Finance Associate

Bridgewater Associates•New York, NY

1d•$85,000 - $110,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Bridgewater Associates is a premier asset management firm focused on delivering unique insight and partnership for the most sophisticated global institutional investors. Our investment process is driven by a tireless pursuit to understand how the world’s markets and economies work, using cutting-edge technology to validate and execute on timeless and universal investment principles. Founded in 1975, we are a community of independent thinkers who share a commitment to excellence. By fostering a culture of openness, transparency, and inclusion, we strive to unlock the most complex questions in investment strategy, management, and corporate culture. Our culture is anchored in excellence, meaning constant improvement, and it is deeply tied to our mission. Because markets are objective, competitive, and getting smarter every day, we need to keep rapidly improving to have any chance of beating them. Truth is our most essential tool for engaging with the markets and constantly improving because once you know what's true about your problems and opportunities, you can determine how to get better. Valuing truth means being transparent about your decision-making and mistakes, giving and receiving feedback with humility, and fighting for the best answers over hierarchy, ego, or self-interest. Operating this way is hard – it's only possible because we build meaning in our work and relationships. This meaning comes from the audacity of the mission, and the joy of working alongside people who make you a better version of yourself. The culture, like Bridgewater itself, is always evolving. In 1997 our founder Ray Dalio wrote down his lessons, starting with a Philosophy Statement which remains our foundation. This later evolved into a set of 300+ Principles. In 2022, when Ray transitioned the company, we re-underwrote several of those principles and evolved others, with a specific focus on Meritocracy. Today the culture sits, alongside our people, as our most important edge. When we get it right, it’s the engine that powers everything else. The Finance Department leads Bridgewater’s financial strategy and serves as a strategic advisor to businesses across the firm. We partner with leaders to translate strategy into financially sound plans, evaluate growth opportunities, and make informed decisions about how to allocate capital. Our work builds financial resilience and drives long-term shareholder value, supported by rigorous analysis, reporting, and controls. We are also transforming how Finance operates, using AI and automation to deliver faster insights and focus more of our expertise on the decisions that shape the firm’s future. About the role: Finance Associates are core members of the department from day one. You will partner with leaders across the firm, build the analysis behind important decisions, and communicate the “so what” behind the numbers. Finance Associates work across areas such as business planning and analysis, corporate finance, and investor relations, gaining a broad view of how Bridgewater operates. Every Finance Associate joins the Finance Associate Program, which helps early-career finance professionals develop, grow, and connect within Bridgewater’s Finance organization. The program has three pillars: Training and professional development: Training in AI, finance fundamentals, advanced Excel, and financial modeling, with a path tailored to your role. Mentorship and exposure to leadership: A one-on-one mentor from among Finance’s senior professionals with opportunities to learn from leaders across the organization. Community and cohort engagement: Join a cohort of FAs across Finance who come together to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and build relationships through discussions and events they help organize.

Requirements

This role is for graduating seniors in the Class of 2027 completing a four-year degree from an accredited undergraduate institution with an academic focus or demonstrated interest in finance, accounting, economics, business, or a related field.
A strong academic track record and demonstrated math and analytical ability.
Evidence of leadership on or off campus.
Proficiency in Excel and experience using AI tools to improve analysis or streamline work.

Nice To Haves

Analytical: Detail-oriented and able to turn numbers into a story, separating the big from the small.
AI-minded: Energized by using AI to redefine what finance can do, with hands-on curiosity about AI tools and large language models.
An owner: Proactive and gritty, with the drive to carry work from idea through execution.
An independent thinker: Comfortable using data and logic to challenge assumptions thoughtfully.
A clear communicator: Able to explain complex ideas simply, ask sharp questions, and build trust with senior stakeholders.
Feedback-oriented: Eager to seek and give feedback, and quick to learn from mistakes.

Responsibilities

Build financial models and analyses that inform leadership decisions and translate insights into clear recommendations.
Drive critical processes including planning and budgeting, financial reporting, capital planning, valuation, and liquidity analysis.
Partner with business leaders to pressure-test decisions before resources are committed.
Use AI tools and automation to make Finance’s work faster, more accurate, and more scalable.
Prepare concise materials and narratives for senior leadership.