's success and personal performance. Full-time employees are entitled to at least 25 days off per year. We celebrate service anniversaries every five years.

Remote Working from Abroad

Remote Working from Abroad With our Remote Working from Abroad offering, we enable our employees to work from Abroad for a specific number of days per year

Grow with us

Grow with us For us, all employees are talents whom we want to promote in the best possible way. With this aim in mind, we have founded our own AM Academy, through which we provide our employees with a broad range of training opportunities. We also support them with external training and development.

Family

Family At Swiss Life Asset Managers we want to meet the needs of young families. We therefore offer female employees six months' maternity leave, of which at least 16 weeks are on full pay. Male employees can take three weeks' paternity leave. We recognise the value of caring and offer a wide range of childcare and family support services.

Flexibility

Flexibility We address the individual needs of our employees and aim to create optimal framework conditions. Employees of Swiss Life Asset Managers can work with their manager to determine the right working model for them (e.g. flexible working hours, mobile office, time-out models).

Health & wellbeing

Health & wellbeing The health and wellbeing of our employees is particularly important to us. To this end, we offer a sports club in Switzerland with an attractive offer. Our canteen in the main building offers fresh and balanced meals every day. Social Care Consulting offers confidential and personal support in the event of restrictions due to operational, health, personal or financial issues.

Discounts

Discounts Working at Swiss Life Asset Managers has many advantages. We offer our employees attractive discounts in the following areas: Swiss Life investment products; mortgages and financial planning; conditions for venturers; public transport; Reka cheques and meals allowances.

Pension and social benefits

Pension and social benefits We are there for our employees – in any case. We offer above-average benefits in the event of accident and illness. We also guarantee a discount of 65% on the premium contribution for pillar 3 life insurance and pay an average of 70% employer's contributions to the pension fund (savings and risk contributions).

Benefits

Contact

Thank you for your message. We will get back to you shortly.

Our Location

Zürich

Swiss Life Asset Managers

We are a leading European asset manager and institutional real estate asset manager with locations in Switzerland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the UK and Norway.

With a strong client focus, here at Swiss Life Asset Managers, success is driven by expecting the unexpected, prioritising sustainability and inclusion, fully investing in our jobs and people, and being on the lookout for new business opportunities – all since 1857.

Find out more

Swiss Life Asset Managers is a dedicated equal opportunity employer. Learn more

Follow us