Master's Thesis - Fund and Manager Research (6-month contract)

Your team

The Pictet Group is one of the world’s leading independent wealth and asset managers. Founded in 1805 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Group is represented in 31 offices in financial centres worldwide, currently employing over 5,000 people. 

Pictet Wealth Management combines more than 200 years of Swiss banking heritage with global investment expertise. The Partner-owned financial service group offers a comprehensive service for wealthy individuals and families, including discretionary and advisory investment solutions and family office services. 

We are seeking a Trainee (PWM Fund and Manager Research) to explore the evolving landscape of ETFs, with a focus on the risk profiles of active and passive ETFs across different markets. Your role will involve investigating how these products manage market-specific risks such as political instability, currency fluctuations and liquidity constraints. You will develop an innovative quantitative algorithm to screen investment universes, pinpointing critical risk factors that influence ETF performance.

Collaborating with experienced long-only fund analysts, you will analyse historical data to identify patterns and propose strategies for risk management tailored to diverse market conditions. This position offers a unique opportunity to gain predictive insights into manager performance across various investment contexts and time horizons, contributing meaningfully to the advancement of investment strategies.

Your role

• Assess the product suitability of the existing ETF scoring model: Evaluate how well our proprietary algorithm scores ETFs for equities and fixed income, given market shifts over the past decade.
• Identify new risk factors for enhanced ETF analysis: Research and identify additional factors that have strong explanatory power for manager performance, particularly in the context of active and synthetic ETFs.
• Integrate new factors into the scoring algorithm: Modify the existing model to incorporate these new risk factors, improving its relevance and accuracy in today’s investment landscape.
• Analyse risks and opportunities in synthetic passive investments: Explore the specific risks and opportunities associated with synthetic passive ETFs, integrating findings into the updated scoring model to better inform investment strategies.

Your profile

• Master’s student in Finance/Economics, Statistics or Data Science
• A keen interest in financial markets, empirical finance, data analytics and data visualisation
• Proficient in standard IT tools (MS Office, Tableau, SQL, VBA; R, Python is a plus)
• Strong communication skills, ability to work autonomously while being a team player
•  Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, proactive and solution-oriented mindset
• Ability to judge, analyse and work independently
• Perfect command of French and English.

Start date: 1 September 2025

Note

Diversity & Inclusion

Pictet is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a diverse environment. We respect all individuals and seek their inclusion in the workplace.