Data Operations Associate

About AQR Capital Management

AQR is a global investment firm built at the intersection of financial theory and practical application. We strive to deliver concrete, long-term results by looking past market noise to identify and isolate the factors that matter most, and by developing ideas that stand up to rigorous testing. By putting theory into practice, we have become a leader in alternative strategies and an innovator in traditional portfolio management since 1998.

At AQR, our employees share a common spirit of academic excellence, intellectual honesty and an unwavering commitment to seeking the truth. We're determined to know what makes financial markets tick - and we'll ask every question and challenge every assumption. We recognize and respect the power of collaboration and believe transparency and openness to new ideas leads to innovation.

Your Role:

AQR is seeking a highly motivated Data Operations Associate to join our Market Data team. In this role, you will play a critical part in ensuring that trial and production datasets are delivered quickly, efficiently, and reliably to internal stakeholders across the firm. Working closely with engineers, researchers, and business teams, you will help onboard new data, run initial quality checks and analytics, and support the health of data pipelines. You will be responsible for monitoring and triaging issues, escalating to engineering or vendors as needed, and ensuring that resolutions are clearly documented and communicated. This is a hands-on, operational role that requires strong technical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues at all levels. In this role you will:

• Develop a strong understanding of AQR's businesses, services, and processes to identify opportunities for operational improvements.
• Partner with the Market Data Sourcing team to onboard trial and production datasets, working with engineers to ensure data is made available to researchers efficiently.
• Run first-pass checks and basic analytics on datasets, summarizing findings for internal teams.
• Monitor and triage feed quality issues, schema changes, and data breaks, utilizing tools to ensure operational reliability.
• Take ownership of escalation, coordinating with engineering teams and external vendors to resolve production issues.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across the firm to ensure timely support for questions, requests, and troubleshooting.
• Document updates, issues, and resolutions in a transparent and consistent manner to keep stakeholders informed.

What You'll Bring:

• 2-5 years relevant experience, BA/BS degree required
• Experience in databases (SQL, PostGres) and general data ETL process
• Familiarity with Python and general scripting
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify, investigate, and resolve data-related issues.
• Strong attention to detail with a passion for data quality
• Excellent communications skills, written and verbal, with the ability to work effectively with internal stakeholders at all levels.
• A disciplined approach to documentation and reporting, ensuring transparency across teams.

The salary range for this role is expected to be $130,000 to $150,000. This is the range that we in good faith believe is accurate for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, depending upon factors such as skills, experience, location, or other business and organizational needs. This wage range may also be modified in the future.

This job is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus.

We offer comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance, 401(k), and any other benefits to eligible employees.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company's sole discretion, consistent with the law.

AQR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. EEO/VET/DISABILITY