Research Associate - Industrial Technology

William Blair•Chicago, IL

19h•$130,000 - $145,000•Hybrid

About The Position

As a sell-side Research Associate in William Blair's Industrials sector, you will conduct fundamental research that helps clients and investment teams understand companies and securities. Working under senior research analysts, you will assemble and validate data on quality growth companies, build and update financial models, and analyze industry sectors and securities to identify investment opportunities. You will prepare research reports, notes, and presentations; visit companies and attend conferences; and develop relationships with company executives. Investment ideas and recommendations are shared directly with clients and support business development. The position also responds to inquiries about securities and industry groups and requires compliance with applicable rules, regulations, firm policies, and procedures. The role requires a bachelor's degree and 2–5 years of related investment research experience. A Finance or Accounting concentration is preferred, as are CFA, CPA, or technical designations. SIE, Series 7, Series 63, Series 86, and Series 87 exams are required within the first 180 days. The position is eligible for a discretionary annual bonus and/or commission-based incentives. The stated base salary range is $130,000–$145,000 USD.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Two to five years of related investment research experience required.
SIE Exam, Series 7, Series 63, Series 86, and Series 87 required within the first 180 days.
Advanced conceptual and critical thinking skills.
Advanced accounting and financial statement analysis skills.
Proficiency in building computer-generated financial models.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex financial information clearly to varied audiences.
Client-service orientation.
Ability to work independently in support of team goals.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Bloomberg, and other investment-industry-standard data sources.

Nice To Haves

Concentration in Finance or Accounting.
CFA, CPA, or technical designation.

Responsibilities

Assemble and validate data on quality growth companies using internal and external sources, collecting information on industry events, company financials, investment information, and other relevant research data.
Evaluate potential data sources and ensure that data complies with firmwide data standards.
Assist senior Research Analysts in defining and documenting objectives and approaches for research projects and studies.
Conduct research using predefined parameters; build or update financial models and statistical data to analyze securities and identify investment opportunities.
Communicate findings to the Research team and refine analyses based on team input.
Prepare internal and external reports, notes, presentations, and other materials communicating research findings, news events, investment ideas, and opinions.
Visit companies and attend conferences and other relevant events; build and maintain relationships with company executives; document contacts and information gathered to support analysis.
Identify and formulate investment ideas and issue opinions and recommendations to clients on securities and companies in targeted industry groups to generate business activity.
Respond to inquiries from clients, investment teams, sales and marketing, and the general public about individual securities or industry groups.
Ensure work complies with applicable rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Perform additional responsibilities as requested.