Demo

Experienced Futures Trader/Researcher

Optiver
Chicago, IL Full Time
POSTED ON 2/24/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 5/17/2025

Optiver is seeking an Experienced Futures Trader / Researcher to join our High Frequency Trading Team. Our HFT team is comprised of Researchers and Software Engineers who focus on designing, improving and executing trading strategies using machine learning. Our Quantitative Researchers specifically focus on conducting alpha / signal / features research, improving those machine-learning models, and refining trading algorithms. Should you join this collaborative, close-knit team, you'll have the opportunity to directly impact everything in our research and execution pipeline.

Does the thought of making a direct, immediate impact thrill you? You may have found your next career move.

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 stabilizing 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 Chicago office offers a unique, big-city American experience. Located in the heart of the Chicago Loop, our working environment parallels the energetic city we're immersed in. Home to CBOT, CBOE and CME, Chicago has established itself as the derivatives capital of the US, trading both options and futures. Active on several of the leading exchanges in the US market, Optiver's Chicago office trades a wide range of products from listed derivatives to cash equities, ETFs, bonds and foreign exchange.

WHAT YOU'LL DO :

We're looking for an Experienced Futures Trader / Researcher who will be versatile, flexible and creative in fine-tuning trading algorithms. As a Researcher, you'll work on complex, high-impact projects that result in instant feedback for both your team and for the business.

As a member of our team, you can expect to :

  • Conduct signal / modelling research for improving predictions and research for improving executing algorithms in the market
  • Collaborate with peers in reviewing research and solving problems
  • Improve the research workflow for your own benefit and your peers
  • Participate in strategic discussions to help set the direction of our business growth
  • See the direct impact of your changes in production

Who you are :

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.

Additionally, as part of our team you'll need :

  • 2 years of experience on a successful futures / equities trading team (preferably a proprietary trading firm)
  • Experience in computationally intensive research
  • A bachelor's degree
  • Strong analytical and mathematical skills
  • Familiarity in programming languages (C , C#, Java)
  • 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.

    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.

    Base Salary Range

    175,000-$175,000 USD

    Salary : $175,000

    If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
    Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

    What is the career path for a Experienced Futures Trader/Researcher?

    Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Experienced Futures Trader/Researcher career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
    Income Estimation: 
    $91,572 - $138,147
    Income Estimation: 
    $200,642 - $510,471
    Income Estimation: 
    $155,740 - $229,397
    Income Estimation: 
    $147,449 - $265,969
    Income Estimation: 
    $200,706 - $326,730
    Income Estimation: 
    $64,107 - $90,901
    Income Estimation: 
    $114,374 - $265,651
    Income Estimation: 
    $75,324 - $107,560
    Income Estimation: 
    $91,572 - $138,147
    Income Estimation: 
    $165,502 - $274,753

    Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs with skills like those required for the Experienced Futures Trader/Researcher.

    Click the checkbox next to the jobs that you are interested in.

    • Bug/Defect Analysis Skill

      • Income Estimation: $101,441 - $130,752
      • Income Estimation: $102,541 - $137,871
    • Debugging Skill

      • Income Estimation: $101,441 - $130,752
      • Income Estimation: $104,963 - $131,876
    View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

    Job openings at Optiver

    Optiver
    Hired Organization Address Chicago, IL Full Time
    As a Graduate Quantitative Researcher, you will develop, refine and implement algorithmic trading strategies that shape ...
    Optiver
    Hired Organization Address New York, NY Full Time
    Optiver is a seeking a Machine Learning Performance Engineer to join our team, focusing on a pivotal AI initiative. This...
    Optiver
    Hired Organization Address Austin, TX Full Time
    Hardware Engineers at Optiver build hardware-based trading systems ranging from low latency algorithms to high bandwidth...
    Optiver
    Hired Organization Address Austin, TX Full Time
    Our Senior Software Engineers lead large technical projects, help set the direction for our trading infrastructure, and ...

    Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Experienced Futures Trader/Researcher jobs in the Chicago, IL area that may be a better fit.

    Futures Trader

    TradeLink LLC, Chicago, IL

    Futures Trader

    Russell Tobin, Chicago, IL

    AI Assistant is available now!

    Feel free to start your new journey!