Optiver Graduate Programs & Internships

The most interesting problems in the world are waiting...

Optiver people are passionate about solving complex problems. Challenge is our daily bread. We work in close-knit teams to tackle the most exciting puzzles in the world. Collaboration, curiosity and creativity drive our success. Our people share an ambition to challenge themselves and strive for better every day.

Here, you're empowered to do incredible work. Our culture and structure make it easy to get what you need to deliver your best. We find passionate science, technology, actuarial studies, engineering and maths students and harness their talents to drive our success. We want the game-changers, the status-quo-challengers, the disruptors. We want people who channel their energies towards innovation. If you're inquisitive, passionate, diligent and looking to make your mark, then this is for you.

You may know nothing about trading or finance. That's okay. All you need is a strong sense of curiosity and a passion for problems. We'll teach you the rest.

Who we are

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.

We're an electronic market maker. Put simply, that means we trade options and other financial instruments in markets around the world, providing pricing for anyone who wants to trade. It's a unique business, with unique challenges. More than 1,000 Optiverians work to improve the market through ethical market operation. We're a quiet powerhouse of creative problem solving and collaboration. And while building our success for more than 30 years, we've deliberately forged a culture that gives you plenty of opportunity and support to make an impact here. We want the best to help us make it better every day.

Our Graduate Trading Program

Trading is joyful chaos. It's a festival of noise and excitement, as the world's sharpest minds try to find the solution. Our traders share market insights and strategies, collaborating on their next move. The most exciting days are the ones that defy prediction, where the market throws uncertainty at you, and all you can do is respond. And you can be a part of it, by joining our graduate Trading program.

Graduate Screen Trader

Graduate Screen Traders work at the forefront of the market. You'll solve dynamic problems every day. You'll monitor and assess markets, looking for opportunities to improve pricing, execution and risk management. Change is constant - there's no time to stand still. You'll be continually refining your strategy. Stay on your toes and ahead of the competition. Every day provides a new challenge and new knowledge. And with teams across the business at your back, you'll have everything you need to improve the market.

Graduate Wholesale Trader

Wholesale Traders engage with our external trading partners such as brokers and banks. Your communication skills are vital, and your ability to stay focused and handle pressure is core to your success. You'll be responsible for maintaining critical international relationships, managing large portfolios, making fast decisions and handling high volume trades. You have a real passion for quantitative problems and a flair for numbers. Most of all, you have an inherent drive to work in a rapidly-changing, sometimes uncertain environment.

What do we look for?

You don't need to understand the financial markets. We'll teach you that. You are a conceptual thinker who loves solving problems and coming up with new ideas. You've got a flair for numbers and the ability to think on your feet. You're decisive. You are results-driven. You operate well in a fast-paced world. You are curious and always want to know the 'why'. You'll also need:

To be a final-year/Honours/Masters/PhD student or a recent graduate (Up to 4 years)

You are an Australian/New Zealand Citizen, Australian Permanent Resident, or able to secure full working rights after graduating.

Skills in programming or statistical analysis are excellent to have, but we can teach you this if you're not there yet.

Trading application process

• Applications close on 4th July but the sooner you apply, the sooner you could secure yourself a role.
• Mid 2021 and February 2022 start dates available.

Our Graduate Technology Program

Our custom-built technology is the core of our success. Our trading systems run on clean, well-tested code. Using C++, C# and Python, we've developed advanced technology, software and connections to the market. It's what we need to execute the hundreds of thousands of trades we do daily.

Every nanosecond counts. We run tens of thousands of trading components that respond to changes within microseconds and execute orders in nanoseconds. We obsess about every line of code, driven to find the core of any problem. We're about fast feedback, from both our internal clients and the market. We see the impact of our code by iterating at speed.

If you're passionate about solving problems with code, then our Software Development, Production Engineering or FPGA Development teams need you. You might find your passion lies in optimising systems and troubleshooting problems on the fly. You’re passionate about the intricacies of technology and possibilities of clever engineering.

Your first 12 months at Optiver

We'll teach you everything you need to know about technology at Optiver. Our Head of Technology Education will oversee your development and mentor you. You'll have access to workshops on a variety of technology-based topics, along with soft skills to support your holistic growth as a technology specialist.

A dedicated senior mentor will show you how we develop and operate our trading systems, and you'll have training to explain how trading works, allowing you to make a real impact.

What do we look for?

You need to be passionate about solving problems. Challenge is our daily bread. We need high achievers who know how to learn fast and think faster. We've recruited people who have studied Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechatronic or Electronic Engineering. If you're highly numerate, passionate and competent, then let's talk.

Technology application process

• Applications close on 17 May but the sooner you apply, the sooner you could secure yourself a role.
• Mid 2021 and February 2022 start dates available.
• We welcome applications from AU/NZ Citizens, Australian Permanent Residents and those able to secure full working rights after graduating in their final year of study/with up to four years of experience.

Looking for something to challenge you over the summer?

If you've got a passion for learning and quantitative problem solving, our summer Trading Internship is perfect for you! This is a unique opportunity to develop your knowledge of the financial markets, gain exposure to a real-life trading floor and work on challenging projects related to our trading strategies.

During our eight-week internship, Our Head of Trader Education will guide you through an introductory Trading course - the theory, the markets, the strategies and the technology. Your knowledge will be developed further with theory assessments, lively classroom debates and market-making games.

You will have the opportunity to put everything into practice working on a detailed research project with one of our experienced traders. The highlight of the programme is trading on the Hong Kong market in our simulated trading environment, reacting to real-world scenarios with live market data.

It's an excellent opportunity to try what otherwise might be a non-traditional path from your degree background. You will go through a steep and continuous learning curve that will challenge and develop you. It's an experience like no other!

What do we look for

You don't need to have any prior understanding of the financial markets. We'll teach you that. We are looking for people who love puzzles, data-based predictions and problem-solving. If you have a real passion for quantitative problems and a flair for numbers, this role could be perfect for you. Some requirements include:

Students in the pre-penultimate or penultimate year of their university degree.

You are an Australian/New Zealand Citizen, Australian Permanent Resident, or able to provide evidence of full working rights for the duration of the internship.

Imagine a world where your code was more important than the dress code. That's our world.

You'll be one of us from day one. You will work with experienced developers, solving complex problems and discovering how your classroom learning translates to the real world. You’ll join a program run by our Head of IT Education, ensuring that you get the exposure and experience to help you develop your skills over the summer.

Software Development Internship

Every intern has a unique experience and enjoys different types of challenges. There's plenty of variety here. From exchange connectivity and automated trading related software in C++, through to intelligent GUIs in C#, to creating trading tools in Python. Working on projects from end to end, you'll get to see tangible results and receive feedback on your work. You'll get a feel for the types of problems we solve and discover the kind of work you enjoy doing.

What do we look for

We are looking pre-penultimate and penultimate year students in the fields of Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechatronics or Computer Engineering. You'll also need to be an Australian/New Zealand Citizen, Australian Permanent Resident, or able to provide evidence of full working rights for the duration of the internship.

Technology application process

Our Software Developer internship applications close on 17 May, which runs for 12 weeks over the summer.

We believe in giving back to the communities we come from and operate within. This drive for 'better every day' takes a lot of different shapes, to give our people opportunities to support their preferred causes.

• We support Indigenous artists through the Artbank program.
• We support the Movember campaign, which means a lot of furry lips (and fitness folks) during November.
• We promote blood donation drives, fitness and wellness events.
• We have regular in-house trading sessions to raise money for nominated charities and causes.
• We build charitable outcomes into staff training initiatives, and even into our annual trip!
• We hold a Charity Vote every year, giving $20K donations to three charities voted for by our staff.
• Each day, leftover food is donated to OzHarvest, ensuring it goes to those in need.
• We donate books, toys and gifts to the Smith Family Christmas Appeal, and allow staff to give their Christmas Gift to a charity of their choice.
• We have volunteer days for all staff, allowing our people to dedicate their time to the things they care for.
• We continue to adopt new initiatives to improve our impact on the planet. From sustainable coffee cups and selecting vendors with impeccable environmental credentials to reducing our single-use plastics and reducing food waste, we're always looking for ways to do better every day.
• We encourage staff to cycle to work, providing bike storage and free bike servicing services to reduce environmental impact and traffic on the roads.
• Our offices are in a 6-star green-rated building, and we work with Ecosave to monitor and optimise our environmental impact.

Optiver is committed to making the world better every day. This commitment extends to our people and making their lives better through a range of initiatives, benefits and opportunities.

• Gym memberships for staff to help stay fit and active
• Custom small group training sessions with SoulTrain
• Weekly meditation and mindfulness sessions on managing stress and building resilience
• Weekly massages for all staff
• Healthy, fresh food provided by our in-house chefs for breakfast and lunch
• Fresh fruit, healthy snacks and vegan/vegetarian options for every meal
• Bike storage and servicing to make it easier for people to commute by bicycle
• Onsite shower facilities so people can feel clean after a workout or walk
• Regular health challenges for charity, such as cycling, StepCount challenges, the Square Mile Relay and more
• Plenty of teams and clubs to get involved in, from football and squash to cycling teams, and even rock climbing!
• An internal library - the Book Nook - full of resources available to all staff to upskill or expand

Joining Optiver is a great start to your career. You’ll join a company that believes in getting better every day. You’ll learn from inspiring colleagues, get fast feedback from stakeholders and the market, and work in cross-discipline teams to deliver real business value. You’ll have access to courses, challenges and career paths that give you a strong start, wherever you want to go. And you’ll join a culture of teamwork and camaraderie that helps you do amazing things, and celebrate the wins