2021/2022 Quantitative Research Internship

• $100K + super pro-rata, plus an abundance of perks and benefits
• Flights and accommodation provided if based outside of NSW
• 10 to 12-week internship over summer

What you'll work on

Quantitative Researchers are responsible for the most intricate problems to do with our trading. This includes generation and improvement of our underlying pricing models, as well as increasing our statistical understanding of the underlying dynamics of the market. You'll work with Traders to create and improve pricing models, volatility surfaces, yield curves, and other quantitative elements of our automated trading systems. The team of researchers consists of people with a broad range of mathematical and software engineering skills. They work closely with both Trading and Software Development to find solutions to problems, test those solutions with historical parameters and market data, and then drive changes to our trading system that will improve our ability to make successful trades.

Research interns will join our trader training program alongside Traders and Developers, to learn key financial and trading concepts. You'll also have the opportunity to work on your own pricing research project.

What you'll learn

Thanks to our custom-built trading systems and pricing expertise, Optiver is on the forefront of quantitative trading. You will gain experience with low-latency trading strategies and how to optimise them for the most competitive markets. You'll develop an understanding of models and technology that allow us to continually provide prices for a substantial number of financial products across Asia.

Over the course of the internship, you'll participate in a highly interactive derivative theory training course that covers extensive trading principles and concepts, delivered by our Head of Trader Education. Once you've got the basics covered, you'll start trading in our simulated trading environment on a live copy of the financial markets (the same information used by our Traders!). To deepen your understanding of trading, you'll get to work alongside other Trader and Software Engineer Interns to develop your own Trading algorithm. Finally, you'll have an opportunity to work on a research project while being mentored by an experienced Quantitative Researcher.

Who you are

You are a creative, critical thinker; an inquisitive sceptic who, when told that something "just is", starts to take it apart and understand why. You're excited to test yourself in one of the most competitive areas of the financial markets. In addition, you:

• Love getting into the details of problems and understand how to decompose big challenges into solvable pieces
• Are pragmatic and focused on outcomes
• Enjoy utilising maths or programming in your daily life to solve problems
• Possess programming experience in any language (C, C++, Python, Basic, Java, etc.)

Much of the technical skillset for this role can be learnt. What we truly value is your aptitude, growth mindset, drive for success and enjoyment of collaborative problem-solving.

Eligibility

• You have a distinction average in a highly quantitative or technically focused degree – Maths, Statistics, Physics, Elec / Mechatronic / Software Engineering, Computer Science, Applied/Quantitative Finance or Econometrics
• A penultimate / pre-penultimate year student
• An Australian or New Zealand Citizen, Australian Permanent Resident or able to provide evidence of full working rights for the duration of the Internship

Who we are

Optiver. It's a combination of the Dutch words for 'trading' and 'options'. And that's what we do. We're a leader in Options trading (and other financial products) on the world's financial markets.

At Optiver, we do things a bit differently to most businesses. We operate without clients, taking risks and reaping the rewards ourselves. We play by our own rules and maintain an informal culture to make sure it's fun. We skip the mindless meetings and get on with it. And we celebrate high performance, individual excellence and doing better every day. We take serious things very seriously – like chasing wins and embracing the challenges of the market. We collaborate to solve open-ended problems in the most competitive market there is. We're about fast feedback and speedy solutions. Since we take the risk, we reap the rewards. And that's just how we like it. We collaborate to innovate. We share knowledge, ideas and the glory when everything goes right.

More than 1000 Optiverians around the world work to improve the market. Optiver's a powerhouse of creative problem-solving and collaboration. It's an incredible team to be a part of. We like challenges. We love success. And we're proud of our culture, designed to give you plenty of opportunity and support to do amazing things.

What we offer

Optiver is a genuinely high performing environment. We support our people with a range of benefits, all designed to make life a little better. From free lunches to CSR initiatives, generous leave policies and gym memberships, there are plenty of ways to get more out of life as an Optiverian. Weekly massages, meditation training and lots of wellness perks. There are also plenty of ways to unwind, from our famous games room and social clubs to our many internal sports teams. And with a culture that celebrates wins, you can bet that from our monthly social events, annual trip, Christmas party and more, you'll find time to meet your fellow Optiverians and enjoy a party or two.

Optiver also believes in getting better every day. Our internal learning and development programs are designed to help you get to the next level. With in-house experts, a structured learning program and plenty of opportunities to learn as you work, you're always developing new skills. Which helps when you're solving the most interesting problems in the world.

We recruit on a rolling basis so the sooner you apply, the sooner you could secure your internship!

Optiver embraces diversity and strives to provide an inclusive professional experience. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds, and we are committed to a fair and respectful recruitment process. If you have any requirements for reasonable adjustments to enable you to fully demonstrate your abilities, please let us know how we can accommodate you.

If you have any questions regarding this opportunity, please contact us at careers@optiver.com.au.