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Backtesting Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Geneva Trading

Junior Software Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$80K - $130K/yr

Leverage Python to build high-speed data pipelines, backtesting frameworks, and real-time monitoring tools to analyze strategy behavior. * Deep-Dive Problem Solving: Act as the "systems expert" for ...

TransMarket Group

DevOps/SRE Intern

Chicago, IL · On-site

$15.50 - $20.50/hr

Work directly with our Traders, Trade Developers, Platform Developers, and IT Team to automate and maintain systems for deployment of trading software, configuration management, CI/CD and backtesting ...

Aquatic Capital Management

Systems Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$150K - $300K/yr

Own and evolve Aquatic's Slurm and Ray cluster infrastructure across on-prem and GCP - supporting research and trading workloads including fitting, tuning, backtesting, feature computation, and ...

Aquatic Capital Management

Systems Engineer

Chicago, IL

$150K - $300K/yr

Own and evolve Aquatic's Slurm and Ray cluster infrastructure across on-prem and GCP - supporting research and trading workloads including fitting, tuning, backtesting, feature computation, and ...

Green Thumb

Data Scientist

Chicago, IL · Hybrid

Develop and test new model candidates against GTI's established backtesting framework; interpret backtest results and surface findings to inform promotion decisions * Investigate forecasting errors ...

Belvedere Trading

Quantitative Researcher

Chicago, IL · On-site

$140K - $200K/yr

Build, improve, and maintain research tools (e.g., Python, Jupyter) for testing, backtesting, validating, and monitoring models and strategies. * Collaborate closely with traders, technologists, and ...

Belvedere Trading

Quantitative Researcher

Chicago, IL · On-site

$140K - $200K/yr

Build, improve, and maintain research tools (e.g., Python, Jupyter) for testing, backtesting, validating, and monitoring models and strategies. * Collaborate closely with traders, technologists, and ...

Green Thumb

Data Scientist

Chicago, IL · On-site

Develop and test new model candidates against GTI's established backtesting framework; interpret backtest results and surface findings to inform promotion decisions * Investigate forecasting errors ...

ZoomLogi

Founding Data Scientist

Chicago, IL · On-site

$180K - $240K/yr

You'll build the offline evaluation and online experimentation that answers that: backtesting against real outcomes, measuring lift, and catching drift before customers do. You'll define the metrics ...

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Backtesting information

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Backtesting Analyst, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Backtesting Analyst, you need a strong background in quantitative analysis, statistics, programming (typically in Python or R), and familiarity with financial markets, usually supported by a degree in mathematics, finance, or a related field. Proficiency with backtesting platforms (such as QuantConnect or Zipline), data analysis tools, and version control systems like Git is often required. Attention to detail, critical thinking, and strong problem-solving abilities are key soft skills that help ensure robust model evaluation and development. These skills are vital for accurately assessing trading strategies and minimizing risk in real-world financial applications.

What is backtesting?

Backtesting is the process of evaluating a trading strategy or investment model by applying it to historical market data. This helps traders and analysts see how the strategy would have performed in the past, which can provide insights into its potential effectiveness and risks. While backtesting can help identify strengths and weaknesses, it's important to remember that past performance is not always indicative of future results. The reliability of backtesting depends on data quality, strategy design, and how well it simulates real trading conditions.

What are some common challenges faced when backtesting trading strategies, and how can they be managed?

One common challenge in backtesting trading strategies is the risk of overfitting, where a model performs exceptionally well on historical data but fails in live markets. Data quality and availability can also pose issues, as incomplete or inaccurate data may skew results. To manage these challenges, it's important to use out-of-sample testing, robust data cleaning processes, and to validate strategies on multiple datasets. Collaborating with quantitative analysts and developers can also help ensure the backtesting process is thorough and reliable.

What is the difference between Backtesting vs Quantitative Analyst?

AspectBacktestingQuantitative Analyst
Primary RoleTesting trading strategies using historical dataDeveloping and implementing quantitative models for investment decisions
Required SkillsData analysis, programming, finance knowledgeMathematics, programming, financial theory
Work EnvironmentTrading firms, hedge funds, financial institutionsAsset management firms, hedge funds, banks
CertificationsOften none required, but CFA or CQF helpfulCFA, CQF, or advanced degrees common

Backtesting focuses on evaluating trading strategies with historical data, while a Quantitative Analyst develops models to inform investment decisions. Both roles require strong analytical skills and finance knowledge but differ in scope and responsibilities.

What are popular job titles related to Backtesting jobs in Illinois? For Backtesting jobs in Illinois, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Backtesting jobs in Illinois look for? The top searched job categories for Backtesting jobs in Illinois are:
Backtesting jobs near you
Junior Software Engineer

Junior Software Engineer

Geneva Trading

Chicago, IL • On-site

$80K - $130K/yr

Full-time

Posted 26 days ago

Job description

Founded in 1999, Geneva Trading is a premier global principal trading firm with strategically located offices in Chicago, Dublin, and London. Our relentless focus on trading excellence combined with technological innovation has equipped us with a best-in-class proprietary trading platform, enabling us to compete at the highest levels in the global markets. Rooted in a culture of integrity, collaboration, and an unwavering passion for progress, we foster an environment of personal and professional excellence. Our nimble organizational structure and entrepreneurial spirit attract top-tier talent with a passion for innovation, laying the foundation and driving our consistent success in the industry.
Junior Software Engineer (Trading Systems & OS)
Location: Chicago, IL (Loop)
Team: Proprietary Trading Group
The Opportunity
Geneva Trading is seeking a Junior Software Engineer with a systems-programming pedigree to join our Chicago headquarters. In this role, you will be an integral part of a specialized development staff that works side-by-side with Traders and Quantitative Researchers. We aren't looking for a "back-office" developer; we need a problem solver who wants to sit at the intersection of code and the markets. You will use your understanding of Operating Systems and low-level architecture to ensure our strategies are the fastest and most reliable in the world. This role is for the curious mind-the engineer who doesn't just want to write a strategy but wants to understand exactly how the Linux kernel handles every packet that strategy sends.
Core Responsibilities
  • Collaborative Development: Work daily within a tight-knit unit of Traders and Quants to translate high-frequency strategies into production-ready code.
  • Systems-Level Optimization: Build and tune trading applications using Modern C++, with a heavy focus on OS-level performance (e.g., CPU affinity, memory management, and kernel bypass).
  • Research & Diagnostic Tooling: Leverage Python to build high-speed data pipelines, backtesting frameworks, and real-time monitoring tools to analyze strategy behavior.
  • Deep-Dive Problem Solving: Act as the "systems expert" for the desk-diagnosing jitter, race conditions, or latency spikes by digging into the Linux stack (schedulers, interrupts, and syscalls).
  • Execution Excellence: Maintain a "zero-error" mindset, ensuring the absolute correctness of trading logic in a high-stakes, real-time environment.

The Technical Profile
  • Education: BS/MS in Computer Science or Computer Engineering with a strong academic focus on Operating Systems.
  • Language Proficiency: C++: Professional-level understanding of pointers, memory layout, and concurrency.
  • Python: Ability to write clean, efficient code for data analysis and automation.
  • OS Fundamentals: Deep knowledge of Linux/Unix internals. You should understand how the OS manages hardware resources and how to optimize that interaction for speed.
  • The "Curious" Mindset: A natural drive to deconstruct complex systems. You are the person who reads the man pages and enjoys figuring out the "why" behind a system's behavior.

The Geneva Environment
  • High-Touch Collaboration: You are part of the trading desk's heartbeat, where feedback loops between code and market impact are measured in microseconds.
  • Intellectual Rigor: Solve non-trivial puzzles alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry.
  • Chicago Culture: Work in our state-of-the-art Chicago office, enjoying the energy of the trading floor combined with a flat, meritocratic structure.

Compensation
Base Salary Range: $80,000 - $130,000, plus eligibility for a performance-based bonus.
Final compensation will be determined based on the candidate's skills, experience, education, and qualifications. In addition to base salary, Geneva Trading offers a competitive total rewards package, including a comprehensive benefits program. Learn more about our employee incentives here: https://www.genevatrading.com/employee-incentives/
Application expected to close on 5/15/26
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

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