Junkai Qian

Junkai Qian, Ph.D., is a Quantitative Analyst at Zacks Investment Management based in Chicago, Illinois. In his current role since January 2020, he is responsible for conducting research to generate data-driven investment ideas and alpha-generating opportunities. He analyzes newly identified market patterns and situations for their impact on portfolios, and communicates his findings through white papers for marketing and client education.

Dr. Qian's expertise focuses on quantitative strategies across U.S. equities, global asset allocation, managed futures, and alternative investments. He has extensive experience assessing market anomalies and leveraging advanced statistical techniques to inform portfolio construction and risk management, with a strong emphasis on systematic and data-driven approaches. His investment sector focus includes equity model development and the integration of alternative assets, informed by previous roles in managed futures at Efficient Capital Management.

Prior to joining Zacks Investment Management, Junkai served as a Quantitative Analyst at Zacks Investment Research and Efficient Capital Management, where he honed his skills in developing and testing proprietary investment models. He earned both his M.S. in Finance and Ph.D. in Management Science from Illinois Institute of Technology. His published research includes co-authorship of two quantitative finance papers in The Journal of Portfolio Management and The Journal of Alternative Investments, contributing to the advancement of quantitative investment methodologies.