Mathematics & Finance • University of Alberta
Jakob Bickley
Finance, insurance, and data operations with a strong analytical foundation.
I focus on practical work that improves reporting, streamlines workflows, and turns messy processes into cleaner systems. My experience spans underwriting support, Excel and Python automation, academic leadership, and quantitative finance.
Currently working as a Junior Financial Analyst at Franvest Capital Partners, with continued interest in finance, analytics, and workflow-focused projects.
Education
BSc Mathematics & Finance
Expected Jan 2026
Academic Standing
3.8 GPA
University of Alberta
Designation
CFA Level I Candidate
May 2026
Focus
Automation + Analytics
Excel, Python, Finance
Background
Education & experience
A cleaner snapshot of academics, scholarships, and roles that shaped how I work.
CFA Level I Candidate (May 2026)
University of Alberta - BSc in Mathematics & Finance (Expected Jan 2026)
- GPA: 3.8
- Scholarships:
- The Cathy Allard-Roozen Leadership Award (2023)
- Louise McKinney Scholarship (2023)
- Thorleif M. Fostvedt Scholarship in Mathematics (2024)
- The I M May Denham Memorial Scholarship in Mathematics (2025)
Saskatchewan Government Insurance - Summer Underwriting Intern
- Supported commercial property and auto underwriting teams and worked with brokers to improve quote accuracy and turnaround time.
- Built automated Excel tools to track premiums, quoting success, and broker KPIs, reducing manual reporting time by about 40%.
- Used Python, Selenium, and approved AI tools to streamline administrative workflows and reduce repetitive intake work.
- Standardized intake checklists and quality controls to reduce rework and improve submission completeness.
- Documented repeatable procedures and helped triage edge cases across teams.
University of Alberta - Teaching Assistant (Calculus)
- Evaluated 1,200+ assignments weekly using consistent rubrics and quantitative grading checks.
- Led problem-solving support and identified recurring learning gaps to improve outcomes.
- Provided structured feedback to instructors on common errors and opportunities for clarification.
University of Alberta - Residence Assistant
- Supported and mentored 45+ residents and was recognized as RA of the Year (2024-2025).
- Planned and ran monthly programming that increased engagement and academic support.
- Managed incidents, mediated conflicts, and coordinated with campus teams while maintaining clear documentation.
- Promoted inclusion, wellbeing, and accountability through proactive communication.
Capabilities
Technical skills
A concise view of the tools and finance skills I rely on most.
Python
Data wrangling, web automation, and reporting pipelines
Pandas
NumPy
Matplotlib
Selenium
PDF/Email parsing
Regex
Dataclasses
Excel & VBA
Rapid prototypes and operational tools for end users
Power Query
PivotTables
VBA automation
Financial models
Data validation
Dashboard creation
Data & databases
Simple storage and integration for workflow support
SQL
Access
SharePoint list flows
Finance & risk
Applied insurance and math/finance coursework
Underwriting support
Pricing/quote tracking
Variance analysis
Risk metrics
Backtesting basics
Excel modeling
Underwriting analytics
Exposure analysis
DCF model
Scenario analysis
Derivatives pricing
Fixed income
Selected work
Projects
One featured build, one analytics case, and one longer-term quantitative project.
Featured project
Excel-Driven Guidewire Automation
Bulk vehicle and coverage configuration with automatic VIN lookups
Excel
Python
Selenium
Insurance Ops
This tool keeps Excel as the user interface while automating the heavy lifting in the background via Python scripts. Users enter VINs or VIN/Year/Make/Model combinations, vehicle details and pricing are retrieved where possible, and coverages and vehicles are configured in bulk using a Selenium runner.
- Reduced repetitive clicking and manual re-entry.
- Improved consistency in required field completion.
- Let users keep working in a familiar Excel workflow.
Note: This project is a component of the SGI Automation initiative.
Analytics case
Electricity Capacity & Risk Analysis
AESO capacity trends, renewables growth, and storage expansion (R + ggplot)
Focus
Grid mix shift
Tools
R + ggplot
Key theme
Solar, wind, storage
This project examines how Alberta's generation mix is changing, especially through growth in wind, solar, and storage. It also looks at AESO connection-project data to frame what future capacity and demand could mean for the grid.
A major takeaway is the scale of proposed connections, including substantial data-centre demand, relative to what the system can currently absorb.
Ongoing quantitative project
Markov Bank Run Simulation
Funding stress, regime shifts, and rate shocks in a practical simulation setting
We are building a practical simulation of bank funding stress that a finance professional can read and interpret. The model combines a Markov chain for calm versus stressed regimes, a jump-augmented Vasicek interest-rate process, and simplified balance-sheet flows for insured and uninsured deposits.
The goal is to show how funding costs, run probabilities, and fire-sale losses evolve through time without making the output too academic.