Senior Research Scientist
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Job Summary
About ION and Our Research Mission
At ION research is not separate from product it is the engine of innovation.
Our mission is to transform the world of financial and economic intelligence through rigorous data-driven research embedded directly in product development.
IONs Core Banking and Analytics platforms provide access to one of the most comprehensive data ecosystems in the financial sector spanning transactional accounting behavioral textual and unstructured data from across multiple banking institutions.
Our research team leads the scientific development of IONs core financial products including credit risk scoring early warning systems portfolio monitoring and digital finance analytics while advancing the global state of knowledge through academic publications international collaborations and participation in top-tier conferences.
About the Role
We are seeking a Senior Researcher in Applied Economics and Finance with a strong quantitative and modeling background to lead and execute advanced research projects at the intersection of economics data science and financial modeling.
The ideal candidate holds a PhD or a Masters degree (with significant research or industry experience) in Economics Finance Data Science Statistics or a related quantitative field.
They will work in an environment where academic rigor and applied innovation coexist developing the next generation of quantitative models that power IONs financial products and meet the highest standards of regulatory transparency and explainability.
This role also includes participation in IONs global research network with opportunities to collaborate with ION Labs hosted at Bocconi University HEC Paris and leading U.S. universities and to present at international academic and industry conferences.
Key Responsibilities
Research and Modeling
o Lead applied research initiatives in economics finance and data science ensuring both theoretical soundness and practical applicability to IONs core banking products.
o Design implement and validate models using advanced econometrics machine learning causal inference forecasting and network analysis.
o Drive innovation by adopting and testing state-of-the-art methodologies contributing to IONs position as a thought leader in quantitative finance.
o Use IONs internal microdata (transactional financial textual and behavioral) and combine it with public and alternative data sources (news sentiment macroeconomic indicators).
Product Development and Impact
o Translate research outcomes into tangible outputs: models analytical frameworks algorithms and datasets for integration into IONs product suite.
o Collaborate closely with engineering product and analytics teams to ensure robust deployment of models and insights.
o Support model governance and regulatory compliance producing documentation validation frameworks and explanatory material for supervisory authorities.
o Contribute to white papers methodological notes and policy briefs that explain IONs modeling philosophy to clients and regulators.
Academic and Global Collaboration
o Conduct and publish research in top-tier academic journals in economics finance or data science.
o Represent ION at international conferences and research workshops presenting both applied and theoretical contributions.
o Collaborate with ION Labs in partner universities (Bocconi HEC Paris and top U.S. institutions) co-developing joint projects data infrastructures and research outputs.
o Lead or contribute to joint papers vademecum and comparative studies on digital finance risk modeling and regulatory compliance.
Leadership Mentorship and Knowledge Transmission
o Supervise and mentor junior researchers and data scientists promoting methodological rigor and intellectual curiosity.
o Foster a culture of research discipline across ION through internal courses reading groups and seminars on applied econometrics data modeling and causal inference.
o Contribute to the creation of an internal ION Research Curriculum designed to disseminate knowledge and standardize best practices across teams.
o Help build a shared library of reusable code datasets and research documentation to support long-term institutional memory.
Data Environment and Technical Stack
o Work within IONs Databricks-based data architecture using PySpark and internal data lakes to process large-scale structured and unstructured datasets.
o Apply and extend machine learning pipelines including XGBoost LightGBM Random Forests Neural Networks Kalman Filtering and Survival Analysis.
o Implement robust causal inference frameworks (DiD IV RDD Synthetic Control and panel-data models) to establish credible empirical evidence.
o Collaborate with IONs engineering teams to automate model training validation and deployment workflows ensuring reproducibility and scalability.
Deliverables and Performance Metrics
The success of the Senior Researcher will be evaluated along three dimensions:
o Scientific Excellence quality and impact of research output (publications conference presentations academic collaborations).
o Product Innovation contribution to the design and performance of models datasets and analytical frameworks implemented in IONs solutions.
o Organizational Impact leadership in mentoring internal teaching and dissemination of rigorous research methodologies across ION.
Expected outputs include:
o Academic publications or working papers (12 per year).
o Contributions to white papers regulatory vademecum and client documentation.
o Operational models or datasets integrated into ION products.
o Active participation in international conferences (at least 12 per year).
Required Qualifications & Skills
o PhD (or Masters with significant experience) in Economics Finance Data Science Statistics or a related quantitative field.
o Strong expertise in econometrics causal inference and machine learning applied to economic and financial problems.
o Proficiency in Python with experience handling large datasets.
o Familiarity with Databricks PySpark and data engineering workflows is a plus.
o Deep understanding of financial systems risk modeling and regulatory frameworks.
o Demonstrated ability to conduct both academic research and product-oriented modeling.
o Strong communication skills and ability to articulate technical content to multidisciplinary audiences.
o Commitment to scientific integrity transparency and reproducibility.
Career Path and Growth
This position is part of IONs Research Track a career pathway that allows researchers to advance based on scientific excellence impact and leadership.
Outstanding performance in this role may lead to advancement as Principal Researcher or Head of Research Area overseeing larger research programs and representing ION in external collaborations.
Why Join ION
o Work at the intersection of finance data science and applied economics with access to one of the richest financial datasets in Europe.
o Conduct world-class research with real-world impact and visibility in both academia and industry.
o Collaborate with top universities and global research networks.
o Shape the next generation of financial products and analytical infrastructures.
o Be part of a multidisciplinary team that values rigor innovation and intellectual freedom.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process such as reviewing applications analyzing resumes or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed please contact us.
Required Experience:
Senior IC
Key Skills
- Laboratory Experience
- Machine Learning
- AI
- Bioinformatics
- Biochemistry
- Assays
- Research Experience
- Next Generation Sequencing
- Drug Discovery
- Research & Development
- Natural Language Processing
- Molecular Biology
About Company
ION financial software improves decision making, simplifies complicated processes and empowers you by providing the right tools.
