Role Overview:

The North America Credit Flow business is seeking a Desk Strat at the Analyst or Associate level to support the Leveraged Finance (LevFin) trading desk, which includes Leveraged Loans (LL), High Yield bonds (HY), and the Special Situations Group (SSG). The successful candidate will join the Global Credit Strats and AI Innovation Team, partnering closely with traders, desk analysts, and sales to design, enhance, and maintain analytical tools and trading systems that underpin the business. This is a hands-on, front-office role offering direct exposure to the trading desk.

The role centers on developing and scaling data-driven analytics to support pricing, risk management, workflow and trade idea generation for the trading desk. The candidate will work with structured and unstructured data sources, build analytical models, and help drive decisions around execution, risk management, and capital allocation. In addition, the candidate will contribute to designing the next generation of AI-empowered workflow tools for the desk, leveraging modern machine learning and data technologies to enhance trader productivity, information discovery, and decision support. This individual will collaborate with key stakeholders across Technology, Market Risk, Finance, and Operations in addition to maintaining and developing strat-managed tools.

The successful candidate will join the Global Credit Strat and AI Innovation Team, partnering closely with traders, desk analysts, and sales to design, enhance, and maintain analytical tools and trading systems that underpin the business. This is a hands-on, front-office role offering direct exposure to the trading desk.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain the LevFin analytics foundation and trading system infrastructure

• Expand business capabilities to incorporate new structured and unstructured data sources and build relevant analytics

• Design, improve, and maintain pricing and risk models across LevFin and SSG products

• Help design and implement next-generation AI-enabled workflow and AI alpha research tools to improve trading desk efficiency and idea generation

• Partner with traders, sales, and analysts to identify and execute trade ideas

• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders (Tech, MRM, MRD, Finance, Ops) to align tools and analytics with broader business objectives

Required Skills and Experience:

• 2+ years of experience in a quantitative or data-driven role within financial markets

• Proficiency in Kdb+/q and Python (or strong aptitude to learn)

• Experience with large-scale structured and unstructured data development preferred

• Familiarity with AI agentic workflow automation is a plus

• Understanding of fundamental credit and financial analysis (e.g., financial statements, earnings, market events) is a plus

• Self-motivated, detail-oriented problem solver, and able to manage multiple priorities independently

• Ability to communicate effectively across trading, sales, and support functions

Why This Role:

This is a unique opportunity for an internal candidate looking to move into a front-office, markets-oriented role. The position offers direct exposure to trading strategy, risk management, and AI innovation within a market that continues to see tremendous growth and opportunity. The role also provides the chance to help shape how advanced analytics and AI-powered tools are integrated into the trading workflow, driving the next generation of data-driven decision making on the desk.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM MORGAN STANLEY:

At Morgan Stanley, we raise, manage and allocate capital for our clients – helping them reach their goals. We do it in a way that’s differentiated – and we’ve done that for 90 years.  Our values - putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, committing to diversity and inclusion, and giving back - aren’t just beliefs, they guide the decisions we make every day to do what's best for our clients, communities and more than 80,000 employees in 1,200 offices across 42 countries. At Morgan Stanley, you’ll find an opportunity to work alongside the best and the brightest, in an environment where you are supported and empowered. Our teams are relentless collaborators and creative thinkers, fueled by their diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are proud to support our employees and their families at every point along their work-life journey, offering some of the most attractive and comprehensive employee benefits and perks in the industry. There’s also ample opportunity to move about the business for those who show passion and grit in their work.

To learn more about our offices across the globe, please copy and paste https://www.morganstanley.com/about-us/global-offices​ into your browser.

Expected base pay rates for the role will be between $110,000 and $125,000 per year at the commencement of employment for Analyst, and between $150,000 and $200,000 per year at the commencement of employment for Associate. However, base pay if hired will be determined on an individualized basis and is only part of the total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include commission earnings, incentive compensation, discretionary bonuses, other short and long-term incentive packages, and other Morgan Stanley sponsored benefit programs.

Morgan Stanley's goal is to build and maintain a workforce that is diverse in experience and background but uniform in reflecting our standards of integrity and excellence. Consequently, our recruiting efforts reflect our desire to attract and retain the best and brightest from all talent pools. We want to be the first choice for prospective employees.

It is the policy of the Firm to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, sex stereotype, gender, gender identity or expression, transgender, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, disability, marital and civil partnership/union status, pregnancy, veteran or military service status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversifying its workforce (M/F/Disability/Vet).