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Quantitative Analyst

Finance

Develop quantitative techniques to inform securities investing, equities investing, pricing, or valuation of financial instruments. Develop mathematical or statistical models for risk management, asset optimization, pricing, or relative value analysis.

FinanceData Science

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Apply mathematical or statistical techniques to address practical issues in finance, such as derivative valuation, securities trading, risk management, or financial market regulation.
  2. 2Research or develop analytical tools to address issues such as portfolio construction or optimization, performance measurement, attribution, profit and loss measurement, or pricing models.
  3. 3Interpret results of financial analysis procedures.
  4. 4Develop core analytical capabilities or model libraries, using advanced statistical, quantitative, or econometric techniques.
  5. 5Define or recommend model specifications or data collection methods.
  6. 6Maintain or modify all financial analytic models in use.
  7. 7Produce written summary reports of financial research results.
  8. 8Provide application or analytical support to researchers or traders on issues such as valuations or data.
  9. 9Devise or apply independent models or tools to help verify results of analytical systems.
  10. 10Collaborate in the development or testing of new analytical software to ensure compliance with user requirements, specifications, or scope.
  11. 11Confer with other financial engineers or analysts on trading strategies, market dynamics, or trading system performance to inform development of quantitative techniques.
  12. 12Consult traders or other financial industry personnel to determine the need for new or improved analytical applications.
  13. 13Research new financial products or analytics to determine their usefulness.
  14. 14Identify, track, or maintain metrics for trading system operations.
  15. 15Develop methods of assessing or measuring corporate performance in terms of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.
  16. 16Prepare requirements documentation for use by software developers.
  17. 17Collaborate with product development teams to research, model, validate, or implement quantitative structured solutions for new or expanded markets.
  18. 18Develop solutions to help clients hedge carbon exposure or risk.
  19. 19Develop tools to assess green technologies or green financial products, such as green hedge funds or social responsibility investment funds.
  20. 20Assess the potential impact of climate change on business financial issues, such as damage repairs, insurance costs, or potential disruptions of daily activities.
  21. 21Analyze pricing or risks of carbon trading products.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Analyst
  • Structurer
  • Data Analyst
  • Equity Analyst
  • Finance Analyst
  • Research Analyst
  • Equity Structurer
  • Financial Analyst
  • Portfolio Manager
  • Financial Engineer

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. Typical entry

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationMaster's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Principles of AccountingDraws directly on Economics and Accounting — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Economics and Accounting — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Mathematics93%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Economics and Accounting84%

    Principles of AccountingEconomics

  • Computers and Electronics74%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • English Language61%

    English

  • Engineering and Technology54%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Design42%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsOften
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never
  • Time spent sittingAlmost all the time
  • Time spent standingA little

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

32%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

0.30%

Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work

Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job — and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.

On Malaysia's official shortage list

TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List — evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.

Matched to a related occupation on the list, not this exact job title.

Financial Analysts · Shortage indicators met: INSUFFICIENT DATA

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Accountant

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Financial Quantitative Analysts

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org