Quant ML Research Intern - Real-World Trading Impact

IMC; Chicago (IL); On-site; 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 10-week internship is your chance to experience life as a Deep Learning Researcher at IMC. You'll have access to rich, large-scale datasets and modern training infrastructure, and see firsthand how rigorous research translates into real-world results. No prior financial industry experience is required; we are looking for scientific thinkers who are passionate about advancing deep learning research. We provide a highly competitive compensation package with accommodations included. The bar for talent at IMC is high, and interns who meet our performance expectations will have the opportunity to secure a full-time Graduate Deep Learning Researcher position at the end of the program. Where you go from here is up to you!

YOUR CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Team up with Deep Learning Researchers on real projects to build or improve models that have potential to impact our business
• Explore research areas such as representation learning, transformers, foundation models, generative AI, and reinforcement learning and other emerging deep learning techniques
• Develop your research skills with support and feedback from a dedicated mentor and intern lead
• Engage in professional development sessions aimed at helping you envision your future at IMC
• Attend events and social activities to get to know your cohort and current employees

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Current university student pursuing a PhD, Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, or a related quantitative field, and graduating between September 2027 and July 2028
• Experience in applying deep learning techniques
• Publication records at leading ML venues (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR) or contributions to open source research a plus
• Strong programming skills in Python and hands-on experience with at least one modern deep learning framework, such as PyTorch, JAX, or TensorFlow
• A creative problem-solver who is driven, resilient, and able to explain complex ideas clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Must be able to start the internship in person on June 7, 2027

You may submit one application per role each year. We strongly encourage you to focus on applying to a single role that best matches your skills and interests. Though you may apply to multiple roles, please note that each application will be evaluated based on the specific criteria established for that particular role. If you have already applied for this position during the current recruitment season and were not selected, you may reapply when the next recruitment season begins in 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.