Financial Market Data & Research Operations Analyst
We’re excited to help our client Aiera.com, a fast‑growing, well‑funded American startup in the financial research technology industry, build their team in the Algarve.
Overview
Aiera is hiring a Research Operations Associate to support the analytical, data‑mapping, and ontology‑governance workflows that power its global financial research and AI ecosystem. This position focuses on structuring consensus data, aligning taxonomies, and validating analytical relationships across multiple market‑data and research feeds.
We’re looking for candidates with 3–6 years of experience in sell‑side or buy‑side research operations, investment‑banking research, or financial‑data analytics who understand how research, estimates, and financial data are created, classified, and reconciled across providers.
The ideal candidate combines analytical depth with data‑quality discipline and has a passion for improving how financial research is organized and delivered through AI systems.
NOTE:
* This is not a traditional investment‑banking or equity‑research role. It is designed for professionals who understand how research data is structured and standardized, not those who author valuation reports or client recommendations.
* This is not a data‑engineering position — the role is analytical and operational. The focus is on mapping, validation, and ontology alignment, not coding or pipeline development.
This is a hybrid role based around Loulé / Faro, Algarve (2–3 days per week at the office). Competitive compensation in the range of €40,000 – €50,000 gross annual, plus relocation support for candidates within Europe.
Key Responsibilities
* Research Ontology & Taxonomy Alignment
o Design, document, and maintain the unified research ontology used to classify research reports, analysts, sectors, and themes.
o Align Aiera’s internal taxonomy with external standards (GICS, RIXML, ISIN, CUSIP).
o Reconcile discrepancies in provider naming conventions and ensure consistency across systems.
o Support the normalization and reconciliation of financial data and estimates across multiple feeds.
o Validate accounting mappings, author attributions, and cross‑feed linkages to ensure analytical consistency.
o Participate in QA and UAT testing to confirm readiness of new data models or ontology updates.
* QA & UAT Support
o Partner with the QA team to design and execute User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for new data‑model updates or feed integrations.
o Identify anomalies or data gaps and document corrective actions.
o Contribute to version‑controlled SOPs and data‑quality dashboards.
* Prompt‑Engineering Support
o Work closely with the AI / Product teams to refine prompt logic for research data extraction and summarization.
o Provide domain context and structured examples to improve AI accuracy on financial research content.
o Liaise with sell‑side data providers, internal research operations, and engineering teams to ensure alignment on taxonomy, mapping, and data standards.
o Maintain precise documentation and governance materials for data standards and workflows.
Skills and Experience
* Must Have Experience
o 3–6 years in sell‑side or buy‑side research operations, investment‑banking research, or financial‑data analysis.
o Experience reconciling or normalizing consensus / estimates data or managing financial‑research datasets.
o Familiarity with RIXML, GICS, ISIN, CUSIP, and financial data standards.
o Exposure to taxonomy, ontology, or data‑mapping frameworks used in financial systems.
* Technical Skills
o Proficiency with Excel; experience using SQL, BI tools, or analytics dashboards to validate and reconcile datasets.
o Familiarity with APIs, SFTP, and data‑integration methods to work with research data feeds (e.g., Bloomberg, Refinitiv).
o Experience using AI‑assisted research or data‑analysis tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, AlphaSense).
o Experience with project‑management or workflow platforms (e.g., Monday.com, Jira, Confluence).
* Soft Skills
o Analytical mindset with precision in taxonomy and metadata work.
o Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
o Curiosity about AI and data‑driven research automation.
o Proactive, ownership‑driven approach — able to balance multiple projects in a fast‑paced, data‑intensive international environment.
* Education
o Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, Information Systems, or related field.
o Advanced coursework in financial analysis, data governance, or information management is a plus.
What You’ll Gain
* Opportunity to grow within a scaling fintech organization shaping the next generation of research operations and AI‑driven insights.
* Direct collaboration with global research providers and data‑standard organizations.
* Exposure to AI‑driven prompt‑engineering workflows for financial data.
* Career growth toward data‑governance, ontology architecture, or AI data‑training roles.
* Support to relocate and enjoy the celebrated Algarve lifestyle, alongside a community of international professionals.
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