Chicago Trading Company (CTC) is a premier proprietary trading firm specializing in options market making. Our collaborative culture fuels innovation in quantitative research, systematic trading strategies, and cutting-edge trading technology. For over three decades CTC has provided critical liquidity across derivatives exchanges worldwide - making them fairer, more transparent, and more efficient.

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 about collaborating in a dynamic trading environment that thrives on teamwork and innovation?

Chicago Trading Company (CTC) invites you to apply to our exclusive 5-day Introduction to Options Theory Program — an immersive educational experience designed to fast-track your path to becoming a Quant Trading Associate.

What’s included:

4 days of hands-on learning from seasoned trading professionals in CTC’s Chicago headquarters.
1 assessment day where top performers can earn a final round interview for the QTA role, job description below.
All expenses covered, including travel to Chicago, meals, and hotel accommodation.

Key requirements:

Able to attend the full Options Theory Intensive from January 4, 2027 – January 8, 2027. Plan to arrive the evening of January 3rd.
Pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree. All majors and concentrations welcome.
You graduate between December 2026-June 2027
You have a demonstrated record of success (academics, awards, etc.)

This program is tailored for driven individuals eager to excel in a fast-paced, intellectually challenging environment. Ready to jumpstart your career? Apply now and seize this unique opportunity.

Quant Trading Associate Job Description

The Role

The Quant Trading Associate (QTA) role is our entry-level position within our Trading and Quant organization and gives you broad exposure to the whole business as you work towards graduating from the Associate Program and assuming a role as a Quant Trader or Quant Researcher.

As a QTA, you will work in a high-impact role as a member of a trading or quantitative team. You will play a vital part in identifying trading opportunities and impacting your team through dynamic problem solving — including trade execution, strategy formulation, back-testing, data analysis, and the modeling and pricing of traded financial derivatives — while communicating with traders, risk managers, software engineers, and quants throughout the trading day. You will learn all aspects of the trading and quant operation and work towards a role that generates trading revenue or drives strategy development for the team. In addition to the trading and quantitative side of the business, you will have exposure to technology through our combined trading and technology curriculum.

We encourage competitiveness and collaboration in equal measure and strive to better each other to win as one team.

What to Expect

Due to the dynamic nature of this business, we cultivate an environment of continuous learning and growth through an in-house education department. Through formal classroom work, mock trading, and real-time practical exposure, you will gain a holistic introduction to the derivatives market while sharpening your quantitative skillset. You can expect:

An introduction to options pricing, theory, trading philosophies, and programming courses
Exposure to different product areas and responsibilities
One-on-one mentorship from senior members in the firm
Opportunities to grow quickly and start making autonomous trading decisions
Participation in data-driven research for the purpose of alpha generation

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