Graduate Software Engineer (2025 Start - Chicago)

As a Software Engineer, your work is mission-critical at our firm. You will work on solutions that enable us to react to markets at lightning-fast speeds. Your work will be the magic behind the scenes, enabling our teams to make split-second decisions with precision and confidence. By working in an interdisciplinary manner and innovating and optimizing code, you will keep our firm competitive in the ever-evolving capital markets.

What you’ll do

Your onboarding

In the first eight weeks, you will participate in Optiver’s comprehensive Global Academy and be equipped with the knowledge needed to make an impact the moment you join your team. The comprehensive training covers trading theory and Optiver’s tech stack to hone your skills for your role. In addition, you will be paired with a dedicated mentor who will empower you to take ownership of your work and make a difference at the firm.

Your responsibilities

As a Graduate Software Engineer, you will work closely with best-in-class Traders, Risk Analysts and other Engineers to develop simple, well-architected solutions that meet the needs of our business. No one day is ever the same. You will gain and develop in-depth knowledge of engineering for the capital markets. Our collective passion to solve problems makes a direct impact on our business.

What you’ll get

You’ll join a culture of collaboration and excellence, where you’ll be surrounded by curious thinkers and creative problem solvers. Driven by a passion for continuous improvement, you’ll thrive in a supportive, high-performing environment alongside talented colleagues, working collectively to tackle the toughest problems in the financial markets.

In addition, you’ll receive:

• A highly competitive compensation package.
• Global profit-sharing pool and performance-based bonus structure.
• 401(k) match up to 50% and fully paid health insurance.
• 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:

• Student working toward a degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering graduating between December 2024 and June 2025
• Passionate for clean code, simple, well-architected systems, and continuous improvement
• A proficiency in coding languages such as C++, Python, or Java
• A solid grasp of algorithms, memory and concurrency models, CPU-architecture, operating systems and relational databases
• Strong engineering ability and a solid understanding of computer science fundamentals
• Have an entrepreneurial attitude and an interest in the financial industry
• An analytical mindset and strong problem-solving skills
• Able to work closely with developers, traders, and business operations

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 70+ exchanges across the globe.

Diversity statement

Optiver is committed to diversity and inclusion.

For answers to some of our most frequently asked questions, refer to our Campus FAQs.

*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 2025.