Associate, Mortgage Analytics

Since 1848, National Life Group has aimed to keep its promises, providing families with stability and peace of mind. NLG Capital, the investment management company of NLG, manages approximately $40+ billion in AUM with a purpose to allow NLG to keep its promises through an obsessive focus on delivering investment results. The team operates with guiding principles of meritocracy, uncompromising transparency, intellectual honesty, performance-driven learning, and relentless pursuit of excellence in a flat, collaborative culture. Please note that we do not offer visa sponsorship for this position.

About the role

The Associate, Mortgage Analytics is responsible for residential whole loan and RMBS analytics used for trading, portfolio management, asset management, and servicing oversight. This hands-on role supports a rapidly growing $5bn+ AUM residential mortgage platform spanning residential whole loans and RMBS. The Associate works closely with analysts, traders, portfolio managers, and the Investment Committee, who rely on the role's analytical output to drive the decision process. The successful candidate is fluent in residential mortgage risk, prepayment analytics, loan credit characteristics, and the plumbing of the mortgage market, including how loans are originated, packaged, sold, and serviced. This is a technical role requiring fluency in Python, SQL, and a data platform such as Databricks.

Schedule

This position currently offers an onsite work schedule, with the expectation that you will be in the office four (4) days per week during onsite core days. Current onsite core days are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The work schedule type and core days are subject to change with advance notification and manager discretion.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain the models used to price residential whole loans and RMBS and run their cash flows, updating assumptions as rates and borrower behavior change.
• Crack and clean bid tapes and loan-level data, price pools, and prepare memos for Transaction Committees overseeing whole loan trading activity.
• Evaluate securitization vs. whole loan markets, and quantify both prepayment and credit risk.
• Evaluate portfolio data and develop repeatable institutional analytics tracking portfolio performance.
• Model prepay and default behavior, develop market comparables and benchmarks, and present performance data to portfolio managers and Investment Committee.
• Support servicing oversight by converting raw servicing data into clear takeaways on servicer performance and loan-level exceptions.
• Own the data pipelines and tooling behind the analytics, including Databricks, Python, and SQL, with a focus on continual improvement.
• Reconcile loan data across systems and work with Operations and Transaction Management to resolve.
• Provide ad hoc analysis and support for trading and portfolio management functions.
• All other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• A quantitative degree or equivalent work experience.
• 2–5 years experience in mortgage analytics or a related field.
• A strong understanding of mortgage cash flows, prepayment modeling, and pricing of residential mortgage risk in both whole loan and securitized form.
• Comfortable working with servicing and remittance data.
• Strong Python and SQL skills and experience, plus hands-on work in Databricks or a similar platform.
• A solid grasp of mortgage analytics and prepayment modeling systems (Aladdin, Intex, Bloomberg, etc.).

AI proficiency expectations

At National Life Group, AI is viewed as an enabler of human potential. All applicants are expected to leverage approved AI tools, where appropriate, to improve the efficiency, quality, and impact of their work; stay curious and open to new AI-enabled ways of working; exercise sound judgment by reviewing and validating AI-generated content; maintain accountability for the accuracy, quality, fairness, and integrity of work products by adhering to National Life's AI guiding principles; and use AI responsibly and in accordance with company policies related to confidentiality, data privacy, security, compliance, retention, and intellectual property.

Applicants in AI-forward roles are also expected to identify practical opportunities to apply AI to improve workflows, productivity, analysis, and business outcomes; create effective prompts, workflows, controls, and human-in-the-loop (HITL) review processes that support responsible AI use; critically evaluate AI-generated outputs for accuracy, quality, bias, fairness, confidentiality, compliance, security, and business relevance; partner appropriately with Legal, Compliance, Risk, Security, Data/Technology, and business stakeholders to move AI ideas from experimentation to responsible adoption; and help model responsible, human-centered AI adoption across the organization.

Competencies

• Service Focus — Demonstrates a client-centric focus for satisfying external and/or internal customers; establishes and maintains effective relationships and gains trust and respect.
• Decision Making — Makes sense of complex information, critically evaluates, and creates solutions.
• Results Oriented — Sets performance and personal goals; driven to meet or exceed goals and objectives.
• Plans and Aligns — Plans and prioritizes work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals; aligns people and skills to tasks and assignments; evaluates results of work.
• Demonstrates Learning Agility — Enhances skills and knowledge through continuous learning; focuses on personal results by establishing stretch goals; seeks feedback and changes accordingly.
• Establishes Relationships — Builds partnerships with others to instill trust, collaborate, and meet shared objectives.
• Communicates Effectively — Actively listens, conveys messages to meet different audience needs, and remains open to new ideas and opinions.
• Fosters Diversity — Values diversity and difference in thought, experience, and perspective; promotes an environment that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion; supports equal and fair treatment for all.

Benefits

Benefits start day one and are flexible and customizable to your and your family's specific needs. The total compensation package includes a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave), dependent on the position offered. The successful candidate may also be eligible to participate in National Life's discretionary annual incentive programs, subject to the rules governing such programs. Paid volunteer time for employees is also provided.

Pay

Base pay range: