Back to jobs

Quant Trading Internship - Summer 2026

Chicago, Illinois, United States

CTC is a cutting-edge proprietary trading firm with a long-term vision and a clear focus on helping the world price and manage risk. Our fun and trusting culture inspires us to solve the industry’s most challenging problems and take calculated risks in a collaborative environment.

We strive to be the most innovative firm in the industry today, tomorrow, and long into the future while upholding ethical excellence. We believe that CTC makes a positive impact on the markets, the lives of our employees, and all the communities to which we belong. Started in 1995 by a team of forward-thinking Traders, we are proud to call ourselves an industry leader that keeps making markets and each other better.

Are you excited by the opportunity to be part of a dynamic trading environment that values teamwork and collaboration? Do you thrive in an innovative atmosphere? If so, we encourage you to consider Chicago Trading Company (CTC)!  

Our History  

CTC is a cutting-edge proprietary trading firm with a long-term vision and a clear focus on helping the world price and manage risk. Our fun and trusting culture inspires us to solve the industry’s most challenging problems and take calculated risks in a collaborative environment. 

We strive to be the most innovative firm in the industry today, tomorrow, and long into the future while upholding ethical excellence. We believe that CTC makes a positive impact on the markets, the lives of our employees, and all the communities to which we belong. Started in 1995 by a team of forward-thinking Traders, we are proud to call ourselves an industry leader that keeps making markets and each other better. 

The Role  

As a Quant Trading (QT) Intern, you will be challenged to learn and adapt in an exciting team environment and will play a substantial role in our day-to-day trading and quant-related activities. Your impact is immediate and meaningful. You will become a member of a team for the summer and play a vital role completing project work and/or identifying trading opportunities and communicating with software engineers, quants, traders, and risk managers throughout the trading day. As part of the Summer Associate cohort, you will learn and socialize alongside other QT Interns and Software Engineering (SE) Interns. 

What to Expect  

The internship program gives you insight into our culture and an inward look into what our business is all about. You will participate in three classroom learning experiences including: a week-long Basics of Options class, a multi-week class on the fundamentals of market making (Mock Trading), and a multi-week class that introduces elements of our quant framework (Quant Curriculum). You will also attend planned social activities and talks from various business leaders to propel your professional growth, and build your network with CTC employees and fellow interns. You will:  

  • Work in an impactful role mirroring that of a full-time Quant Trading Associate (QTA)  
  • Get hands-on experience with trading and exposure to our trading technology  
  • Have weekly one-on-one meetings with your manager to ensure you are progressing and learning throughout the program  
  • Receive mentorship from members of our trading and/or quant teams  
  • Experience a culture with a strong emphasis on teamwork and collaboration built through various educational and social activities  

What it takes for you to be successful:  

  • You have a competitive drive and are a highly motivated individual that only gets stronger as part of a collaborative team  
  • You have a desire to work in tandem with traders, quants, developers, and other experts to further CTC’s goal of providing world class liquidity to financial markets  
  • You love solving complex problems  
  • You’re intellectually curious and like to challenge the status quo  
  • You can effectively communicate sophisticated ideas both written and verbally  
  • You have strong quantitative and analytical skills  
  • You have basic programming skills or have the desire to learn Python, Java, or C++  
  • No prior experience in finance is necessary, but a deep curiosity and hunger to learn about finance and trading is essential  

Key Requirements:  

  • You are pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree. All majors and concentrations welcome.  
  • You will graduate between December 2026-June 2027 
  • You have a demonstrated record of success (academics, awards, etc.)  
  • You are willing to relocate to Chicago, IL for the summer  

Why should you consider interning at CTC?  

  • Be part of a fast-growing, industry-leading global technology company  
  • Opportunity to work with and learn from leaders in our industry  
  • Excellent support system to ensure your learning and development  
  • Fun, collaborative, team environment  
  • Competitive pay, free housing with your fellow interns in downtown Chicago, and free breakfast, lunch, and healthy snacks!  

 

Please note: You are allowed to submit one application per position during the fall recruiting cycle. We recommend focusing on applying for the role that aligns most closely with your skills and interests. While you can apply for more than one role, please keep in mind that each application will be assessed according to the specific requirements set for that role. 

Most teams at CTC, with the exception of Trading, follow a hybrid workplace model, subject to change based on business need.

Our Benefits 

We strongly believe in the well-being of our employees and their families so we offer outstanding benefits to support you both professionally and personally. These benefits include generous medical coverage, paid parental leave, free breakfast and lunch (plus healthy snacks, of course), wellness reimbursement, quarterly recharge days, and a variety of other benefits focused on providing the best employee experience. 

(Disclaimer: interns and contractors are not eligible for benefits at CTC) 

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At CTC, we aim to cultivate a workplace that celebrates diversity and each person feels included, engaged and empowered. Where each of us feels we belong. We are committed to having a diverse workforce and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. CTC does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. 

If you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or to apply for a position, please contact us at info@chicagotrading.com. Note that emails sent to this email account for non-disability related issues, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Information submitted by job applicants may be subject to review and analysis by automated systems, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), as part of the recruitment process. Such systems are utilized to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our hiring procedures. Applicants are advised that any information provided may be evaluated by AI tools to ensure an equitable and thorough assessment.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Education

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
How did you hear about CTC? *
Select...
Select...
Select...

 

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in CTC Campus - External, Not Advertised’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.