TradeOps Engineer - Trading Operations

Pay: $132,000.00 - $177,000.00 per year

Why This Is a Great Opportunity

• Join a fast-growing proprietary trading firm building high-performance automated trading systems.
• Own mission-critical production systems that sit at the center of live trading.
• Work closely with traders, quants, and engineers instead of being buried in a back office.
• Hybrid schedule after ramp-up, with relocation support to Chicago if you’re moving in.
• Competitive base salary plus 20–25 percent discretionary bonus and strong benefits.

Location

• On-site in downtown Chicago with a hybrid schedule available after an initial ramp-up period. Relocation to Chicago is supported and welcome.

Note

• You must have 2+ years of full-time experience in Trade Support, Trading Operations, or a similar role, strong Linux and scripting skills, and be able to work on-site in Chicago (no fully remote option).

About Our Client Our client is a Chicago-based proprietary trading firm founded in 2011 that designs and runs high-performance automated trading systems in global derivatives markets. They value people who push ideas forward without bureaucracy or office politics, and they believe in constant learning, honest evaluation of their models, and deeply collaborative work across trading, research, and technology.

Job Description

• Ensure the health, stability, and performance of the production trading environment.
• Monitor live trading systems, respond to alerts, and quickly troubleshoot or escalate issues.
• Deploy, configure, and support proprietary and third-party trading and market data applications.
• Interface directly with traders, clearing firms, exchanges, and vendors to resolve technical and operational issues.
• Automate workflows and recurring tasks using scripting tools to improve reliability and efficiency.
• Support back-office processes including trade capture, reconciliation, and risk and compliance reporting.
• Maintain clear documentation, runbooks, and procedures for production systems and operational processes.
• Participate in an on-call or rotational schedule to support trading during critical hours.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of full-time, professional experience in Trade Support, Trading Operations, or a similar role.
• Hands-on experience working with exchanges and clearing firms in exchange-traded derivatives.
• Strong familiarity with the derivatives trade lifecycle and order flow.
• Proficiency with both Windows and Linux, comfortable in GUI and command-line environments.
• Solid scripting skills in Python, Bash, PowerShell, or similar for automation and data analysis.
• Knowledge of order entry and market data protocols such as FIX, FIXP, MDP3, BOE, or ITCH.
• Familiarity with common data formats like JSON, XML, and Parquet.
• Ability to manage shifting priorities, stay calm under pressure, and communicate clearly with technical and non-technical teams.
• Detail-oriented mindset with a strong focus on documentation and repeatable processes.
• Ability to work on-site in the Chicago office and lift up to 50 pounds when needed.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

• Competitive base salary in the 132,000 to 177,000 range plus an estimated 20–25 percent discretionary bonus tied to performance.
• Robust benefits including multiple health plan options (PPO, HMO, HSA), dental, and vision coverage.
• Daily catered lunch, snacks, beverages, and discounted gym memberships.
• Generous vacation policy, training opportunities, and continuing education support.
• Collaborative, low-ego culture with minimal red tape, where good ideas can be implemented quickly.
• Regular social events, group outings, and a casual dress environment in the heart of Chicago’s trading community.

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance