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Summer 2027 recruiting

IMC Trading internships: when they open and how to apply

Amsterdam-founded IMC runs its US business from Chicago. Its 10-week internships follow a set structure of classroom training, a real project, and a presentation to colleagues and leadership, and its Launchpad program gives second-year students an early look at the trading floor.

IMC Trading

Early-career programs

  • Quantitative Trader Intern
  • Quantitative Research Intern
  • Software Engineer Intern
  • Launchpad

Internships and programs at IMC Trading

The early-career programs it runs for students and recent graduates, by the names it uses for them.

Quantitative Trader Intern
A 10-week Chicago internship that starts with classroom training in options theory, market principles, and trading simulations, then moves to project work with traders and technologists. Interns who meet the bar can earn a full-time Graduate Trader offer.
Quantitative Research Intern
Research internships in Chicago with separate BS/MS and PhD postings, plus a Machine Learning Research Intern role. Interns build models and analyze data for IMC's trading.
Software Engineer Intern
Engineering interns in Chicago build on IMC's trading systems, with training that includes Java and C++. IMC also posts Hardware Engineer and Quant Performance Engineer internships for low-latency work.
Launchpad
A two-day program in Chicago for second-year students interested in software engineering or quantitative trading. It includes office tours, workshops, and both manual and algorithmic mock trading, and IMC says it helps participants fast-track toward future internships.

When IMC Trading posts internships

IMC recruits early in the US. Its summer 2027 Chicago internships for trading, research, and engineering went live on July 1, 2026, almost a full year before the June 7 start. Review is rolling, so the first few weeks after posting matter.

US internships run ten weeks from early June to late August. IMC allows one application per role per recruiting season; if you are not selected, you can reapply when the next season opens.

These are patterns from recent cycles, not published dates, and they shift. The reliable signal is the posting itself: Trakker is an internship tracker that reads IMC Trading’s careers site directly and can email you within minutes of a new role appearing.

Who can apply

IMC's internships target high-performing undergraduates in their penultimate year studying computer science, math, statistics, physics, economics, engineering, and similar subjects. The summer 2027 postings ask for a graduation date between September 2027 and July 2028.

No prior knowledge of financial markets is required. Launchpad is for second-year students with quantitative or computer science backgrounds. IMC also runs internships in Amsterdam, Hong Kong, and Sydney on their own calendars.

The interview process

IMC describes a three-step process: application, an assessment for some roles, and a series of interviews focused on specific competencies. Each role has its own process, so a trader and an engineer will see different steps.

Trading candidates report numerical and reasoning tests followed by interviews on probability and decision-making. Engineering candidates report coding assessments and technical interviews.

Tips for applying to IMC Trading

  • Focus on a single role. IMC evaluates each application against that role's criteria and limits you to one application per role per year.
  • Second-years should look for Launchpad; it is small and gives a head start toward IMC's internships.
  • Watch for postings in early July. IMC's US cycle starts earlier than many students expect.

IMC Trading internship questions

When does IMC post internships?
IMC posted its summer 2027 US internships on July 1, 2026, nearly a year before the summer. Review is rolling, and other regions follow their own calendars.
What is IMC Launchpad?
Launchpad is a two-day program in Chicago for second-year students interested in software engineering or quantitative trading. It includes workshops and mock trading and helps participants fast-track toward IMC internships.
How long is the IMC internship?
US internships are 10 weeks, from early June to late August; summer 2027 interns start June 7. They move from classroom training to a real project and end with a presentation to IMC leadership.

Sources

What this page was checked against. Programs and timelines change from cycle to cycle, so IMC Trading’s own careers site has the final word.

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