Who we are:

Optiver is a tech-driven trading firm and leading global market maker. As one of the oldest market making institutions, we are a trusted partner of 70+ exchanges across the globe. Our mission is to constantly improve the market by injecting liquidity, providing accurate pricing, increasing transparency and acting as a stabilising force no matter the market conditions. With a focus on continuous improvement, we participate in the safeguarding of healthy and efficient markets for everyone who participates.

Optiver Chicago’s culture parallels the energetic city we’re immersed in. Home to the Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Board Options Exchange, and Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Chicago has established itself as the trading capital of the US. Active on leading US exchanges, Optiver’s Chicago office trades a wide range of products from listed derivatives to cash equities, ETFs, bonds and foreign exchange.

What you’ll do:

Get ready for ten weeks immersed in the fast-paced, dynamic world of market making.

As a Software Engineer Intern, you'll fully own projects that directly impact Optiver's world-class trading systems. Experience the thrill of tight feedback loops and shipping your code to production within weeks alongside our senior Engineers and Traders. If you’re looking to work in a challenging environment and have a passion for solving complex problems, apply today to kick-start your future.

Technology at Optiver:

As trading has evolved over time, it has become critical that we have the most advanced technology, trading software and connections to the market. In short, we need the best Engineers to develop, optimize and support our systems and tools. The atmosphere we are working in is fast, but exciting. This makes Tech at Optiver a great challenge by which expertise, innovation and fun go hand in hand every day.

As a Software Engineer intern, you'll work side-by-side with your mentor to build latency-critical applications, distributed systems and trading tools that directly improve the market. From day one you’ll tackle real issues that need to be solved through projects that further develop and improve our systems. Each day will bring new challenges requiring your fresh perspective. It's an unrivalled opportunity to accelerate your knowledge and make your mark on Optiver's business. 

You will also have the chance to join industry lectures to learn about trading and our other departments to gain a complete understanding of Optiver and our business. Don't worry, you won't be expected to have previous knowledge of the financial industry! You’ll take part in a training program where through a combination of theoretical knowledge and hands-on practical experience, you’ll learn everything you need to know.

Examples of potential projects that you could be working on:

• The performance of our systems – profiling and optimizing our software and hardware
• Developing applications in close collaboration with our traders to improve our trading strategies
• Building tools to find errors in our systems by turning huge amounts of data into useful information

Who you are:

You are eager to learn and a logical thinker. You are able to explain your thoughts clearly through written and verbal communication and ask the right questions. You look for opportunities to get out of your comfort zone and like frequent change, always staying on top of things and keep improving.

• Working towards a BS, MS or PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or related technical field and graduating between December 2023 and June 2024
• Knowledge of algorithms, data structures, concurrency, and systems programming concepts
• Experience coding in C++, C#, C, or Java
• Ability to communicate and collaborate with developers, traders, and business operations on a daily basis
• Excitement to learn options trading and apply this knowledge toward well-crafted solutions 

What you’ll get:

• Highly-competitive internship compensation package
• Optiver-covered flights, living accommodations and commuting stipends (where applicable)
• Various office perks, including breakfast, lunch, and snacks 
• Social events, clubs and much more!

*We accept one application per role per year. If you have previously applied to this position during this season and have been unsuccessful, you can reapply once the next recruitment season begins in 2023.