Network Engineer

Wolverine Trading, LLC; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site gym

Free meals

Flexible scheduling

401K

Job summary

Wolverine Trading, LLC in Chicago, IL is seeking a Network Engineer to design, implement, and support low-latency network infrastructure for its real-time trading systems. The role combines hybrid work with office presence in Chicago and periodic travel to data centers in Chicago and New Jersey.

You will collaborate with software engineers and traders to ensure high availability, manage strategic projects, and maintain documentation while supporting on-call work and continuous improvement

Qualifications

• 6+ years in a technical networking environment.
• Hands-on with L2 switching and dynamic routing (OSPF/BGP/EIGRP).
• Strong security fundamentals including VPN design and firewalling.
• Experience with data center networking and colocation.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement low-latency network solutions.
• Own strategic projects across data centers.
• Collaborate with exchanges, brokers and banks.
• Troubleshoot network failures and performance.
• Perform maintenance and upgrades to address issues.
• Monitor resources and plan capacity.
• Maintain detailed network documentation.
• Participate in on-call rotation.

Skills

Low-latency

Dynamic routing

Firewalling

Multicast

Network OS

Packet capture

Documentation

On-call

Tools

tcpdump

Wireshark

Ansible

Job description

Network Engineer

Department: Technology

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Chicago, IL

Description

The network team designs, implements, and supports the network infrastructure for Wolverine's proprietary real-time trading systems, including proprietary hardware platforms, with a focus on low latency. Network performance and redundancy are critical to the global trading operation. The Network Engineer will be part of a team that works with Wolverine's software engineers and traders to support the high availability of the electronic trading infrastructure.

This is a hybrid position, with a mixture of working from home and working in our Chicago office. The candidate is expected to be local to the Metropolitan Chicago area and will periodically travel to Chicago and New Jersey area data centers.

What You’ll Do

• Design, engineer, and implement low-latency network solutions based on requirements from business stakeholders
• Own and manage strategic projects to implement and optimize low-latency, high-performance network solutions at and between data center locations
• Work with financial exchanges, brokers, and banks to implement network connectivity in shared colocation facilities
• Carry out high-level analysis and troubleshooting of the network infrastructure
• Respond to network requests and troubleshoot network failures to diagnose, isolate, and resolve complex problems, ensuring timely results and minimal disruption to operations
• Perform network maintenance and system upgrades, including patches and hotfixes to address vendor bugs and vulnerabilities
• Monitor system resource utilization and historical trends, and perform capacity planning
• Provide the technical knowledge needed to ensure safe, effective, and efficient changes to the network infrastructure
• Produce and maintain detailed technical documentation
• Participate in the team's on-call rotation

What We’re Looking For

• Minimum of 6 years in a technical networking environment as a network engineer
• Deep, hands-on experience with complex network designs and principles, including L2 switching and dynamic routing (OSPF, BGP, EIGRP) in complex environments, with advanced traffic steering, filtering, and route redistribution
• Strong network security fundamentals: firewalling (ASA, Palo Alto), security zones and DMZ design, network ACLs, NAT, and site-to-site IPSec VPN
• Solid knowledge of multicast (PIM, IGMP) and best practices for deploying it, including the delivery of real-time market data feeds
• Extensive knowledge of network operating systems (IOS / NX-OS / EOS / PANOS based network devices)
• Ability to troubleshoot network latency and packet-drop issues using monitoring, diagnostic, and packet analysis tools (e.g., tcpdump, Wireshark)
• Meticulous attention to detail, with a proven ability to prioritize competing workloads and manage implementation schedules
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and the ability to work independently within a team structure
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to distill complex technical issues into clear, concise terms
• Strategic thinking balanced with sharp day-to-day execution, and a commitment to continuous improvement

Preferred

• CCIE certification
• Knowledge of exchange connectivity in financial trading environments
• Experience working with financial exchanges, brokers, and banks
• Experience with network automation; understanding of Python and Ansible
• Experience working with physical planning, implementing, and supporting space, power, and structured cabling within a data center environment
• Experience troubleshooting fiber optic connectivity within and between data center locations

Bonus Points

• Hands-on experience with cloud services (AWS, GCP)
• Understanding of network time synchronization protocols
• Experience with databases and big data tools (e.g., MySQL, Splunk, InfluxDB, Grafana)
• Experience with Linux shell utilities

We strive to be the experts of our own network, and this role is expected to operate with that mindset - including the willingness to invest the time needed to learn our environment in depth, and the humility to own and learn from mistakes.

We are currently only considering candidates who are presently authorized to work in the US for this position and who do not require visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Why Join Us

Our flat organizational structure promotes teamwork across the Firm and offers easy access to senior staff. While we work exceptionally well as a team in the office, our bonds are further strengthened through company events, activities and giving back. Volleyball, soccer, hockey, 5K runs, picnic, parties, and trivia nights provide friendly competition and build better relationships. By getting out of our usual environment and doing out-of-the-ordinary things together, we foster creativity and broaden our imaginations to accomplish new challenges.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary & bonus opportunity
• Generous paid time off and flexible scheduling
• 100% coverage of medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits for single coverage
• Generous Paid Parental Leave
• Retirement Plans: 401K and Roth 401K
• Profit sharing plan
• Long- and short-term disability

Additional Perks

• Free breakfast and lunch from our in-house kitchen with rotating menus (including snacks!)
• On-site gym with a subsidized membership
• Frequent company outings
• Opportunity to give back to organizations that help individuals in need in the Chicagoland area

Professional Development

• In-house education team – classes and resources are offered for continuous learning opportunities
• Mentorship Program through your first six months of employment

The base compensation range for this role is approximately $150,000-$200,000 contingent on experience. Wolverine Trading's total compensation model includes base salary and an annual discretionary bonus.