Quantitative Research Analyst Jobs in California
Quantitative Research Analyst jobs in California rank among the most active in the country, concentrated in finance, technology, and biotech across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, with openings from entry-level analyst positions through senior quantitative researcher roles. Major employers with lasting California footprints include BlackRock, Wells Fargo, and NVIDIA, all of which maintain quantitative research teams in the state. The most in-demand specialties are algorithmic trading, risk modeling, and machine learning-driven portfolio analysis. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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INTRODUCTION
PIMCO is a global leader in active fixed income with deep expertise across public and private markets. We invest our clients’ capital across a range of fixed income and credit opportunities, leveraging our decades of experience navigating complex debt markets. Our flexible capital base and deep relationships with issuers have helped us become one of the world’s largest providers of traditional and nontraditional solutions for companies that need financing and investors who seek strong risk-adjusted returns. Since 1971, our people have shaped our organization through a high-performance inclusive culture, in which we celebrate diverse thinking. We invest in our people and strive to imprint our CORE values of Collaboration, Openness, Responsibility and Excellence. We believe each of us is here to help others succeed and this has led to PIMCO being recognized as an innovator, industry thought leader and trusted advisor to our clients.
ABOUT THE JOB
Client Solutions & Analytics is a team of Quantitative Research Analysts that focus primarily on client portfolio and asset management issues from a quantitative perspective. The team’s mandate is broad in nature and covers a wide array of topics in portfolio diagnostics, portfolio optimization, macro insights, asset class insights, and client directed research and thought leadership. The group collaborates with multiple parts of the firm, including Portfolio Management, Product Management, and Account Management. Quantitative Research Analysts take the lead ownership role for maintaining and growing the team’s IP. We achieve this by operating on three drivers: first, they develop all the quantitative models that power the team’s systems and applications. Second, they contribute to the research and thought leadership pieces by working very closely with the team’s senior leadership; and third, they work alongside the team’s solution strategists to deliver high quality analytical studies to our clients. All three factors contribute directly to CS&A becoming a trusted advisor to PIMCO’s top clients.
LOCATION
Location: Newport Beach, CA
Responsibilities
- Designing, developing, and improving the suite of client analytics models and applications
- Collaborating with core Technology at PIMCO to ensure the client analytics applications are scalable, cloud-enabled, and client facing within PIMCO’s digital ecosystem
- Contributing to highly customized asset allocation and portfolio construction studies for key clients
- Supporting innovative research in asset allocation, portfolio optimization, trading signals, asset returns and valuation
- Continuously coming up with new insights to improve the quant models that the team produces, datasets it ingests, and applications it delivers
- Mentorship of junior quants and technologists in the team
REQUIREMENTS
- Quantitative Master’s degree (financial engineering or other quantitative discipline)
- 0-5 years of relevant work experience post-graduate in asset management or financial services
- Formal training and strong interest in some of the following areas: Finance theory (especially portfolio theory, option pricing, and asset pricing), Statistics, and Data Science
- Excellent programming skills in Python
- Experience implementing or working on large financial applications and systems
- Good exposure to and knowledge of financial markets
- Effective communication skills, both oral and written
PIMCO follows a total compensation approach when rewarding employees which includes a base salary and a discretionary bonus. Base salary is the fixed component of compensation that is determined by core job responsibilities, relevant experience, internal level, and market factors. The discretionary bonus is used to award performance and therefore is determined by company, business, team, and individual performance.
COMPENSATION
- Salary Range: $145,500.00 - $205,000.00
Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Statement
PIMCO recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, national origin, ancestry, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and expression), age, military or veteran status, disability (physical or mental), any factor prohibited by law, and as such affirms in policy and practice to support and promote the concept of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, in accordance with all applicable federal, state, provincial and municipal laws. The company also prohibits discrimination on other basis such as medical condition, or marital status under applicable laws.
Applicants with Disabilities
PIMCO is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities, including veterans, in job application procedures. If you have any difficulty using our online system due to a disability and you would like to request an accommodation, you may contact us at 949-720-7744 and leave a message. This is a dedicated line designed exclusively to assist job seekers with disabilities to apply online. Only messages left for this purpose will be considered. A response to your request may take up to two business days.
See All 19 Quantitative Research Analyst Jobs in California
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Find JobsQuantitative Research Analyst Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Quantitative Research Analyst Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Google8

- PIMCO6

- Apollo Management Holdings, L.P.1

- Blackstone1

- MSCI1

Top Industries Hiring
- Investment & Asset Management9
- Banking & Financial Services4
- Construction & Real Estate2
- Artificial Intelligence1
- Technology & Software1
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in quantitative research analyst jobs across California.
- Master's or PhD in mathematics, statistics, financial engineering, or a related quantitative field
- Proficiency in Python, R, or MATLAB for statistical modeling and data analysis
- Experience building and validating quantitative models in finance, risk, or research settings
- Strong command of probability theory, stochastic calculus, and time-series analysis
- Ability to work with large datasets using SQL or distributed computing frameworks such as Spark
- Familiarity with California-based regulatory environments including SEC reporting and risk disclosure standards
Quantitative Research Analyst Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a quantitative research analyst in California?
The path into quantitative research analysis in California typically begins with a bachelor's degree in mathematics, statistics, economics, or computer science, though most competitive roles at California's finance and tech firms require a master's or PhD. California does not issue a state-specific license for this role, but many practitioners pursue the CFA designation through the CFA Institute, which California employers widely recognize. Building a portfolio of modeling projects or contributing to open-source research strengthens candidacy significantly.
How much do quantitative research analysts make in California?
Quantitative research analysts in California earn a median of about $80,810 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $49,160 for the lowest 10% to over $163,120 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire quantitative research analysts in California?
Employers hiring quantitative research analysts in California right now include Google, PIMCO, and Apollo Management Holdings, L.P., based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's concentration of hedge funds, asset managers, and technology companies with quantitative divisions makes it one of the deepest hiring markets for this specialty in the United States.
Which California cities have the most quantitative research analyst jobs?
Newport Beach, Mountain View, and San Francisco account for the most quantitative research analyst openings in California. San Francisco's density of hedge funds, fintech firms, and technology companies with research divisions drives the largest share of postings, while Los Angeles attracts openings from asset managers and entertainment-adjacent analytics groups, and San Diego's biotech and defense research sector generates a consistent stream of quantitative analyst demand.
Are there remote quantitative research analyst jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 21% of quantitative research analyst openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, reflecting how fully the work is conducted on computing infrastructure rather than physical locations. Modeling, backtesting, and research roles are the most remote-friendly, while positions involving direct collaboration with trading desks or portfolio managers more often require in-office presence.
How can I get hired as a quantitative research analyst in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a quantitative internship or new-graduate research program at a California-based asset manager, technology firm, or bank. Large California employers including Wells Fargo and BlackRock run structured analyst programs that accept recent graduates with strong academic records in mathematics or statistics. Candidates with no industry experience can also transition from adjacent roles such as data scientist, statistician, or financial analyst, particularly if they hold or are pursuing a CFA designation or have published independent modeling work.
Where can I find and apply to quantitative research analyst jobs in California?
You can find and apply to quantitative research analyst jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across finance, technology, and research sectors. Find roles that match your background and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 19 Quantitative Research Analyst Jobs in California
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