Junior Quantitative Trader

SG Cap Trading; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Medical/Dental/Vision

Education reimbursement

Work-life balance

Job summary

SG Cap Trading in Chicago, IL is seeking a Junior Quantitative Trader to conduct quantitative research for low-latency, algorithmic trading strategies with real P&L impact.

You'll design, test, and optimize strategies, perform market microstructure research, and iterate quickly from first principles. This is a hands-on role with immediate exposure and merit-based scope expansion.

Qualifications

• New grads to ~2 years experience; attitude matters more than degree.
• Strong Python skills; C++ a plus.
• Proven record solving hard puzzles (competition math/programming, personal projects).
• Ability to reason about downstream effects of decisions.

Responsibilities

• Design, test, and optimize algorithmic trading strategies.
• Perform deep-dive research into market microstructure and strategy performance.
• Iterate quickly based on first-principles reasoning.

Skills

Python

C++

Job description

Junior Quantitative Trader

SG Cap Trading | Chicago, IL

SG is a boutique trading technology firm founded in 2004, using AI, technology, and large-scale data to solve real world financial puzzles. We're a flat, results-driven shop — no politics, no sales, no client-facing work. Just research and execution.

The Role

As a Junior Quantitative Trader, you'll conduct detailed quantitative research directly applied to low-latency, algorithmic trading strategies. This isn't a rotational program or a support seat — you'll have immediate exposure to strategies with real P&L impact, and merit here translates quickly into scope.

We’re hiring 2 people for this cycle.

What You’ll Work On

• Designing, testing, and optimizing algorithmic trading strategies
• Deep-dive research into market microstructure and strategy performance
• Iterating quickly based on first-principles reasoning, not received wisdom

What We’re Looking For

• New grads to ~2 years experience (any field — we care more about how you think than your degree title)
• Strong Python skills; C++ a plus
• A genuine interest in solving hard, ambiguous puzzles and a track record that shows it (competition math/programming, independent research, personal projects — show us, don't just tell us
• Comfort reasoning about downstream effects of decisions, not just isolated correctness

What we offer

• Competitive, market-based pay with results-based upside
• Full benefits: 401(k), medical/dental/vision
• Real work-life balance — no excessive overtime culture
• Education reimbursement
• Autonomy to actually solve the problem, not just execute a spec

If you like reasoning from first principles more than following a playbook, we'd like to talk.