Standard & Poor's is looking to hire a professional to work in its structured finance group in New York, according to an official at the firm. The hire would be responsible for analyzing mortgage-related asset-backed and traditional mortgage-backed securities. The hire would be at the associate director level. It could not be determined if the hire is a replacement or for a new position, and to whom the new hire would report. Joe Sheridan, head of the North American asset-backed business, did not return a call and other S&P officials were unable to provide more information by press time.