As a Graduate 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 optimising code, you will keep our firm competitive in the ever-evolving capital markets.
Optiver is building with cutting edge AI technology in the most competitive, data rich landscapes in the world: financial markets. That means no two days are the same, and every day brings new, exciting technical challenges to solve.
What you’ll do
Your onboarding
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.
Your responsibilities
As a Graduate Software Engineer, you will work closely with best-in-class traders, researchers, 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. Motivated 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 performance-based bonus structure, enabling all of our employees to benefit from our global profit pool
The opportunity to work alongside best-in-class professionals
27 paid vacation days plus all UK public holidays
Daily breakfast and lunch, along with support on commuting expenses
Private medical insurance, pension scheme, and ClassPass fitness membership
Training and continuous learning opportunities
International transfer opportunities for global career growth
Competitive relocation packages and visa sponsorship where necessary for expats
Who you are
Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or equivalent, with outstanding academic achievements
Graduating between August 2024 and August 2027, with a maximum of 3 years of work experience
Passionate about clean code, simple, well-architected systems, and continuous improvement
Proficient in industry-standard coding languages such as C++, Python, or Java, with a strong understanding of underlying computer architecture and system operations
A solid grasp of algorithms, memory and concurrency models, CPU-architecture, operating systems and relational databases
Have an entrepreneurial attitude and an interest in the financial industry
An analytical mindset and strong problem-solving skills
Able to work closely with other engineers, traders, and business operations
How to Apply:
Apply directly via the form below for the position of Graduate Software Engineer. Please provide us with a CV in English. Unfortunately we cannot accept applications via email for data protection reasons.
If your application is selected to proceed to the next round, you will be required to complete online assessments. By submitting your application you are confirming that you will be able to take the assessment within 7 days.
Kindly note that we do not require any assistance from third-parties including agencies in the recruitment of this role. If you have any questions feel free to contact our Recruitment team via the contact form.
Diversity statement
Optiver is committed to diversity and inclusion.
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. Please let us know if you would like to request any reasonable adjustments by contacting the Recruitment team via the contact form, selecting “Reasonable Adjustments” as the subject of your inquiry.
For answers to some of our most frequently asked questions, refer to our FAQs.
For applicants based in India, our entry route is via the placement office internship hiring season (July/August).
Optiver has a global application re-apply policy for our intern and graduate roles. If you have completed an online assessment or interviewed for a technology graduate or internship role at any Optiver location in the past 8 months, please note that you are not yet eligible to reapply. We welcome you to re-apply after the 8-month cool off period.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's, Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or equivalent
- Graduating between August 2024 and August 2027 with maximum of 3 years work experience
- Proficiency in C++, Python, or Java
- Strong understanding of computer architecture and system operations
- Solid grasp of algorithms, memory and concurrency models, CPU architecture, operating systems and relational databases
- Passion for clean code, well-architected systems, and continuous improvement
- Analytical mindset and strong problem-solving skills
- Able to work closely with engineers, traders, and business operations
- Interest in the financial industry and entrepreneurial attitude
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.
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Career-Linked Recognition & Rewards — Pay is considered highly competitive in trading, quantitative, and engineering paths, with performance-linked bonuses materially elevating total earnings for strong contributors. High performers are described as seeing outsized upside when firm and team results are strong.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is depicted as comprehensive, including medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, alongside HSA/FSA options and mental-health support. Some locations note unlimited therapy access through a partner platform.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — U.S. roles are often described as offering 25 days of paid vacation plus market holidays, alongside generous parental leave. This breadth of time off is highlighted as helping to offset a high-intensity environment.
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.
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