Optiver’s research team is looking for a full-time Quantitative Researcher to help continuously improve our core derivatives pricing and trading strategies. On this team, our researchers work closely with traders and software engineers to create and improve pricing models, volatility surfaces, yield curves and other quantitative elements of our automated trading systems. They find solutions to pricing problems, test those solutions with historical pricing parameters and live market data, and modify various parts of our trading system—then they see these new models operate in the real world.

Our researchers collaborate closely with traders and engineers to advance the capabilities of our business and improve our market-making fundamentals. We apply our quantitative expertise and scientific training to solve tough, interdisciplinary problems and take pride in seeing the real-time impact of solutions that allow us to stay ahead in a highly competitive industry.

Who we are:

At Optiver, our mission is to constantly improve the market by injecting liquidity, providing accurate pricing, increasing transparency and acting as a stabilizing 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. We tackle the toughest problems, challenge the status quo and always aim for excellence. As one of the largest market making institutions, we are a trusted partner of 70+ exchanges across the globe.

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:

Your career here will begin with comprehensive training on the fundamentals of trading—theory, markets, strategy and cutting-edge technology—with no prior finance knowledge needed.

From there, you’re off and conducting research. You and your team, armed with a vast amount of proprietary data, will develop innovative statistical models to predict future prices, design and optimize strategies to best execute in fast-moving environments, and make improvements to our pricing models. The best part? In this ever-changing industry, no day is ever the same.  

Who you are:

• Currently enrolled in a PhD program in mathematics, computer science, statistics, physics, or a related field with an anticipated graduation date of Summer 2024 or sooner
• Has experience using Matlab, R, Python, or other analytical tools for quantitative research
• Possesses strong research, analytical, valuation and modeling skills
• Experience analyzing large data sets is not required, but preferred

What you’ll get:

• Training, mentorship and continuous learning and development opportunities.
• Work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 40 different countries.
• Performance-based bonus structure that is unmatched anywhere in the industry. We combine our profits across desks, teams and offices into a global profit pool fostering a truly collaborative environment to work in.
• Ownership over initiatives that directly solve business problems.

Additionally, you will get great other benefits such as 25 paid vacation days and market holidays, fully paid health insurance, daily breakfast and lunch, training opportunities, 401(k) match up to 50%, charitable match opportunities, regular social events and 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 2024. 

At Optiver, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. Optiver recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, or other legally protected characteristics.