2027 Machine Learning Research Associate Program - PhD (New York)

Program Overview

The Technology Machine Learning Research Summer Internship is an intensive 10-week program that provides Summer Associates the opportunity to work alongside full-time Finance professionals and ML specialists on impactful applied research projects. Summer Associates will work within Morgan Stanley’s Machine Learning Research Team for the duration of the program. This highly motivated and collaborative team of scientists, technologists, and market practitioners partners with business units and technology teams across the Firm to solve mission-critical, high-impact problems. The program features senior quant teach-in sessions, divisional speaker series, networking events, and community service. With individualized coaching and continuous feedback, the program enables Summer Associates to experience and understand what a long-term career in ML research within the Firm entails. Summer Associates will receive on-the-job training as they begin their daily work and projects, with a direct manager and a program mentor available as resources throughout the internship.

Role and Responsibilities

• Independently tackle previously unsolved research problems that have commercial applications.
• Apply Machine Learning and other advanced quantitative methods across every line of business; the central ML Research team creates custom algorithms and tailored solutions.
• Leverage your technical expertise and research acumen to address real-world financial and operating problems.
• Collaborate with team members to translate research findings into actionable insights and implementations.

Qualifications and Skills

• You're pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, Chemistry, Financial Engineering, Financial Math, Engineering, Quantitative Finance, or a related quantitative field.
• You have a deep understanding of statistical learning methods and strong mathematical training.
• You have excellent programming skills in Python or R; proficiency in C, C++, Java, or related languages is a plus.
• You have a keen interest in financial markets.
• You possess the drive and desire to work in an intense, team-oriented environment.
• You have strong communication and organizational skills.
• A track record of publishing in competitive venues is highly regarded.
• Broad experience across multiple fields is a plus.

Compensation

Expected base pay rates for the role will be between $170,000 and $185,000 per year at the commencement of employment. Base pay, if hired, will be determined on an individualized basis and is only part of the total compensation package, which may also include commission earnings, incentive compensation, discretionary bonuses, other short- and long-term incentive programs, and other Morgan Stanley-sponsored benefit programs.