---
title: 'Principal Research Scientist - Machine Learning at IMC'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/principal-research-scientist-machine-learning-imc-london-xq94amn3j5c9'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-11'
---

# Principal Research Scientist - Machine Learning at IMC

- **Company:** IMC
- **Location:** London, United Kingdom
- **Posted:** 2026-06-26
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.eu.greenhouse.io/imc/jobs/4903862101

## Job description

IMC is one of the world’s leading trading firms, combining quantitative research, technology and trading expertise to solve complex problems at scale.

As Machine Learning becomes increasingly important within our Systematic Equities business, we are investing in frontier research that can shape the next generation of models, infrastructure and research capabilities. With access to world-class datasets, significant compute resources and a highly collaborative environment, IMC offers a unique opportunity to see cutting-edge research translated into real-world impact.

We are seeking a Principal Research Scientist to help define and accelerate our long-term machine learning research agenda. Prior finance experience is not required.

## The Role

This role is designed for an established academic researcher or research scientist who wants to remain connected to the frontier of machine learning while applying their expertise in a highly impactful environment.

You will work alongside quantitative researchers, engineers and research leadership to identify emerging research directions, evaluate new developments in machine learning, and help translate promising academic advances into practical applications.

Rather than owning individual trading strategies, you will act as a scientific leader, mentor and advisor across the research organisation. You will also represent IMC externally through participation in leading conferences and engagement with the broader machine learning community.

## Responsibilities

- Shape the long-term machine learning research agenda within Systematic Equities.
- Identify and translate advances from frontier ML research into practical opportunities.
- Conduct original research and develop proof-of-concept solutions where appropriate.
- Advise and mentor quantitative researchers on methodology, experimentation and research direction.
- Help guide future investments in research tooling, infrastructure and compute capabilities.
- Represent IMC within the global machine learning community through conferences such as NeurIPS, ICML and ICLR.
- Contribute to publication efforts where appropriate and consistent with intellectual property considerations.

## Skills & Experience

- PhD in Machine Learning, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Physics or a related quantitative discipline.
- Outstanding academic credentials and a strong publication record in leading research venues.
- Current or recent experience in a faculty-equivalent academic or research leadership role such as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Group Leader, Principal Investigator, Senior Postdoctoral Researcher, or Senior Research Scientist.
- Deep expertise in modern machine learning and strong awareness of emerging research trends.
- Experience influencing research direction, mentoring researchers, or leading research initiatives.
- Strong programming skills and experience with modern machine learning frameworks.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate across disciplines.

## What We Offer

- The opportunity to influence the future of machine learning at one of the world’s leading trading firms.
- Access to exceptional datasets, infrastructure and large-scale compute resources.
- Continued engagement with the academic community through conferences, collaborations and publication opportunities.
- A collaborative environment where research can move rapidly from idea to impact.
- Competitive compensation that reflects both scientific excellence and commercial impact.

## 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.

## About IMC

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: IMC is a global trading firm that uses cutting-edge technology, quantitative research, and advanced algorithms to provide liquidity across major asset classes and trading venues worldwide.
- **Entity Type**: Private (bootstrapped)
- **Headquarters**: Amsterdam, Netherlands (global headquarters); major offices in Chicago, Sydney, Mumbai, and other cities.
- **Founded**: 1989
- **Founders**: Two traders (names not publicly disclosed) who met on the floor of the Amsterdam Equity Options Exchange.

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Financial Services, Proprietary Trading, Market Making, Financial Technology
- **Target customers**: Institutional clients, exchanges, ETF issuers, buy-side firms, and other market participants. **B2B** focus.
- **Mission or purpose statement**: To be the world’s leading trading firm, supporting fair and transparent markets by providing significant liquidity and competitive pricing. [imc.com](https://www.imc.com/eu/who-we-are)

## Products & Services
- **ETF Market Making**: Acts as a Lead Market Maker (LMM) in more than 150 US exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
- **Options Wholesaling**: A top-3 liquidity provider by volume traded in listed options globally, with connectivity to all OCC venues.
- **Institutional Sales**: Provides off-screen trading for buy-side firms.
- **Crypto Solutions**: Offers global coverage of crypto products including spot, perps, futures, and options, both on- and off-chain.
- **Multi-Asset Class Trading**: Develops innovative technologies and algorithms to trade in all major asset classes on more than 120 venues globally.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (private company).
- **Key Metric**: Over 2,070 employees across 10 global offices as of 2025/2026. [imc.com](https://www.imc.com/eu/who-we-are)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Privately held; no external investors disclosed. Key partners include major global exchanges and clearing houses (e.g., OCC).
- **Growth Signals**:
    - Employee count grew from +1,900 to +2,070 in recent years.
    - Operates 9,000+ servers across 9 countries and processes petabytes of data daily.
    - Expanding into crypto and new asset classes.
    - Committed to being Net Zero by 2040.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Technology & Infrastructure**: A world-class technology backbone with 9,000+ servers, petabytes of data processing, and early adoption of AI/ML.
- **Longevity & Experience**: 36+ years of trading history and deep expertise across multiple asset classes.
- **Global Scale**: 24/7 liquidity provision across 120+ trading venues in the US, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and India.
- **Talent Density**: A flat, non-hierarchical culture that attracts top quant researchers, engineers, and traders from 70+ nationalities.
- **Culture of Ownership**: Employees are given significant responsibility early on, with a focus on collaboration and cross-functional teamwork.

## Strategic Focus
- **Quantitative Research & Tech**: Continually investing in quant research, AI, machine learning, and large-scale computing to generate alpha.
- **Global Expansion**: Expanding across new markets and asset classes, including crypto.
- **Sustainability**: Committed to being Net Zero by 2040 and making a positive impact through the IMC Foundations, focusing on education.
- **Talent Development**: Investing heavily in graduate and intern training programs (Graduate Traineeship, Launchpad) to build the next generation of talent.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture & Values**: High-performance, collaborative, and non-hierarchical. 87% of employees say "IMC is a great place to work" (+4% vs global top-10%). [imc.com](https://www.imc.com/us/who-we-are/our-culture-values)
- **Work Environment**: Office-based (no remote policy indicated). Offers free catered breakfast and lunch, snacks, drinks, and Friday socials. Regular team events including an annual weekend trip.
- **Compensation & Benefits**: Competitive compensation with subsidized gym memberships, ergonomic desks, and health/well-being programs.
- **Learning & Development**: Extensive internal and external training programs. Graduates undergo a multi-week Graduate Traineeship (Trading School, Development School, FPGA School).
- **Diversity**: Employees represent 70+ nationalities, with a strong commitment to D&I.
- **Giving Back**: A share of profits is donated to non-profits, with a focus on education. Employees get volunteer time, donation matching, and grants.

## Sources
1. [IMC Homepage](https://www.imc.com/us/)
2. [IMC Careers Page](https://www.imc.com/us/careers)
3. [IMC Who We Are](https://www.imc.com/eu/who-we-are)
4. [IMC Culture & Values](https://www.imc.com/us/who-we-are/our-culture-values)
5. [IMC Recruitment Process](https://www.imc.com/us/careers/recruitment-process)

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