Quantitative Financial Analyst - Development Validation

LGBT Great; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services company in Edinburgh is looking for a Quantitative Financial Analyst - Development Validation. The successful candidate will bridge financial theory and practice, ensuring the accuracy of financial analytics. Key responsibilities include developing models using Python or R, creating test cases, and resolving discrepancies. Ideally, you should have a master's degree in a related field and strong analytical skills. This role offers a collaborative international work environment.

Qualifications

• 3 to 5 years of experience in model validation or quantitative analysis.
• Master's degree in a relevant field like Financial Engineering.
• Strong understanding of Financial Risk Models and analytics.

Responsibilities

• Review financial analytics requirements and design testing strategies.
• Develop financial model prototypes using Python, R, or MATLAB.
• Create test cases for financial model validation.

Skills

Quantitative analysis

Financial model development

Problem-solving

Analytical skills

Collaborative teamwork

Communication

Education

Master's degree in Financial Engineering or related field

Tools

Python

R

MATLAB

Excel

Job description

At Moody's, we unite the brightest minds to turn today’s risks into tomorrow’s opportunities. We do this by striving to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome to be who they are—with the freedom to exchange ideas, think innovatively, and listen to each other and customers in meaningful ways. Moody’s is transforming how the world sees risk. As a global leader in ratings and integrated risk assessment, we’re advancing AI to move from insight to action—enabling intelligence that not only understands complexity but responds to it. We decode risk to unlock opportunity, helping our clients navigate uncertainty with clarity, speed, and confidence.

If you are excited about this opportunity but do not meet every single requirement, please apply! You still may be a great fit for this role or other open roles. We are seeking candidates who model our values: invest in every relationship, lead with curiosity, champion diverse perspectives, turn inputs into actions, and uphold trust through integrity.

As a Quantitative Financial Analyst - Development Validation, you will ensure the accuracy and quality of financial analytics produced by our asset liability management product. You will serve as the critical bridge between financial theory and implementation, validating that our systems produce correct results aligned with research and industry standards. You will work in a dynamic international environment, collaborating with teams and clients across different countries and time zones.

Primary Responsibilities

• Review financial analytics requirements and collaborate with Engineering, Product Management and Research to design comprehensive testing strategies
• Develop independent financial model prototypes and benchmarks using Python, R or MATLAB to validate production implementations
• Create detailed test cases covering edge cases, stress scenarios, and regulatory requirements
• Analyze discrepancies between expected and actual results, investigating root causes and working with developers to resolve issues
• Offer constructive, results-based input to product and engineering teams to support the optimization of financial models
• Execute and maintain regression test suites to ensure continued accuracy across releases

Skills and competencies

• 3 to 5 years of experience in a similar role (model validation, quantitative analysis, or financial model development)
• Master's degree in Financial Engineering, Quantitative Finance, Accounting, Mathematics, Statistics, or closely-related field
• Good understanding of Financial Risk Models, Fixed Income analysis or Balance Sheet Management
• Strong analytical skills with a rigorous, quantitative approach to problem-solving
• Ability to read and implement financial models from technical specifications
• Proficiency in Excel, knowledge of Python or R or MATLAB
• Fluency in English, with strong written and verbal communication skills, is a mandatory requirement.

Additional desirable skills

• Experience with testing frameworks and automation is a plus
• Programming skills in C++, C# or Java sufficient to understand production code would be a plus
• Detail-oriented with persistence in identifying and resolving subtle numerical issues
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to document findings and explain complex concepts
• Basic understanding of AI/ML concepts and curiosity about how AI can enhance validation processes
• Ability to work independently on multiple validation projects while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams
• Demonstrated creativity, flexibility, and commitment to continuous learning

Moody’s is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by law.
Candidates for Moody's Corporation may be asked to disclose securities holdings pursuant to Moody’s Policy for Securities Trading and the requirements of the position. Employment is contingent upon compliance with the Policy, including remediation of positions in those holdings as necessary.