This program is your exclusive pathway to join Optiver as a graduate. We won’t open for separate graduate roles in Singapore this year, so don’t miss your chance to apply!
Want to fast-track your career path from student to a full-time trader or researcher?
Join Career Kickstarter: Trading & Research, our five-day immersive program designed to accelerate your journey from university to a full-time trading or research career.
Experience the fast-paced world of quantitative trading and discover what it takes to excel as a trader or researcher, from mastering options theory to developing highly practical industry skills.
Through a blend of interactive lectures, trading simulations, and mentorship from our world-class education team, you’ll sharpen your analytical edge and learn how to think, and act, like a trader or researcher by the end of the week.
Plus, if you've excelled in the program, you could receive an offer for our 2027 graduate position in our Singapore office.
- Eligible for final year university students, or have 1-2 years of industry experience (graduating in 2027 or has graduated between 2024-2026), who have a strong preference and is committed to working in Singapore long term post-graduation
- Program dates: 21 – 25 September 2026
- Where: Singapore
*Note: If you reside outside of Singapore, Optiver will cover your travel and accommodation costs.
What you'll do
Led by Optiver’s world-class education team, you’ll gain a deep understanding of market making and trading strategies, through a blend of hands-on and classroom learning.
Learning and skill development:
- Discover options theory: Learn the fundamentals that underpin options trading, through engaging, interactive lectures.
- Explore trading strategies: Discover how data, reports, and proposals drive the development of impactful new trading strategies.
- Build and test your own trading algorithm: Gain hands-on experience designing and testing your own trading algorithm.
- Engage in trading games: Participate in fast-paced games that mimic real-world trading scenarios, helping sharpen your instincts and decision-making skills under pressure.
Networking and culture:
- Gain expert mentorship: Learn directly from a dedicated team of educators, consisting of current and former traders and engineers.
- Build your network: Enjoy connecting with traders, quantitative researchers, and engineers through curated events.
- Experience Optiver’s culture: Immerse in our culture and enjoy our incredible benefits, including daily breakfast, lunch, coffee, and more.
Who you are
- A university student graduating in 2027 or has graduated between 2024-2026. All degree backgrounds are considered.
- Lateral thinker, with a passion for quantitative problems and working in collaborative, dynamic environments.
- Holds superior logical reasoning skills.
- Experienced in programming or scripting in Python a plus.
Applying for the program
The Career Kickstarter program offers two streams: Trading & Research or Technology. To help you choose the stream that aligns with your interests, please find more information below. Please note that you can only apply for one stream.
Trading & Research
Our Traders make trading decisions based on market conditions and other factors. They’re driven and have a flair for analytical problem solving. Check out Brent’s ‘Day in the life’ story to learn more.
Our Researchers build models leveraging big data and machine learning to identify profitable signals that underpin our algorithmic trading strategies. Check out Noah’s ‘Day in the life’ story to learn more.
Technology
Our Software Engineers play a critical role in executing successful trades. Driven by the desire to find the simplest solutions to the most complex problems, they design and build high performance systems that solve real business problems. Check out Bharath’s ‘Day in the life’ story to learn more.
Interested in the Technology stream? Apply here.
Ready to kickstart your career with Optiver? Apply today.
Diversity statement
Optiver is committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds, and welcome requests for reasonable adjustments during the process to ensure that you can best demonstrate your abilities.
Questions? Get in touch at [email protected].
We accept one application per role per year. If you have previously applied to this position during this season at Optiver regardless of location, and have been unsuccessful, you can re-apply when the next recruitment season begins in 2027.
Skills Required
- Final year university students or 1-2 years of industry experience
- Experience in programming or scripting in Python
Optiver Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Optiver and has not been reviewed or approved by Optiver.
-
Career-Linked Recognition & Rewards — Pay is considered highly competitive in trading, quantitative, and engineering paths, with performance-linked bonuses that materially elevate total compensation. High performers receive differentiated rewards tied to impact.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Generous paid vacation alongside market holidays is a consistent component of the U.S. package. This breadth of leave is a notable element of the offering.
-
Healthcare Strength — Comprehensive health coverage—including medical, dental, and vision—is prominently offered in U.S. roles, with indications that employee premiums are fully covered in some cases. Disability and life coverage further strengthen the core health benefits.
Optiver Insights
What We Do
Optiver’s story began over 30 years ago, when we started business as a single trader on the floor of Amsterdam’s options exchange. Today, we are at the forefront of trading and technology as a leading global electronic market maker, focused on pricing, execution and risk management.
Why Work With Us
People at Optiver love challenges, welcome collaboration, and strive to be better tomorrow than they are today. Improving the market is an extraordinary challenge that requires a carefully crafted approach. Optiver provides a collaborative working environment to tackle these challenges. In fact, it is this way of working that sets us apart.
Gallery
