Machine Learning Research Intern - Summer 2027 - Chicago

IMC B.V.; Chicago, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 270,000 - 330,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel and accommodation

Professional development & networking

Job summary

IMC is offering a Machine Learning Internship over 10–12 weeks in Chicago, donde researchers apply ML to trading strategies across equities, futures and options. You’ll design experiments, analyze datasets and contribute to real‑world research with mentorship from experienced researchers.

Base salary is listed along with professional development and networking opportunities. High‑performing interns may be considered for a full‑time Graduate Researcher position after graduation.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a PhD in ML, CS, EE, math, stats or physics with graduation between Sep 2027–Jul 2028.
• Strong ML, probability and statistics foundations with real‑world application experience.
• Research excellence evidenced by publications, internships or projects.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and apply original ML algorithms to complex market problems.
• Analyze large datasets, build predictive models and evaluate approaches.
• Grow research skills through project work, mentorship, and feedback.
• Enhance understanding of quantitative trading through classroom‑based instruction.

Skills

PhD in ML/quantitative field

Strong ML foundations

Deep learning research

Python programming

PyTorch/ TensorFlow / JAX

Education

PhD in Machine Learning or related quantitative field

Tools

Python

PyTorch

TensorFlow

JAX

Job description

Our Machine Learning Internship is designed for curious, ambitious researchers who want to apply machine learning to complex, real-world problems. Over 10–12 weeks, you'll work alongside experienced researchers and mentors to develop models, analyze large-scale datasets, and contribute to research that informs IMC's trading strategies across global equities, futures, and options markets. You'll gain hands‑on experience designing experiments, evaluating novel approaches, and tackling challenging problems in a collaborative, fast‑paced environment where your work can have real‑world impact.

Throughout the program, you'll deepen your understanding of quantitative trading through a combination of classroom and on‑desk training, while benefiting from professional development and networking opportunities. We offer a highly competitive compensation package, including travel and accommodation. High‑performing interns may be considered for a full‑time Graduate Researcher position upon graduation.

YOUR CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct hands‑on research to design, develop, and apply original machine learning algorithms, with the support to explore and innovate.
• Analyze large‑scale datasets, develop predictive models, and evaluate novel approaches to complex market problems
• Develop your research skills through hands‑on project work, mentorship, and regular feedback from experienced researchers
• Enhance your understanding of quantitative trading through classroom‑based instruction in options theory, market making, and related topics

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Pursuing a PhD in Machine Learning, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, or a related quantitative field and graduating between September 2027 – July 2028
• Strong foundations in machine learning, probability, and statistics, with experience applying advanced ML techniques to solve challenging research or real‑world problems
• Demonstrated hands‑on research experience in deep learning fundamentals such as neural network architectures, sequence modeling, training dynamics, or optimization
• Proficiency in Python and modern machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch, Tensorflow, and/or JAX
• Demonstrated research excellence through publications, preprints, research internships, or significant research projects; publications at venues such as NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, or equivalent conferences are highly preferred
• Must be able to start internship in‑person on June 7, 2027

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.

Base Salary: $300,000

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.