Quantitative Strategist – ETF & Portfolio Trading
New York
We are seeking a Quantitative Strategist to join our Credit Trading team and advance ETF and portfolio-based systematic strategies. You will contribute across the full lifecycle of trading, from research and design through implementation and deployment to monitoring and improvement, while collaborating with traders, developers, and researchers to enhance liquidity, optimize execution, and manage risk across ETFs and related products.
What you’ll do
As a quantitative strategist, your key responsibilities include:
• Strategy Development: Design, implement, and evolve systematic strategies for ETF arbitrage, portfolio trading, and cross-asset relative value opportunities.
• Monitoring: Monitor outsized market flows, regime shifts, and structural changes in real time, adjusting pricing, risk tolerance, and strategy parameters accordingly
• Backtesting & Simulation: Build robust backtesting and scenario analysis frameworks that incorporate market impact, execution costs, and liquidity constraints.
• Optimization: Improve workflows for ETF baskets and portfolio trades; partner with low-latency developers to deliver performant and scalable execution strategies.
• Collaboration: Work closely with alpha researchers, pricing researchers, infrastructure developers, and site reliability engineers to advance the trading platform.
What you’ll get
• The opportunity to work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 40 different countries
• Highly competitive compensation package
• Global profit-sharing pool and performance-based bonus structure
• 401(k) match up to 50%
• Comprehensive health, mental, dental, vision, disability, and life coverage
• 25 paid vacation days alongside market holidays
• Extensive office perks, including breakfast, lunch and snacks, regular social events, clubs, sporting leagues and more
Who you are
• Master’s or PhD in a quantitative field (math, physics, statistics, computer science, engineering).
• 3+ years of experience in software development, with the ability to write production-quality code for real-time data processing and visualization (C++ experience is a plus).
• Hands-on experience in designing, deploying, and operating systematic trading strategies.
• Strong background in statistical modeling, optimization, and market microstructure analysis.
• Deep understanding of ETFs, NAV behavior, portfolio trading protocols, and cross-asset liquidity dynamics; prior exposure to ETF trading, portfolio execution, or systematic market making is highly valued.
Who we are
At Optiver, our mission is to improve the market by injecting liquidity, providing accurate pricing, increasing transparency and stabilising the market no matter the conditions. With a focus on continuous improvement, we prioritise safeguarding the health and efficiency of the markets for all participants. As one of the largest market making institutions, we are a respected partner on 100+ exchanges across the globe.
Our differences are our edge. Optiver does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, or other legally protected characteristics.
Below is the expected base salary for this position. This is a good-faith estimate of the base pay scale for this position and offers will ultimately be determined based on experience, education, skill set, and performance in the interview process. This position will also be eligible for a discretionary bonus (if determined by Optiver) and Optiver’s benefits package with the benefits listed above.