Quant Finance Jobs in Chicago

Jump Trading is a leading proprietary trading firm specializing in algorithmic and high-frequency trading. They use cutting-edge technology, including FPGA hardware, machine learning, and ultra-low-latency infrastructure to trade across global markets. Jump operates across equities, futures, options, and cryptocurrencies, and has expanded into medium-frequency strategies and crypto ventures through Jump Crypto.

Roles: Quantitative Researcher, Software Engineer, FPGA Engineer, Quantitative Trader

Optiver is a global electronic market maker founded in Amsterdam, with offices in Chicago, Sydney, London, and other major cities. They trade a wide range of financial instruments including options, futures, equities, and ETFs on exchanges worldwide. Optiver is known for their strong training programs, competitive culture, and emphasis on both quantitative skills and trading intuition. They are one of the largest options market makers globally.

Roles: Quantitative Trader, Quantitative Researcher, Software Engineer, Hardware Engineer

IMC is a leading global market maker and proprietary trading firm with offices in Amsterdam, Chicago, and Sydney. They combine cutting-edge technology with deep financial expertise to provide continuous liquidity across global exchanges. IMC trades a broad range of instruments including options, futures, equities, bonds, and ETFs. The firm is known for its strong engineering culture and collaborative, non-hierarchical work environment.

Roles: Quantitative Trader, Quantitative Researcher, Software Engineer, Hardware Engineer

DRW is a diversified principal trading firm that trades its own capital across a wide range of asset classes, instruments, and strategies. Founded by Don Wilson, the firm operates in fixed income, ETFs, equities, FX, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. DRW combines sophisticated quantitative research with technology-driven execution. Their subsidiary Cumberland DRW focuses on crypto trading, making them one of the earliest institutional players in digital assets.

Roles: Quantitative Researcher, Software Developer, Quantitative Trader, Systems Engineer

Akuna Capital is a young but fast-growing proprietary trading firm specializing in derivatives market making. They combine sophisticated quantitative models with cutting-edge technology to provide liquidity in options and futures markets. Akuna is known for their startup-like culture with a flat hierarchy, and they have expanded into crypto trading. Despite being relatively newer, they have quickly established themselves as a competitive employer in the quant space.

Roles: Junior Trader, Quantitative Developer, Quantitative Researcher, Software Engineer

Wolverine Trading is a proprietary trading firm based in Chicago specializing in options and derivatives market making. They provide liquidity across equity options, index options, ETFs, and futures markets. Wolverine combines quantitative analysis with experienced trading judgment and has been a consistent presence in the Chicago prop trading scene for decades. They also offer asset management services through Wolverine Asset Management.

Roles: Quantitative Trader, Software Engineer, Quantitative Researcher, Risk Analyst

Old Mission Capital is a quantitative trading firm that combines technology, data science, and financial engineering to provide liquidity across global markets. They specialize in market making across equities, ETFs, options, and fixed income products. Known for their entrepreneurial culture, Old Mission gives teams significant autonomy to develop and deploy trading strategies. They have a strong focus on building proprietary technology infrastructure.

Roles: Quantitative Trader, Software Engineer, Quantitative Researcher

Radix Trading is a proprietary trading firm focused on high-performance quantitative trading. They use advanced mathematical models, machine learning, and cutting-edge hardware including custom FPGA designs to trade at ultra-low latencies. Radix is known for their deep focus on technology and research, operating as a lean, highly technical team. They trade across multiple asset classes globally and have a strong reputation in the HFT community.

Roles: Software Engineer, FPGA Engineer, Quantitative Researcher, Systems Developer

Allston Trading is a proprietary trading firm that uses sophisticated quantitative models and advanced technology to trade across global electronic markets. They focus on high-frequency market making and statistical arbitrage strategies. Allston is known for their emphasis on technology innovation, maintaining a small but highly skilled team. They develop all their trading infrastructure in-house.

Roles: Software Engineer, Quantitative Researcher, Systems Engineer

Teza Technologies is a quantitative trading firm founded by Misha Malyshev, who previously led Jump Trading's quantitative research team. They develop and deploy systematic trading strategies using machine learning, advanced mathematics, and high-performance computing. Teza trades across multiple asset classes globally and is known for their heavy investment in research and technology. The firm maintains a small, elite team of researchers and engineers.

Roles: Quantitative Researcher, Software Engineer, Systems Engineer

XR Trading is a proprietary trading firm specializing in algorithmic and quantitative trading strategies. They trade across equities, options, futures, and fixed income markets using sophisticated technology and mathematical models. Based in Chicago's trading community, XR Trading operates as a technology-focused firm with a strong emphasis on developing proprietary trading systems and infrastructure.

Roles: Software Developer, Quantitative Researcher, Trading Systems Engineer

Belvedere Trading is a proprietary trading firm based in Chicago that specializes in options and futures market making. They use quantitative models and technology to provide liquidity on major exchanges. Belvedere has a strong culture of mentorship and continuous learning, with a focus on developing traders who understand both the quantitative and intuitive aspects of market making. They trade across equity index, commodity, and interest rate products.

Roles: Junior Trader, Quantitative Analyst, Software Developer, Quantitative Researcher

Chicago Trading Company (CTC) is a proprietary trading firm specializing in derivatives market making across equity index, interest rate, and commodity products. They combine quantitative modeling with market expertise to provide liquidity on major exchanges. CTC is known for their strong educational culture, offering extensive training programs for new hires. They use proprietary technology built in-house to execute their trading strategies.

Roles: Quantitative Trader, Quantitative Analyst, Software Developer

Group One Trading is a Chicago-based proprietary trading firm and one of the oldest options market makers in the industry. They provide liquidity in equity options across major U.S. exchanges. Group One combines experienced trading talent with quantitative analysis and proprietary technology. The firm has evolved from floor-based trading to sophisticated electronic market making while maintaining their deep understanding of options markets.

Roles: Options Trader, Quantitative Analyst, Software Developer

Gelber Group is one of the oldest proprietary trading firms in Chicago, with over four decades of experience in derivatives markets. They specialize in options and futures trading across equity index, energy, and agricultural products. Gelber combines traditional market expertise with modern quantitative approaches and technology. They have evolved from open-outcry pit trading to sophisticated electronic and algorithmic strategies.

Roles: Proprietary Trader, Quantitative Analyst, Software Developer

Peak6 is a financial services and technology firm that started as an options trading firm and has evolved into a diversified platform spanning investments, insurance, and technology. Their trading division focuses on options market making and quantitative strategies. Peak6 is also known for their technology incubator and investments in various fintech and insuretech ventures. They combine trading expertise with an entrepreneurial approach to building businesses.

Roles: Quantitative Trader, Software Engineer, Data Scientist, Trading Technologist

Simplex Trading is a proprietary trading firm specializing in options market making across U.S. equity and index options markets. They use quantitative models and advanced technology to provide continuous two-sided liquidity on major exchanges. Simplex is known for their analytical approach to options trading and their focus on developing cutting-edge risk management tools. The firm maintains a lean, technology-driven operation.

Roles: Quantitative Trader, Software Developer, Quantitative Analyst

Valkyrie Trading is a Chicago-based proprietary trading firm that uses quantitative analysis and advanced technology to make markets in options and futures. They provide liquidity across equity, index, and commodity derivatives on major exchanges. Valkyrie combines systematic trading approaches with hands-on risk management, maintaining a smaller but highly specialized team focused on derivatives market making.

Roles: Quantitative Trader, Software Developer, Quantitative Analyst

Balyasny Asset Management is a global multi-strategy hedge fund managing over $21 billion in assets. They operate a platform model with portfolio management teams across equity long/short, macro, and quantitative strategies. Balyasny has been rapidly expanding their quantitative capabilities and hiring aggressively in the systematic trading space. They are known for their technology infrastructure and risk management systems.

Roles: Quantitative Researcher, Software Engineer, Data Scientist, Risk Analyst

Dimensional Fund Advisors is a systematic investment management firm managing over $700 billion in assets. Founded by David Booth with intellectual roots in the University of Chicago's efficient markets research, Dimensional pioneered the practical application of academic finance research to investment management. They specialize in factor-based strategies including size, value, and profitability factors across global equity and fixed income markets.

Roles: Research Associate, Portfolio Manager, Software Engineer, Data Analyst

HAP Trading is a proprietary trading firm specializing in high-frequency quantitative trading strategies. Based in Chicago, they use advanced algorithms and ultra-low-latency technology to trade across global exchanges. HAP focuses on market making and statistical arbitrage strategies in futures and equities markets. They are known for their technology-first approach and building all trading infrastructure in-house.

Roles: Software Engineer, Quantitative Researcher, Systems Engineer, FPGA Developer

Aquatic Capital Management is a systematic trading firm that uses machine learning and quantitative techniques to develop and deploy trading strategies. They focus on medium-frequency strategies across equities and other asset classes. Despite being relatively young, Aquatic has attracted top talent from established quant firms and technology companies. They are known for their cutting-edge use of ML in trading and collaborative research environment.

Roles: Quantitative Researcher, Machine Learning Engineer, Software Engineer

SpiderRock is a proprietary trading and technology firm based in Chicago that focuses on options analytics, execution, and market making. They provide sophisticated analytics tools for options trading and operate proprietary trading strategies. SpiderRock is known for their options technology platform and data products used by institutional traders. They combine market-making activities with technology services.

Roles: Software Engineer, Quantitative Analyst, Systems Engineer

Headlands Technologies is a quantitative trading firm focused on electronic market making and algorithmic trading. They develop and deploy sophisticated trading strategies across equities, fixed income, and other asset classes. Founded by former Citadel executives, Headlands combines deep market knowledge with advanced technology. They maintain a lean operation with a focus on efficiency and technological innovation.

Roles: Software Engineer, Quantitative Researcher, Systems Engineer

Cumberland is the digital asset trading subsidiary of DRW, one of the earliest institutional entrants into cryptocurrency markets. They provide OTC trading and market-making services for digital assets, serving as a major liquidity provider for institutional crypto traders. Cumberland leverages DRW's decades of experience in traditional markets and combines it with deep crypto-native expertise. They trade across all major digital assets and DeFi protocols.

Roles: Quantitative Trader, Software Engineer, Blockchain Developer, Research Analyst