Quant Trading Associate - 2027 Start

Chicago Trading Company (CTC) is a premier proprietary trading firm specializing in options market making. Our collaborative culture fuels innovation in quantitative research, systematic trading strategies, and cutting-edge trading technology. For over three decades CTC has provided critical liquidity across derivatives exchanges worldwide - making them fairer, more transparent, and more efficient. We strive to be the most innovative firm in the industry today, tomorrow, and long into the future while upholding ethical excellence. We believe that CTC makes a positive impact on the markets, the lives of our employees, and all the communities to which we belong. Started in 1995 by a team of forward-thinking Traders, we are proud to call ourselves an industry leader that keeps making markets and each other better. Are you excited by the opportunity to be part of a dynamic trading environment that values teamwork and collaboration? Do you thrive in an innovative atmosphere? If so, we encourage you to consider Chicago Trading Company! The Role The Quant Trading Associate (QTA) role is our entry-level position within our Trading and Quant organization and gives you broad exposure to the whole business as you work towards graduating from the Associate Program and assuming a role as a Quant Trader or Quant Researcher. As a QTA, you will work in a high-impact role as a member of a trading or quantitative team. You will play a vital part in identifying trading opportunities and impacting your team through dynamic problem solving — including trade execution, strategy formulation, back-testing, data analysis, and the modeling and pricing of traded financial derivatives — while communicating with traders, risk managers, software engineers, and quants throughout the trading day. You will learn all aspects of the trading and quant operation and work towards a role that generates trading revenue or drives strategy development for the team. In addition to the trading and quantitative side of the business, you will have exposure to technology through our combined trading and technology curriculum. We encourage competitiveness and collaboration in equal measure and strive to better each other to win as one team. What to Expect Due to the dynamic nature of this business, we cultivate an environment of continuous learning and growth through an in-house education department. Through formal classroom work, mock trading, and real-time practical exposure, you will gain a holistic introduction to the derivatives market while sharpening your quantitative skillset. You can expect: An introduction to options pricing, theory, trading philosophies, and programming courses Exposure to different product areas and responsibilities One-on-one mentorship from senior members in the firm Opportunities to grow quickly and start making autonomous trading decisions Participation in data-driven research for the purpose of alpha generation What it takes for you to be successful: You have a competitive drive and are a highly motivated individual that only gets stronger as part of a collaborative team An aspiration to collaborate with traders, quants, developers, and other experts to further CTC's goal of providing world class liquidity to financial markets You love solving complex problems You're intellectually curious and like to challenge the status quo You can effectively communicate sophisticated ideas both written and verbally Strong quantitative and analytical abilities Basic programming skills or a willingness to learn Python No prior experience in finance is necessary, but a deep curiosity and a hunger to learn is essential Key requirements: Pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. All majors and concentrations welcome. You will graduate between December 2026-June 2027 You have a demonstrated record of success (academics, awards, etc.) You are willing to relocate to Chicago, IL Why should you consider a career at CTC? Be part of a fast-growing, industry-leadin…