Trader

Cumberland; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

DRW, a diversified trading firm headquartered in Chicago, seeks a Junior Trader to combine risk management, research and technology to operate trading strategies across multiple asset classes. You will work closely with experienced traders, software engineers and quantitative researchers to ensure optimal system performance.

Responsibilities include operating automated, latency‑sensitive trading systems, conducting quantitative research, back-testing hypotheses, refining strategies and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field (CS/Engineering/Math/Stats/Finance)
• Ability to understand and reason about complex distributed trading systems
• Strong analytical and quantitative mindset
• Proficiency in Python or C++
• Meticulous attention to detail and strong judgement
• Excellent verbal and written communication, cross-team collaboration
• Adaptability in fast-paced, results-oriented environment
• Self-starter with proactive ownership of projects

Responsibilities

• Operate automated, latency-sensitive trading systems
• Conduct quantitative research into strategy performance and back-test hypotheses
• Adjust system parameters based on market conditions
• Manually trade to reduce risk exposure when necessary
• Identify automation opportunities and propose improvements
• Develop internal tools to improve monitoring and desk processes
• Communicate market news and system behavior to team
• Analyze system logs, executions, and market data for feedback

Skills

Python

C++

Distributed trading systems

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Computational Finance, or an equivalent STEM field

Job description

DRW is a diversified trading firm with over 3 decades of experience bringing sophisticated technology and exceptional people together to operate in markets around the world. We value autonomy and the ability to quickly pivot to capture opportunities, so we operate using our own capital and trading at our own risk.

Headquartered in Chicago with offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia, we trade a variety of asset classes including Fixed Income, ETFs, Equities, FX, Commodities and Energy across all major global markets. We have also leveraged our expertise and technology to expand into three non-traditional strategies: real estate, venture capital and cryptoassets.

We operate with respect, curiosity and open minds. The people who thrive here share our belief that it’s not just what we do that matters–it's how we do it. DRW is a place of high expectations, integrity, innovation and a willingness to challenge consensus.

As a Junior Trader, you will have an opportunity to combine the disciplines of risk management, research and technology to operate trading strategies across multiple asset classes. You will work closely with experienced traders, software engineers and quantitative researchers to ensure optimal system performance.

Responsibilities:

• Operate automated, latency-sensitive trading systems
• Conduct quantitative research into strategy performance, back-testing hypotheses and refine strategies
• Adjust system parameters dynamically based on market conditions
• Manually trade to reduce risk exposure when necessary
• Identify opportunities for automation and propose improvements to trading systems and operational workflows
• Develop internal tools and utilities to improve monitoring, operational efficiency, and desk processes
• Communicate relevant market news, events, and system behaviour to team members in a timely manner
• Generate feedback on trading system performance through analysis of system logs, executions, and market data

Required Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Computational Finance, or an equivalent STEM field
• Ability to understand and reason about complex distributed trading systems
• Strong analytical and quantitative mindset
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or C++
• Meticulous attention to details, strong judgement and accuracy in work
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively interact and collaborate across research and engineering teams
• Ability to adapt in a fast-paced, collaborative, and results-oriented environment, and thrive under time-sensitive and high-pressure situations
• Self-starter with strong proactivity, sets ambitious goals, willingness to drive and own projects, and proactively identifies opportunities for impact

Nice to Have:

• Prior trader or trading analyst experience preferred

The annual base salary range for this position is $150,000 to $200,000 depending on the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and relevant skill set. The position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. In addition, DRW offers a comprehensive suite of employee benefits including group medical, pharmacy, dental and vision insurance, 401k (with discretionary employer match), short and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance, health savings accounts, and flexible spending accounts.

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