Lead / Senior AI/ML Data Scientist
Vanguard Open · verified Oct 21, 2026 At a glance
Senior AI Research role at Vanguard. Malvern · full-time · no salary stated · we estimate $160,550–$249,500 across the United States.
Vanguard has not published a salary for this role. The figure below is our estimate, not theirs.
aimlroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Run research on large historical datasets, turning hypotheses and model results into portfolio and trading insights
- Investigate market impact across microstructure, fund flows and liquidity to identify execution risks and opportunities
- Shape the back-testing framework and signal libraries so research experiments are repeatable and reliable
- Work with technology to launch models, track live results and refine them using market feedback
- Coach quant strategists and data scientists on production code, data pipelines and research-to-production practices
What you bring
- At least five years driving advanced data science work, including back-testing, simulation and statistical modeling
- A master's or PhD in machine learning, data science, financial engineering, computer science or another related quantitative field
- Strong Python skills and familiarity with common ML libraries, plus experience partnering with data engineering on production models
Who this fits
This senior role suits you if you can lead quantitative research and explain technical tradeoffs, impact and value to senior leaders. The position is based in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship.
From the employer
Senior Data Scientist — Investment Management Fintech Strategies (IMFS)
Investment Management Fintech Strategies (IMFS) is a global team headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania. We partner with investment teams to explore and apply new technologies that can improve investment performance, strengthen decision-making, and help capital markets work better for Vanguard’s investors. Our work spans advanced analytics and AI/ML, new data sources, market structure and liquidity research, and building scalable platforms and tools that move from experimentation into production.
Responsibilities:
- Own end-to-end research using large-scale historical data: form hypotheses, run analyses, develop models, and translate results into insights that can improve portfolio construction and trading decisions.
- Identify and solve market-impact problems across microstructure, fund flows, and liquidity dynamics—surfacing risks and opportunities tied to execution quality and market impact.
- Design and lead the evolution of core research tooling, including the back-testing framework and signal libraries, to enable repeatable, high-quality experimentation.
- Apply AI/ML thoughtfully in financial markets, staying current on emerging techniques and evaluating what is practical, robust, and scalable in real-world market environments.
- Raise the bar on engineering quality by mentoring quant strategists and data scientists on production-grade code, data pipelines, and research-to-production best practices.
- Partner with technology to integrate models into production systems, monitor live performance, and iterate based on market feedback and measured outcomes.
- Represent Vanguard externally by contributing to industry discussions and thought leadership in areas relevant to AI/ML, systematic research, trading, and market structure.
Qualifications:
- 5+ years leading or driving advanced data science work, including back-testing, simulation, and statistical modeling in complex problem spaces.
- Master’s or PhD in machine learning, data science, financial engineering, computer science, or related quantitative discipline.
- Strong end-to-end data science capability: problem framing → research design → modeling → validation → deployment partnership.
- Proficiency in Python and common ML libraries; experience collaborating with data engineering and bringing models into production.
- Demonstrated ability to apply AI/ML to solve complex technical problems through collaboration, creativity, and disciplined research.
- Comfortable partnering with senior leaders—communicating tradeoffs, impact, and value in a clear, decision-oriented way.
Special Factors
Sponsorship
Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.About Vanguard
At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.
To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.
How We Work
Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.