Graduate Hardware Engineer

IMC Trading; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 190,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

IMC Trading is seeking a Hardware Engineer intern to join our Chicago team. You will collaborate with engineers to spot opportunities, solve problems and develop new technologies for low-latency trading systems.

This role emphasizes hardware design, testing, and production-ready implementations within a cutting-edge environment. Applicants must be current Electrical/Computer Engineering students graduating 2026–2027 and available for full-time employment starting February or August 2027.

Qualifications

• Current university student pursuing Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field, graduating 2026–2027
• Strong analytical skills and problem-solving ability
• Willing to work full-time starting February or August 2027

Responsibilities

• Enhance knowledge of trading, algorithm complexity, system design, and coding
• Work within systems combining software and cutting-edge hardware technologies
• Develop hardware designs and tests
• Drive projects from ideation to production
• Explore low-latency techniques to implement within trading system
• Build relationships across technology and trading teams

Skills

RTL programming

Analytical thinking

Team collaboration

Education

Electrical/Computer Engineering student (graduating 2026-2027)

Tools

SystemVerilog

Verilog

VHDL

C++

Python

Job description

Having the best technology drives our business. As a Hardware Engineer at IMC, you are responsible for spotting new opportunities, solving problems and developing new technologies. Our Hardware development process is innovative, pragmatic and fun, even as complexity grows. You will collaborate with team members and receive support from both a mentor and a lead who will oversee your projects and professional development.

Core Responsibilities

• Enhance your knowledge of trading, algorithm complexity, system design, and coding
• Work within different systems involving a mix of software and cutting‑edge hardware technologies
• Develop hardware designs and tests
• Drive projects from ideation to production
• Explore innovative low‑latency techniques to implement within our trading system
• Build relationships across our technology and trading teams

Skills and Experience

• Current university student graduating between September 2026 – July 2027 pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related degree
• Strong analytical skills and a desire to solve complex problems programmatically
• Proficient in SystemVerilog, Verilog, VHDL, or other RTL programming (additional software experience is a plus; C++, Python, or similar)
• Desire to collaborate with non‑engineers in a dynamic environment
• Interest in the Financial Markets; previous knowledge is NOT required
• Must be available for full‑time employment starting in February or August 2027

You may submit one application per role each year. We strongly encourage you to focus on applying to a single role that best matches your skills and interests. Though you may apply to multiple roles, please note that each application will be evaluated based on the specific criteria established for that particular role. If you have already applied for this position during the current recruitment season and were not selected, you may reapply when the next recruitment season begins in 2027.

Base Salary: $200,000

About Us

IMC is a global trading firm powered by a cutting‑edge research environment and a world‑class technology backbone. Since 1989, we’ve been a stabilizing force in financial markets, providing essential liquidity upon which market participants depend. Across our offices in the US, Europe, Asia Pacific, and India, our talented quant researchers, engineers, traders, and business operations professionals are united by our uniquely collaborative, high‑performance culture, and our commitment to giving back. From entering dynamic new markets to embracing disruptive technologies, and from developing an innovative research environment to diversifying our trading strategies, we dare to continuously innovate and collaborate to succeed.