Linux Engineer: Scale, Automation & Tools

IMC Trading; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

IMC Trading seeks a Linux Engineer to own Linux at scale across our mission-critical environment. You will automate, provision, and operate Linux fleets while building self-service tooling and robust monitoring. The role emphasizes Python/Bash tooling, configuration management, and collaboration with teams running Kubernetes-based workloads.

Ideal candidates bring deep Linux fundamentals, experience with bare-metal deployments, and a passion for continuous improvement in production systems.

Qualifications

• Hands-on Linux engineering, administration, and provisioning at scale.
• Experience with configuration management on bare-metal or large fleets.
• Proficiency in Python for automation, APIs, and tooling.

Responsibilities

• Apply deep Linux engineering expertise to troubleshoot and resolve complex issues on enterprise systems.
• Enhance configuration management code and processes for 10,000+ bare-metal Linux systems.
• Develop and maintain Python/Bash tools for large-scale systems management.
• Improve provisioning workflows to build bare servers into production-ready platforms.
• Extend Linux metrics, logging, monitoring, and alerting integrations for fleet visibility.
• Communicate updates clearly with peers and stakeholders through meetings, tickets, and code reviews.

Skills

Linux engineering

Python scripting

Bash scripting

Configuration management

Puppet

Hiera

Kubernetes

Automation

Tools

Kubernetes

Puppet

Hiera

Job description

We’re seeking a Linux Engineer with deep systems expertise and Python/scripting experience to join our growing global team. You will be responsible for engineering and operating Linux at scale across our mission critical environment, while also improving automation and self-service tools that enhance our ability to manage IMC’s servers.

The Linux Engineering team is responsible for the provisioning, configuration, performance, and reliability of a large-scale Linux infrastructure that supports a diverse set of workloads. These include ultra-low latency systems critical to high-frequency trading, as well as high-throughput environments that run research workflows and a wide variety of Kubernetes-based applications. This role requires strong Linux fundamentals applied at scale, with automation as a key enabler for consistency and efficiency across the fleet. Your initiative, collaborative attitude, problem-solving skills, and focus on continuous improvement will help ensure IMC stays competitive by bringing the latest technologies and practices into production.

Your Core Responsibilities

• Apply deep Linux engineering expertise to troubleshoot and resolve complex issues on enterprise systems, ensuring stability and performance
• Enhance configuration management code and processes that we use to manage over 10,000 bare-metal Linux systems globally
• Develop and maintain Python/Bash tools to support large-scale Linux systems management
• Improve provisioning workflows to seamlessly build bare servers into production-ready platforms
• Extend Linux-focused metrics, logging, monitoring, and alerting integrations for full fleet visibility
• Communicate updates and status clearly and frequently with peers and stakeholders through meetings, tracking tickets, code reviews, chats, and merge requests
  
  

Your Skills And Experience

• Hands-on Linux systems engineering, administration, and provisioning expertise applied at scale, preferably on bare-metal systems
• Configuration management at scale, preferably on bare-metal servers with Puppet and Hiera
• Python development for automation, APIs, design, testing, and debugging
• Ansible playbook authorship and complex task automation
• RPM design, build, publishing, and in-house repository management
• CI/CD pipelines, Git version control, branching and merging best practices
• Strong system and network troubleshooting with tools such as EBPF, tcpdump, strace, systemd, ntp/ptp, lsof, and nc
• Networking fundamentals: routing, DNS, TCP/UDP/multicast
• Experience building and publishing Docker images
• Working familiarity with Kubernetes
• Exposure to monitoring stacks such as Prometheus, Grafana, and AlertManager, with a focus on Linux telemetry and exporter development
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
  
  

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

$150,000 - $225,000 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.