Senior Trading Automation Specialist 

Location: Chicago    |    Department: Trading    |    Level: Senior 

About the Role

Optiver is seeking a Senior Trading Automation Specialist to join the team responsible for the daily operations, automation, and continuous improvement of our market making activity in Chicago. This is a high-impact role that sits at the intersection of trading, technology, and operational excellence. 

You will drive the strategic vision for how we scale our operations through automation, ensure the integrity and reliability of our core market making systems and strategies, and serve as a key partner to traders, researchers, and engineers across the firm. You will be expected to take full ownership of critical workstreams and deliver results with minimal oversight. 

This role requires someone who can operate at both a strategic and tactical level — comfortable shaping the long-term roadmap for trading automation while also rolling up their sleeves to solve problems in real time on the trading floor. 

What You’ll Do 

Automation & Strategic Improvement 

• Define, drive and implement the automation roadmap for trading, identifying high-impact opportunities to eliminate manual processes and scale the business
• Design, implement, and maintain automated workflows, data pipelines, and reporting infrastructure
• Collaborate with Quantitative Traders, Quantitative Researchers, and Software Engineers to translate operational insights into system improvements 

Operational Excellence 

• Act as an escalation point for critical operational decisions and incidents
• Lead post-mortem processes, driving root-cause analysis and preventive measures
• Own end-to-end reliability of core trading automation systems
• Identify and resolve operational risks proactively 

What You’ll Get 

• The opportunity to work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 40 different countries
• A 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 

Required 

• 5+ years of experience in trading operations, trading technology, quantitative finance, or a closely related field
• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field (Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or related); advanced degree preferred
• Strong programming skills in Python, SQL, or similar languages, with a track record of building automation and tooling
• Deep understanding of electronic trading systems, market microstructure, and the operational mechanics of market making
• Excellent analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving abilities
• Outstanding communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders across trading, technology, and risk functions 

Preferred 

• Demonstrated leadership experience, including mentoring team members and driving cross-functional initiatives in a fast-paced environment 
• Experience at a market making firm, proprietary trading firm, or quantitative hedge fund
• Track record of driving large-scale process automation or operational transformation initiatives 

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. 

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.