Holding period · Continuous
Market making
What is market making?
Market makers quote continuous two-sided prices and earn the spread while managing inventory risk. Options market making is the largest and most quantitative variant, requiring volatility modelling alongside fast systems.
Who it hires, and what it pays
Mid-level total compensation, Chicago reference market.
| Role | What they do here | Mid-level total comp |
|---|---|---|
| Quant Trader | Running risk on systematic strategies | $630k – $1.6m |
| Quant Developer | The engineering layer beneath the strategy | $369k – $679k |
| HFT / Low-Latency Engineer | Nanoseconds as a competitive edge | $486k – $972k |
Where it concentrates
Skills it rewards
Firms running it
Derived from published positioning and office footprint - an indication of where this strategy is practised, not a claim about current vacancies.
Other strategies
Methodology
Figures are expressed as annual total compensation (base salary plus expected performance bonus) in the reference market's local currency, converted from a US dollar base. They describe typical market ranges rather than any individual offer, and exclude sign-on payments, deferred equity and carried interest. Portfolio-manager figures reflect formulaic profit-share arrangements and are therefore far more dispersed than any other role.
KnowQuantIndex 2026.1 · Updated September 2026
Modelled bands describe the market, not an individual offer. Where an employer states pay, the stated figure is used and labelled as such.
Live opportunities
Roles behind Market making
Open vacancies we track at quant firms, grouped by role and city. Adverts are anonymised.
Hiring for these roles? Brief the desk on a hire or check your fit for a role.
Research desk
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