Backbone Network Engineer
IMC is seeking a highly skilled Backbone Network Engineer to join its global network team in Chicago. In this role, you will design, implement, and optimize the backbone infrastructure that underpins our global trading operations. You will collaborate closely with engineers worldwide to ensure our network delivers the ultra-low latency, high availability, and robust security essential for maintaining our competitive edge.
Key responsibilities include designing and optimizing backbone infrastructure for high-speed, low-latency data transmission and scalability. You will deploy and configure high-performance routing and optical hardware to minimize congestion and maximize availability. Additionally, you will engineer low-latency routing paths between data centers, trading venues, and counterparties, proactively detect and resolve network issues using advanced monitoring tools, and plan and scale backbone capacity to support global growth. Collaboration with trading, development, and infrastructure teams to integrate network changes seamlessly into production is also a critical aspect of this role.
The ideal candidate will have over five years of experience in network engineering, focusing on backbone or large-scale infrastructure. Deep knowledge of routing protocols such as BGP, IS-IS, MPLS, PIM, and Segment Routing, along with expertise in routers, switches, and optical networking technologies like DWDM/ONS, is essential. Strong troubleshooting skills across LAN, unicast/multicast routing, and packet-level analysis are required. Experience with network automation and scripting using Python, Bash, or Ansible is highly desirable. The role also demands strong communication skills for effective cross-team collaboration and a willingness to participate in on-call rotations during trading hours and critical events.
The base salary for this position ranges from $175,000 to $240,000 USD annually. In addition to the base salary, full-time, permanent positions are eligible for a discretionary bonus and benefits, including paid leave and insurance.
IMC is a global trading firm powered by a cutting-edge research environment and a world-class technology backbone. Since 1989, we have been a stabilizing force in financial markets, providing essential liquidity upon which market participants depend. Our talented quant researchers, engineers, traders, and business operations professionals are united by a uniquely collaborative, high-performance culture and a commitment to continuous innovation and collaboration.