Macroeconomic Researcher, Fixed Income and Currency

The Group:
Research & Investments creates compelling insights and effective investment solutions to empower investor success. We honor time-tested investment principles and consistently apply robust methodologies to earn and protect trust. We thoughtfully deploy our key asset, our people, to scale and deliver more value to more investors. This diverse group comprises Morningstar's Equity, Manager, and Multi-Asset Research teams in addition to our Behavioral Insights and Investment Management teams.
The Role:
The Multi-Asset Research Team requires a skilled and analytical Macroeconomic Researcher to join our Fixed Income and Currency (FIC) team, reporting to the Head of Fixed Income and Currency Research. The ideal candidate will work closely with our Senior Economist to deliver in-depth research on macroeconomic trends, provide forecasts on global markets outside of the U.S., and help set long-term policy inputs for our equity and fixed income asset class models.
This role is based in our Chicago office. We are operating in a hybrid environment where we are in office 3 days/week.
Responsibilities:

• Conduct comprehensive research and analysis of macroeconomic conditions across various countries and regions outside the U.S., focusing on key indicators such as GDP growth, inflation trends, consumer spending, labor markets, housing dynamics, and both fiscal and monetary policies.
• Develop and maintain medium-to-long-term macroeconomic forecasts using a combination of quantitative models and qualitative analysis, regularly updating these projections based on evolving data and changing economic conditions.
• Support asset class research on non-U.S. fixed income and currencies by providing insights into key economic indicators that may influence asset returns.
• Produce in-depth country-level economic research as part of equity asset class conviction updates for non-U.S. country coverage.
• Effectively communicate research findings to internal stakeholders (senior management, investment teams) and external audiences (clients, media) through well-crafted reports, presentations, and discussions.
• Evaluate the potential impact of economic policies and geopolitical events on the economies under coverage, providing risk and opportunity assessments to internal teams and clients.
• Create economic scenarios and key assumptions to support scenario analysis for asset class research.
• Collaborate closely with Senior Economist to ensure a holistic approach to macroeconomic research and forecasting.
• Stay informed on the latest developments in economic research methodologies, modeling techniques, and global economic trends.

Qualifications:

• Exceptional degree of intelligence, curiosity, and creativity.
• Ready collaborator, but also capable of working autonomously and taking ownership of research output and forecasts.
• A proactive passion for building systems that last and accumulate continuous improvement, rather than merely responding to problems on an ad-hoc basis.
• Strong quantitative skills, especially time series econometrics.
• Advanced Excel skills required; familiarity with statistical analysis in Python or R is a major plus.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills, with the ability to distill complex economic information for diverse audiences.
• At least an intermediate knowledge of finance and economics, with a deep yearning to learn more about both subjects.
• Direct experience with macroeconomic research and forecasting is a major plus.

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Morningstar's hybrid work environment gives you the opportunity to work remotely and collaborate in-person each week. We've found that we're at our best when we're purposely together on a regular basis, at least three days each week. A range of other benefits are also available to enhance flexibility as needs change. No matter where you are, you'll have tools and resources to engage meaningfully with your global colleagues.