Senior Software Engineer

Optiver leverages technology to solve a variety of complex problems: optimising for scarce bandwidth, responding to market events with nanosecond speed, automatically pricing complex sets of financial instruments with extremely low error tolerance, and analysing huge volumes of data. Our systems are built to add to the stability of the market, not detract from it; therefore they must operate at peak efficiency in the most extreme market conditions. To achieve this, our user interfaces must present coherent, responsive, real-time visualisations of market activity and system performance while providing intuitive control of a highly complex system.  

Our Core Software Engineers focus on the infrastructural and strategic components of our software landscape, ensuring the core elements provide a stable, performant, and trusted foundation upon which our systems are built.

 

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 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.

Our Amsterdam office is where it all began. Over 35 years ago, Optiver’s business started with a single trader on the floor of Amsterdam’s European Stock Exchange. Since our 1986 founding, Optiver’s Amsterdam office has grown into one of the most dynamic and exciting trading floors in Europe. Our culture reflects the Dutch capital city’s progressive, innovative and inclusive nature. With its unique spirit, Amsterdam is the ideal hub for our teams to trade a wide range of products from listed derivatives to cash equities, ETFs, bonds and foreign exchange. 

 

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

Our systems play an essential role in everything we do in the trading domain. That is why our Technology and Trading Teams collaborate closely to jointly explore ideas and establish the new directions. Together, they build and maintain an outstanding suite of reliable, high-performing systems and applications.

As a member of the Core Software Team, you will provide the rock-solid software backbone on which the business relies every single day, and will define the technical arena in which the trading-focused development teams continue to innovate. You will not only be challenged on your technical knowledge and skills, but also on your capacity for producing simple and elegant solutions in face of an incredibly fast-paced and ever changing business environment.

 

WHO YOU ARE:

• A Software Engineer with a genuine and deep desire to write clean and correct code, combined with a strong interest in delivering architectural and strategic solutions, topped off with a considerable dose of realistic and sustainable pragmatism allowing you to simply get things done
• 4+ Years of experience (doesn't require experience in Finance)
• A solid grasp of computer science, knowing your algorithms, memory and concurrency models, CPU-architecture, operating systems and relational databases etc
• As our main body of software is written in C++ and runs on Linux, you will either need to have extensive experience in this language and platform or be more than willing to learn on the job. Next to C++, we also extensively use Python, C# and other languages in Optiver, and you are therefore expected to be willing and able to learn new languages quickly
• We are looking for both senior and junior brilliant minds. If you feel comfortable with the characteristics outlined above, we strongly encourage you to apply!

 

WHAT YOU'LL GET::

• The chance to start your career working alongside best-in-class professionals from over 40 different countries.
• Our performance based bonus structure 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.

Alongside this you will get great secondary benefits such as 25 paid vacation days, fully paid first-class commuting expenses, training opportunities, discounts on health insurance, breakfast and lunch facilities, sports and leisure activities, Friday afternoon drinks and even weekly in-house chair massages. Being highly international, we are accustomed to guiding expats through their relocation, offering competitive relocation packages and providing visa sponsorship where necessary.

 

HOW TO APPLY:

Are you interested in furthering your career on one of the most dynamic and exciting trading floors in Europe?

Apply directly via the form below for the position of Core Software Engineer. Please provide us with a CV and letter of motivation in English. Applications without a letter of motivation will not be reviewed. When we think there is a potential match, you will hear from us sooner than you expect. If you have any questions feel free to contact our Recruiter Tommy Smith via tommysmith@optiver.com. Please note, we cannot accept applications via email for data protection reasons. 

Please note, if you are selected from your application to proceed to the next round for the position of Core Software Engineer, you will be required to take an online assessment.

Kindly note that we do not require any assistance from third-parties including agencies in the recruitment of this role.

 

DIVERSITY STATEMENT:

As an intentionally flat organization, we believe that great ideas and impact can come from everyone. We are passionate about empowering individuals and creating diverse teams that thrive. Every person at Optiver should feel included, valued and respected, because we believe our best work is done together.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is hardwired through every stage of our hiring process. We encourage applications from candidates from any and all backgrounds, and we welcome requests for reasonable adjustments during the process to ensure that you can best demonstrate your abilities.

More information on how Optiver Europe processes your personal data can be found in our Privacy Policy.