As a member of the MQM Class of 2022, I am lucky to say that I have found a great role with a great company. I have been working as a quantitative research associate at MFS Investment Management for about a year now. It’s a challenging job where I can leverage the technical skills I gained in the MQM program, but I also take advantage of opportunities to pursue some of my personal interests, like music and sports.

Here’s what a day in my life as a quantitative research associate looks like.

Morning

I typically arrive between 8 and 8:30 a.m. My first priority is to address any urgent items that need my attention in the morning.

MFS works primarily with institutional clients, and we have eight sector teams consisting of portfolio managers, analysts, and researchers who research/invest in companies belonging to a specific sector. My work primarily deals with the consumer staples sector.

In the morning, I typically receive a request from a sector team or the broader fundamental equity team to fulfill data requests.

Mid-Morning

Once I’m done with those data requests, I work on my own quantitative projects. The focus of these projects can vary. In the past, I have researched the effectiveness of specific constraints we include in our model and if modifications are needed. I also consult with portfolio managers on questions from their client meetings or help them actively manage their portfolios.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, we are often invited to hear from guest speakers. A few examples of speakers we have hosted in the past include CEOs of companies that want to share their future forecasts, industry analysts presenting market trends, or a research analyst from our team.

Late Afternoon

Now it’s time for some music! I am an active member of the music employee resource group (ERG) at MFS. The ERG includes thirty MFS employees who enjoy playing and creating music together.

We usually practice together in the afternoons and perform at various social events throughout the year. I played in the marching band and pep band at Duke, so this is a great opportunity for me to continue exploring my passion for music and enhance my saxophone skills.

Outside of the Office

One of the great perks of working at MFS is that we have a company suite at TD Garden and Gillette Stadium, the homes of the Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins and New England Patriots. I love to watch games when I can. I even got to see former Duke Blue Devil Jayson Tatum play with the Boston Celtics in the NBA playoffs last year.

In a recent conversation with Fuqua’s Admissions team, I spoke about why I joined Fuqua’s MQM program and the skills I learned at Fuqua that help me with my day-to-day work. You can watch that conversation here: