M&A Research Analyst

Location : St. Louis, MO (in-person preferred; open to hybrid) Position Type: Full-Time, Permanent Level : M&A Research Analyst (responsibilities and compensation scale with experience and demonstrated capability) Reports To : Managing Partner ABOUT ALPHACURRENT PARTNERS AlphaCurrent Partners is a buy-side M&A origination and advisory firm focused on proprietary deal sourcing for lower middle market private equity clients. We operate exclusively across essential, non-discretionary, and mission-critical industries: B2B services, industrial and infrastructure, and non-discretionary consumer services. Our founding team brings decades of senior-level M&A experience and a track record spanning 500+ transactions and $3.5B+ in enterprise value. Our edge is proprietary, off-market deal flow, and the quality of the research and outreach that produces it. We are a small, ambitious team that would rather build the better way than inherit the old one. We are deliberately AI-forward, building proprietary tools and workflows that most firms in our market have not. We pair institutional-grade data platforms with frontier AI, including Claude, across sourcing, automation, and internal operations. We have the energy and upside of a startup, with the discipline and resources of a team that has built and closed deals at scale before. THE ROLE This role is responsible for the research that drives our clients' acquisition pipelines: identifying, profiling, and qualifying private companies against specific investment theses. The work is hands‑on and requires careful judgment, accuracy, and persistence. This is a research role and does not involve financial modeling. You will also help improve how that research gets done by using AI, scripting, automation, and internal tools to make our processes faster, more accurate, and more scalable. Initially, the role will be weighted heavily toward live research and target identification. As you develop, you will take on greater responsibility for methodology, workflow design, and the systems that become part of our proprietary research stack. You are not expected to arrive knowing how to do everything. The people who thrive here are relentless learners who research unfamiliar problems, test solutions, learn from failure, and keep working until they find an answer. We value curiosity, resourcefulness, and demonstrated ability more than a perfect checklist of prior experience. AlphaCurrent operates through two core teams: Research and Origination. Research identifies and qualifies companies; Origination engages business owners directly to confirm fit and develop opportunities. Both are equally important to how we win. This position sits firmly within Research and does not conduct outbound outreach. Analysts support reporting and data integrity, while senior team members take increasing ownership of the firm's sourcing scorecard and research methodology. WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR We hire selectively and hold a high bar for accuracy, judgment, and execution. The right person pairs a researcher's instincts with a builder's mindset. In return, you get direct exposure to live private equity mandates, meaningful responsibility from the start, deep practical fluency with frontier AI applied to real business problems, and a real share in the firm's success. WHAT YOU'LL DO Industry & Target Research Conduct thematic, strategic research and market analysis to identify, profile, and qualify private companies across North America against client investment criteria, including both platform and add‑on opportunities. Learn, apply, and help further develop AlphaCurrent's proprietary research methodology to uncover and confirm information across public and private sources. Own the target identification process from initial screening through delivery of qualified, well‑researched candidates to the Origination team. Build target lists, market maps, company profiles, and industry summaries for review by senior staff and founding partners. Conduct investigative research across institutional‑grade data platforms and frontier AI to surface relevant company‑level information. Systematically identify key leadership contacts at target companies, including founders, owners, CEOs, presidents, and other decision‑makers. Diligently search for and verify contact information for identified contacts, ensuring accuracy before it enters workflows. Sourcing Operations & Reporting Support firm‑wide sourcing and performance reporting, tracking outreach activity, deal pipeline progress, and conversion rates across Research and Origination. Maintain CRM (i.e. Salesforce) and tracker data integrity, and help keep reporting consistent and reliable. Perform routine data cleaning and verification to keep existing records accurate and up to date. AI, Automation & Tooling Use frontier AI and large language models to structure research, accelerate analysis, and improve the quality of deliverables. Build workflows, scripts, automations, and internal tools that improve the speed, accuracy, and scalability of our research process. Evaluate and suggest new tools, data sources, and methodologies to keep our research sharper and more efficient over time. Proactively identify opportunities to apply AI across research, origination, and internal operations. Experiment with new approaches, including AI‑assisted coding and automation, that the team, and often the industry, has not yet tried. Work directly with deal teams and founding partners on live client mandates. Prepare research findings and materials that support internal discussions and client engagement. Take on high‑impact projects across the firm as we grow. As you grow, take on workflow design, mentor junior analysts, and own projects end to end against deadlines and quality standards. HOW WE HIRE This is one role, offered to one person. Responsibilities and compensation scale with experience and demonstrated capability: a strong early‑career hire will focus on executing research and supporting reporting and data integrity, while a more experienced hire will take greater ownership of client mandates, research methodology, the sourcing scorecard, and AI‑assisted workflows. We hire and title to capability, so tell us where you think you fit and we will calibrate together. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Education . Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience and demonstrated ability. Strong academic credentials, including advanced degrees, are valued, but they are not decisive. Candidates with unconventional backgrounds who can demonstrate the precision, judgment, and capability this work demands are encouraged to apply. We prioritize exceptional ability over conventional filters. Research ability. Strong analytical skills and the ability to research and analyze both quantitative and qualitative information. Technical and AI ability. Demonstrated ability to build or improve workflows using Python, SQL, scripting, AI‑assisted development, or no‑code automation, and a habit of using AI to push how research gets done. Production‑level software engineering experience is not required. Communication. Full professional fluency in English, exceptional written and verbal communication, with the ability to distill complex information into clear, concise summaries. Accountability. A demonstrated track record of accountability and success. Attention to detail. Exceptional focus on accuracy and precision in data, writing, and process adherence, with responsiveness and a proactive mindset. Drive. Entrepreneurial‑minded and results‑oriented, with a strong ability to work independently and manage competing priorities. Growth mindset. Genuine curiosity and openness to learning new software, AI tools, and coding concepts in real time, and a willingness to experiment with approaches the team has not yet figured out. Organization. Strong organizational and time‑management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks against deadlines in a fast‑paced environment. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Technical aptitude from any path, whether a degree in computer science, engineering, math, or another quantitative field, self‑taught fluency, or basic exposure to Python, SQL, or scripting with genuine interest in going deeper. Hands‑on experience using frontier AI tools, in academic, project, or professional settings, to build workflows, automate research, and develop internal tools. AI‑assisted coding and rapid prototyping are welcome. Experience with CRM systems, financial data platforms, or investment research tools. Prior experience in M&A, private equity, investment banking, consulting, or investment research is preferred but not required. Strong recent graduates and early‑career candidates with the right aptitude are welcome; we hire for capability and coachability, and we teach the M&A and private equity context. For more experienced candidates, a track record owning complex research projects or investment mandates is strongly preferred. COMPENSATION Base salary of $100,000 to $125,000, depending on level and experience, plus eligibility for discretionary performance bonuses and participation in the firm's profit‑sharing program from the start of employment. You are rewarded in proportion to the value you help create: bonus and profit‑sharing opportunities increase with responsibility, individual contribution, transaction outcomes, and the firm's performance. We are building a small team of high performers who share in the success they help build. Plenty of firms say they put people first. Far fewer pay like they mean it. We intend to. HOW TO APPLY Please send a resume and a brief note on your interest to View email address on click.appcast.io. If you have built or automated something useful with AI or code, show us. Include a brief explanation, example, or link. #J-18808-Ljbffr