At Optiver, we value collaboration and continuous improvement. As an Optiver intern or graduate, you’re given significant responsibility early on and surrounded by best-in-class colleagues, who are keen to support you to grow every day. Discover Optiver’s internship opportunities: optiver.com/internship

Bruce, one of our Quantitative Research Interns, shares his experience in our internship program and what it’s like to work at Optiver.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m currently studying Mathematics and Actuarial studies at the University of New South Wales.

What do you enjoy most about working at Optiver?

The atmosphere is extremely collaborative, and people are always happy to discuss ideas you might have. Everyone has areas that they specialise in, and that means there’s seriously always more to learn from others.

How were you supported to learn during your internship?

The intern program starts with an introduction into the basic financial theory needed to understand the trading problem, and then jumps straight into practical projects that give you an opportunity to demonstrate the skills. In a very short amount of time, I’ve been given the incredibly exciting opportunity to go from learning the ropes behind trading, back testing, and modelling to designing a strategy to use on the actual market.

What’s your top tip for students that are looking to apply?

Get a lot of practice at thinking deeply about a problem, from different perspectives, and articulating your thoughts clearly. The journey is often more important than the destination.