Director - Principal Research Scientist – AI & Optimization

At Franklin Templeton, we’re driving our industry forward by developing new and innovative ways to help our clients achieve their investment goals. Our dynamic and diversified firm spans asset management, wealth management, and fintech, offering many ways to help investors make progress toward their goals. Our talented teams working around the globe bring expertise that’s both broad and unique. From our welcoming, inclusive, and flexible culture to our global and diverse business, we offer opportunities not only to help you reach your potential but also to contribute to our clients’ achievements.

Come join us in delivering better outcomes for our clients around the world!

This is a HYBRID position, currently requiring 3 days per week in one of our offices.

What is the FTT AI & Digital Transformation Team responsible for?

The FTT AI & Digital Transformation group is a newly established team within Franklin Templeton Technologies, the technology function within Franklin Templeton Investments

What is the Principal Research Scientist – AI & Optimization responsible for?

The core mandate of this role is to bring innovative digital investment products and solutions to market, leveraging a patented and innovative digital WealthTech/FinTech product - Goals Optimization Engine (GOE) - built with several years of academic research in mathematical optimization, probability theory and AI techniques at its core.  The mandate also extends to leveraging cutting edge AI, such as Generative AI, in addition to Reactive AI to create value within various business functions within Franklin Templeton such as Investment Solutions, Portfolio Management, Sales & Distribution, Marketing, and HR functions, among others, in a responsible and appropriate manner. The possibilities are limitless here and present a fantastic opportunity for a self-motivated and driven professional to make significant contributions to the organization and to themselves.

What are the ongoing responsibilities of a Principal Research Scientist – AI & Optimization?

As a Principal Research Scientist - AI and Optimization, you will play a pivotal role in driving innovation, product research, and proof of concepts for our AI research and Goals Optimization Engine (GOE) product roadmap. You will be responsible for mentoring and guiding a team of highly motivated research scientists, creating intellectual property, and ensuring successful client deployments and product development.

Key Responsibilities:

Innovation, Product Research, Proof of Concepts, Pseudocode & Design (40%):

• Lead and contribute to the multi-year Goals Optimization Engine (GOE) product roadmap, conceptualizing fitment against various industry use cases, creating product variants, and designing new features and enhancements across multiple distribution lines and geographies

• Mentor and guide a team of research scientists to achieve common objectives

• Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for a specific domain within AI and/or Optimization, acting as the go-to person for all internal stakeholders

• Develop pseudocode and working prototypes in a Python environment, collaborating closely with Product Managers and Product Developers

• Create well-articulated design documents and presentations to explain research to internal and external stakeholders, including clients and partners located globally

• Lead industry research and evaluate partnerships with third-party vendors and specialized service providers where appropriate

• Maintain a thorough understanding of boundary conditions, regulatory environments, data challenges, technology integrations, algorithmic dependencies, and operational process nuances to ensure nothing slips through the cracks

• Stay up to date with the latest developments in the Investment Management industry, Financial Mathematics, Portfolio Construction, and Portfolio Management

IP Creation, Paper Writing, and Thought Leadership (30%):

• Conceptualize and produce high-quality intellectual property for publication in top-tier academic and practitioner journals

• Peer-review the work of other research scientists and improve the outcome of their research output

• Create patent-worthy intellectual content, apply for patents, and win them

• Take responsibility for winning industry awards for exceptional product research and innovative work products

• Stay informed about the latest industry research and evaluate it objectively and in an unbiased manner

• Publish research works for conferences

Client Deployment, Product Development, and Vendor Due Diligence (30%):

• Act as the SME in initial client deployment discussions, showcasing the rigor of research, explaining the product or solution concept, and engaging in discussions with similar individuals/teams from the client/partner side

• Contribute to product development by ensuring alignment with research and design

• Provide hands-on support where required to complete time-critical work successfully

• Engage with third-party vendors and potential integration partners to understand their capabilities, methodologies, and algorithms, and perform rigorous due diligence to make clear recommendations on Go/No-Go decisions

What ideal qualifications, skills & experience would help someone to be successful?

Education:

• Bachelor's and Master's degree in STEM disciplines; a PhD in a relevant discipline (Optimization, Probability, Quant Finance, AI & ML, Computational Mathematics, Statistics, etc.) would be a +

• Relevant industry certifications

Experience - Core Skills:

• 10+ years of applied R &D experience in research departments of reputed organizations post-Masters or PhD

• Track record of real innovation generating impact is essential

• Demonstrated ability to create intellectual content, publish papers, and obtain patents

• Ability to effectively bridge the gap between academia and practice, ensuring research is practical and implementable

• Structured thinking and exceptional mathematical skills

• Excellent team player with the ability to work with ambiguity and thrive in chaos

• Familiarity with ML/DL/DRL, NLP, especially Large Language Models, dynamic programming, and/or convex optimization

• Solid experience with AWS and/or Azure

• Familiar with Python, PySpark, SQL, Hadoop, C++

Experience - Other Soft Skills:

• Proven ability to take initiative and work under pressure in a changing, fast paced environment

• Exceptional decision-making skills, with the ability to prioritize across needs given limited resources

• Thrives in a startup-like environment: loves dealing with a fast pace and changing needs

• Ability to build relationships both inside and outside of the product organization

• Ability to narrate a story for a problem along with the capacity to dive into minute details

• Superlative communication and consensus-building skills

Franklin Templeton offers employees a competitive and valuable range of total rewards—monetary and non-monetary — designed to support their well-being and recognize their time, talents, and results.  Along with base compensation, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, a 401(k) plan with a generous match, and recognition rewards. We also offer a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a range of competitive healthcare options, insurance, and disability benefits, employee stock investment program, learning resources, career development programs, reimbursement for certain education expenses, paid time off (vacation / holidays / sick / leave / parental & caregiving leave / bereavement / volunteering / floating holidays) and a motivational wellbeing program. We expect the annual salary for this position to range between $190,000 - $250,000, depending on location and level of relevant experience.

#LI-Hybrid

#DIRECTOR

Experience our welcoming culture and reach your professional and personal potential!

Our culture is shaped by our diverse global workforce and strongly held core values. Regardless of your interests, lifestyle, or background, there’s a place for you at Franklin Templeton. We provide employees with the tools, resources, and learning opportunities to help them excel in their career and personal life.

Hear more from our employees

By joining us, you will become part of a culture that focuses on employee well-being and provides multidimensional support for a positive and healthy lifestyle. We understand that benefits are at the core of employee well-being and may vary depending on individual needs. Whether you need support for maintaining your physical and mental health, saving for life’s adventures, taking care of your family members, or making a positive impact in your community, we aim to have your needs covered. Learn more about the wide range of benefits we offer at Franklin Templeton.

Highlights of our benefits include:

• Three weeks paid time off the first year

• Medical, dental and vision insurance

• 401(k) Retirement Plan with a generous company match on your pre-tax and/or Roth contributions, up to the IRS limits

• Employee Stock Investment Program

• Reimbursement for certain education expenses 

• Purchase of company funds with no sales charge

• Onsite fitness center and recreation center*

• Onsite cafeteria*

*Only applicable at certain locations

Learn more about the wide range of benefits we offer at Franklin Templeton

Franklin Templeton is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and existing employees, and we evaluate qualified applicants without regard to ancestry, age, color, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, or gender expression, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation. 
 
Franklin Templeton is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. If you believe that you need an accommodation or adjustment to search for or apply for one of our positions, please send an email to accommodations@franklintempleton.com. In your email, please include the accommodation or adjustment you are requesting, the job title, and the job number you are applying for. It may take up to three business days to receive a response to your request. Please note that only accommodation requests will receive a response.