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Hacker Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Leverage AI architectures and low-code automation to move beyond individual hacks, building scalable, shared workflows for analyses and recurring reporting that reclaim capacity for high-value ...

Senior Application Security Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$118K - $161K/yr

... hacking methods, tools, and industry trends. • Assist in the development and maintenance of application security policies, standards, and guidelines. • Work with security and IT teams to enhance ...

Retail Wellness Representative

Glenview, IL · On-site

$15 - $19.50/hr

You're up to date on modern-age wellness hacks and are constantly exploring the latest trends in health, recovery, mindfulness and performance optimization. * You stay informed through podcasts ...

Showing results 21-40

Hacker information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$18.5K

$87.4K

$170.9K

How much do hacker jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for hacker in Chicago, IL is $87,436.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $51,321.00 and $120,091.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Do hackers get paid well?

Hackers, particularly ethical or cybersecurity professionals, can earn competitive salaries depending on their skills, experience, and certifications. Salaries for cybersecurity roles often range from moderate to high, especially for those with expertise in penetration testing, network security, or advanced tools. However, illegal hacking activities typically do not result in legitimate income and can lead to legal consequences.

What is a hacker?

A hacker is an individual who uses technical knowledge and computer skills to gain unauthorized access to systems or networks, often by bypassing security measures. Hackers can have various motivations, from curiosity and learning to malicious intent such as stealing data or causing harm. While the term 'hacker' is often associated with cybercriminals, it can also refer to ethical hackers who help organizations identify and fix security vulnerabilities. The cybersecurity industry distinguishes between 'white-hat' (ethical), 'black-hat' (malicious), and 'gray-hat' (mixed intent) hackers. Understanding these distinctions is important for recognizing the different roles hackers play in the digital world.

What are some common challenges ethical hackers face when conducting penetration tests for organizations?

Ethical hackers, also known as penetration testers, often encounter challenges such as limited timeframes to complete thorough assessments, navigating complex and constantly evolving IT environments, and ensuring clear communication with stakeholders who may not be familiar with technical jargon. Additionally, they must carefully document their findings and work within legal and ethical boundaries to avoid disrupting business operations. Collaboration with IT teams is essential to ensure vulnerabilities are addressed effectively and recommendations are implemented.

What is the difference between Hacker vs Penetration Tester?

AspectHackerPenetration Tester
CredentialsMay have certifications like CEH, OSCP, but not alwaysOften holds certifications like CEH, OSCP, CISSP
Work EnvironmentCan be employed or freelance, sometimes in illegal activitiesLegally employed or contracted to test security
Industry UsageUsed broadly, including malicious and ethical contextsPrimarily in cybersecurity and IT security sectors

While both hackers and penetration testers possess technical skills to identify vulnerabilities, hackers may operate illegally or ethically, whereas penetration testers work within legal boundaries to improve security.

What jobs are there for hackers?

Hackers can pursue careers such as cybersecurity analyst, penetration tester, security consultant, or ethical hacker. These roles involve identifying vulnerabilities, testing security systems, and protecting organizations from cyber threats, often requiring knowledge of tools like Kali Linux and certifications such as CEH or CISSP.

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

To thrive as a Hacker (ethical or cybersecurity specialist), you need a deep understanding of computer networks, programming languages, operating systems, and security protocols, often supported by relevant IT or cybersecurity certifications. Familiarity with tools such as Kali Linux, Metasploit, Wireshark, and vulnerability scanners is typically required. Critical thinking, problem-solving, and discretion are essential soft skills that set top professionals apart in this field. These skills and qualities are vital to effectively identify vulnerabilities, protect systems, and ensure organizational security in an ever-evolving threat landscape.

What is a hacker?

A hacker is an accomplished computer user who utilizes their technical skills to solve problems in computing. The term “hacker” has become associated with security hacking, which is the practice of using bugs or other types of technical attacks to circumvent computer security and break into computer systems. Not all hackers, however, break into systems for their own gain. White hat or ethical hackers use their skills to get around security in order to demonstrate problems in security to systems operators. The term “hacking” is also used outside of computer and IT contexts and refers to experimenting with new methods or ideas.

Infographic showing various Hacker job openings in Chicago, IL as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 72% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 25% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $87,436 per year, or $42 per hour.

Quantitative Researcher (Full-Time - Master's/Bachelor's)

Radix Trading University Job Board

Chicago, IL • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 24 days ago


Job description

Please only apply to one of our Job Postings. At the bottom of the application questions below you'll have the option to indicate if there are any other roles here at Radix that you might be interested in. Please do not submit multiple applications for different positions.
As a Quantitative Researcher, your focus is on identifying trading opportunities, but you can add even more value with strong quantitative skills and some coding proficiency to accelerate the innovation process and help others leverage your work.
By working on a variety of projects with different collaborators over the start of your career, you'll gain new knowledge and insight into the fundamentals of market dynamics, trading strategies, and our proprietary research platform. We believe in learning through impactful work, so while you learn the intricacies of our industry, you'll have plenty of opportunities to contribute and directly affect our bottom line within your first few weeks on the team.
While interest in trading is key, a background in finance is definitely not. Our team is built mostly from academia - not from other trading firms. We seek mental diversity and add a select group of academics each year from a wide range of disciplines.
COMPENSATION - Competitive salary, plus quarterly bonus based on individual performance and contribution towards success of others and the firm.
Qualifications
We're looking for highly analytical people (math, physics, computer science, statistics, electrical engineering, etc.) who want to help build the research-driven trading firm of the future. To do that, you'll need the following qualities:
  • Persistent Drive to Improve - Do you have an innate desire to rise to the next level, even after great accomplishment?
  • Creative Problem Solving and Probabilistic Thinking - You must enjoy learning and implementing new concepts quickly, combining knowledge from different domains to create new ideas, and take a data-driven and probabilistic approach to testing and implementing new ideas.
  • Team Mindset - We want people who understand 1+1 > 2 and are as committed to making the team better through sharing ideas as they are driven to improve their individual performance.
  • Mental Flexibility & Self Awareness - You'll have to frequently adapt based on new data, results, and feedback on your trading ideas and your performance.
  • Orientation for Making Money - Although we value academic training, our work is not an academic exercise. We take a hacker's approach to testing ideas, dropping projects that consume time without high upside, and focusing our next efforts on what will create the most value for the firm.

Research / Quant trading strategy skills to have or develop
  • Strong intuition and deep thinking with data sets - Designs new alphas, understands complex systems; knows where to start, or ask others where to start
  • Demonstrates strong "hacking" ability to quickly get into data to look for empirical relationships and decipher noise or signal
  • Familiarity with classical statistical methods and knows when and how to apply them in a rigorous fashion; Easily learns how to apply new statistical methods; will seek out and learn new methods to better solve problem
    • Experience with modern AI techniques and methods or desire to work on Applied Machine Learning Problems a plus
  • Constantly questions finance/trading data and stays motivated to seek answers despite most often proving that there is no correlation or signal
  • Experience in setup of research framework and execution of projects
  • Understanding of financial products, market dynamics, and microstructure
  • Experience programming in Low-level computer languages (like C++); awareness of strength in particular language and ability to solve more complex problems due to understanding nuances of the language