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.
We are seeking a highly motivated, technically adept Senior Trade Support Engineer. In this high-impact role, you’ll collaborate directly with traders and developers to troubleshoot critical live trading issues, manage complex incidents, and ensure the stability and resilience of production trading systems. You will be relied upon for swift problem diagnosis under pressure, rapid resolutions to minimize system downtime, and clear, concise communication across both technical and non-technical teams. This is an individual contributor role for a seasoned engineer who relishes autonomy, thrives in urgent situations, and is eager to make meaningful contributions to a cutting-edge trading operation.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
- Troubleshoot and resolve live trading system issues, minimizing downtime during outages and communicating status updates to stakeholders.
- Monitor real-time production environments, respond to anomalies, and escalate as needed.
- Automate workflows and manual processes using Linux, Python, and Bash to improve operational efficiency.
- Collaborate directly with traders and developers to relay critical system and software issues, and assist with patching and recovery.
- Contribute to process improvements, documentation, and knowledge-sharing materials (runbooks, FAQs, retrospectives).
- Own incident response, follow up on lessons learned, and drive continuous improvement of support operations.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
- Advanced knowledge of Linux; strong troubleshooting experience via CLI.
- Experience working within the options space and familiar with one core market CME-Cboe.
- Proficient in Python and Bash scripting for automation.
- Experience querying databases (SQL, Snowflake).
- Prior experience supporting trading systems in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment.
- Excellent problem-solving and communication skills; comfortable working with technical and non-technical teams.
- Detail-oriented with a proactive, ownership-driven approach to incident management and process improvement.
Compensation
The salary range for this role is listed below. This role is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. The discretionary bonus will be dependent upon the individual’s skills, experience, qualifications, and firm performance.
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 time off, insurance coverage, paid parental leave, free breakfast and lunch (plus healthy snacks, of course), wellness reimbursement, 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 [email protected]. 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.
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