Optiver is an industry leader across everything we do. We don’t just meet industry standards we aim to set them. Mathematics and statistics are ever-present components throughout the process of designing strategies and making trading decisions, as our traders and researchers combine to achieve our goal of improving the market.

We have an appetite to diversify and improve and are always looking for great new talent to bring fresh ideas and perspectives to our trading team. That’s where you come in. We’re looking for Quantitative Researchers to leverage their statistical analysis skills and domain experience in pricing or execution to directly impact the profitability of our growing Equity Options team in Chicago.

Who we are:

Optiver is a proprietary trading firm and leading global market maker. As one of the oldest market making institutions, we are a trusted partner of 50+ 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.

What you’ll do: 

• Utilize large data sets to optimize parameterization for trading, either in system execution success or pricing volatility surface and term structure
• Employ data and market observations to generate hypothesis and draw conclusions that can lead to profitable strategies or improvements to existing strategies
• Increase precision in our trading by advancing the sophistication of our trading systems

What you’ll need:

Our success has been founded on the collaborative nature of how we operate.  We look for people who thrive in team environments, love to be challenged daily and are intuitively strong. In addition to this, you’ll need:

• 3+ years of experience within quantitative research in the equity options or cash equities space
• Deep quantitative research and modelling skills with a proven track record in leading successful research projects that added significant value to the businesses you support
• Passion for solving mathematical problems and the skills to make it happen
• Effective communicator and collaborator across various teams with a willingness to learn new techniques
• Enjoy mentoring others, sharing your knowledge and helping them to improve
• BS, MS or PhD in STEM or a related field

What you’ll get:

• 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. 
  

Alongside this 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% and charitable match opportunities, regular social events and clubs, and many more.

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.