Index Options Volatility Trader

Risk Hub; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 225,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

IMC Trading, based in Chicago, seeks a talented individual for its Index Options desk. You will monetize short-term mispricings and monitor flow and volatility across index products while collaborating with top-tier quants and researchers.

You will own trades, analyze counterparty behavior, and contribute to pricing model feedback. This role emphasizes rapid decision-making, ownership, and cross-functional teamwork in a dynamic trading environment.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in index options volatility trading.
• Strong analytical and market intuition.
• Ability to act quickly on market views.

Responsibilities

• Maximize revenue by identifying and capitalizing on short-term mispricings in index options.
• Monitor and react to flow patterns, volatility shifts, and liquidity changes across index products.
• Collaborate with traders to manage the risk of a large book as a team.
• Work closely with research and quant teams to analyze results and improve your approach.
• Identify and analyze counterparty behavior and repetitive flow patterns to inform positioning and execution.
• Provide feedback to enhance pricing models, risk systems, and execution tools.
• Perform post-trade reviews to continuously improve execution and hedging.
• Take on significant responsibility and ownership early in your time here to help drive strategies forward and succeed

Skills

Index options trading

Volatility analysis

Flow pattern analysis

Entrepreneurial mindset

Education

BS/MS/PhD in economics

Job description

Our Index Options desk focuses on monetizing flow and capitalizing on short-term mispricings. We are a highly collaborative group that combines strong market intuition with analytical rigor, working closely with dedicated quants and researchers to sharpen our edge. Together, we strive to develop deep expertise, ownership, and innovation in understanding counterparty behavior, flow dynamics, and volatility pricing.

Your Core Responsibilities

• Maximize revenue by identifying and capitalizing on short-term mispricings in index options
• Monitor and react to flow patterns, volatility shifts, and liquidity changes across index products
• Collaborate with traders to manage the risk of a large book as a team
• Work closely with our best-in-class research and quant teams to analyze results and improve your approach
• Identify and analyze counterparty behavior and repetitive flow patterns to inform positioning and execution
• Provide feedback to enhance pricing models, risk systems, and execution tools
• Perform post-trade reviews to continuously improve execution and hedging
• Take on significant responsibility and ownership early in your time here to help drive strategies forward and succeed

Your Skills and Experience

• 2+ years of index options volatility trading experience
• BS, MS, or PhD, preferably in business, economics, or a STEM field
• Ability to identify flow patterns and describe them analytically, with strong knowledge of repetitive market flows
• Passionate about understanding volatility dynamics and willing to act quickly on your views to capture market opportunities
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a healthy risk appetite; competitive by nature and a fast decision-maker
• Analytical, reflective about past trades, and always seeking to improve

The Base Salary range for the role is included below. Base salary is only one component of total compensation; all full-time, permanent positions are eligible for a discretionary bonus and benefits, including paid leave and insurance. Please visit Benefits - US | IMC Trading for more comprehensive information.

Salary Range

$250,000—$250,000 USD

About Us

IMC is a research-driven trading firm where quantitative modeling, machine learning, and engineering shape how modern markets are traded. A stabilizing force in markets since 1989, we provide liquidity across trading venues, delivering the best outcome in value and risk management to investors. Using our own technology and capital, we build proprietary systems and algorithms that operate across global markets. Our researchers, traders, and engineers work as a collective, combining rapid experimentation, advanced infrastructure, and real-time feedback to turn insight into execution and execution into advantage.