Jobs › IMC Trading

Hardware Engineer

IMC Trading · Chicago, IL · Development (Group)

Posted Sep 30, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at IMC Trading

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Walk me through an ASIC you worked on from specification to tapeout or integration. What was your part?

What they are checking: Real experience across the ASIC lifecycle, which this role covers broadly.

Tell me about a design bug that escaped into later stages. How was it caught and what changed?

What they are checking: Learning from escapes and improving design and verification practice.

What do you enjoy about owning many parts of a design instead of specializing?

What they are checking: Whether they want broad ownership, which this small team offers.

What would you do

In an architecture discussion, you think a proposed design will cost too much area. How do you raise it?

What they are checking: Whether they contribute to architecture discussions with clear, data-backed views.

A software team needs a new feature in hardware quickly. How do you scope it?

What they are checking: Collaboration with software and trading teams under time pressure.

About the work

How do you write SystemVerilog RTL so it is easy to verify and closes timing?

What they are checking: Design habits that reduce bugs and make timing and verification easier.

How would you design a low-latency path through an ASIC that processes market data?

What they are checking: Whether they can reason about latency-sensitive architecture for trading.

What's different about designing for an ASIC compared with an FPGA?

What they are checking: Understanding of the cost of mistakes, timing and flexibility in each platform.

How would you verify a new block you designed before handing it off?

What they are checking: Whether they own verification too, since the role combines design and verification.

How do you integrate your block into a larger hardware platform without surprises?

What they are checking: System-level thinking about interfaces, clocks and resets across a larger design.

How do you handle clock domain crossings in a large ASIC?

What they are checking: Knowledge of a common source of hard-to-find bugs in complex chips.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at IMC Trading from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by IMC Trading.

IMC is seeking a Hardware Engineer to join our Global Hardware team and help develop the next generation of custom ASICs that power our trading infrastructure. As a member of the Global Hardware organization, you’ll work on long-term, high-impact engineering challenges that directly influence the performance and scalability of IMC’s trading systems. This team focuses on designing proprietary hardware solutions that deliver meaningful advantages in latency-sensitive environments, partnering closely with software engineers, researchers, and trading teams to solve complex technical problems. This role combines hardware design, verification, and system-level thinking. You’ll contribute across the ASIC development lifecycle, from RTL design and validation to integration within larger hardware platforms. Because of the team’s size and collaborative culture, engineers have broad ownership and exposure to multiple aspects of the design process rather than being confined to a narrow specialization. Your Core Responsibilities:  • Participate in the full ASIC development lifecycle, from specification through integration and deployment • Design and implement RTL for next-generation ASIC platforms using SystemVerilog • Contribute to architecture and design discussions for performance-critical hardware systems • Develop new functionality that supports evolving trading and infrastructure requirements • Collaborate with hardware, software, and research teams to translate requirements into scalable solutions • Develop unit tests and verification environments for RTL designs • Validate functionality and performance of hardware components • Debug design and integration issues throughout the development process • Contribute to verification methodologies and testing infrastructure • Ensure designs meet reliability, performance, and maintainability requirements • Develop scripts and tooling to improve engineering workflows • Support automation efforts across design and verification processes • Contribute to continuous improvements in development methodologies and engineering practices Your Skills & Experience:  • BS+ in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline • Strong experience with RTL design and development using SystemVerilog • Strong understanding of digital design fundamentals • Working knowledge of C++ • Experience developing and executing verification and test strategies • Experience working with multi-clock-domain designs and clock-domain crossing concepts • Solid understanding of Ethernet protocols and networking fundamentals • Experience with Python, Bash, or similar scripting languages • Strong debugging and problem-solving skills • Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple engineering disciplines The Base Salary range for the role is included below. Base salary is only one component of total compensation; all full-time, permanent positions are eligible for a discretionary bonus and benefits, including paid leave and insurance. Please visit Benefits - US | IMC Trading for more comprehensive information. Salary Range $200,000 — $225,000 USD About Us IMC is a research-driven trading firm where quantitative modeling, machine learning, and engineering shape how modern markets are traded. A stabilizing force in markets since 1989, we provide liquidity across trading venues, delivering the best outcome in value and risk management to investors. Using our own technology and capital, we build proprietary systems and algorithms that operate across global markets. Our researchers, traders, and engineers work as a collective, combining rapid experimentation, advanced infrastructure, and real-time feedback to turn insight into execution and execution into advantage.  

Apply at IMC Trading