Experienced Options Trader - SOFR

Akuna Capital•Chicago, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Akuna Capital is an innovative trading firm with a strong focus on collaboration, cutting-edge technology, data driven solutions, and automation. We specialize in providing liquidity as an options market-maker – meaning we are committed to providing competitive quotes that we are willing to both buy and sell. To do this successfully, we design and implement our own low latency technologies, trading strategies, and mathematical models. Our Founding Partners first conceptualized Akuna in their hometown of Sydney. They opened the firm’s first office in 2011 in the heart of the derivatives industry and the options capital of the world – Chicago. Today, Akuna is proud to operate from additional offices in Sydney, Shanghai, London and Singapore.

Requirements

2+ years of experience trading SOFR, Eurodollar, or short-term interest rate options in an electronic market making environment, with clear P&L accountability
Deep understanding of options theory – Greeks, vol surface construction, term structure dynamics, and interest rate curve relationships
Proven risk management discipline: comfortable managing positions under pressure and across varied market regimes
Entrepreneurial self-starter who takes initiative and acts decisively, with a strong sense of ownership over their book and their desk’s performance
Technically engaged: able to analyze data, optimize parameters, and work hands-on with trading systems.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Actuarial Science, or a related quantitative field
Strong quantitative and analytical instincts, with the ability to react quickly and accurately to rapidly changing market conditions
Collaborative mindset: able to communicate clearly and efficiently with quant researchers, technologists, and risk managers while fostering productive relationships across the firm
Detail-oriented and rigorous in approach, with a drive to continuously learn and improve
The ability to react quickly and accurately to rapidly changing market conditions, including the ability to quickly and accurately respond and/or solve math and coding problems are essential functions of the role

Nice To Haves

Specific experience with CME SR3 market microstructure and electronic liquidity provision
Familiarity with swap curve dynamics, OIS, Fed Funds, or broader fixed income context
Experience building or improving trading tools, pricing models, or automation in Python, C++, or similar
Track record of mentorship

Responsibilities

Profitably manage a SOFR options portfolio with full responsibility for P&L and dynamic risk management within prescribed limits
Make two-sided markets across the SOFR options complex (SR3, S0, S2), maintaining disciplined risk across the curve
Develop and refine volatility surface models, term structure analysis, and hedging strategies in close collaboration with our quant and technology teams
Identify structural opportunities and flow-driven inefficiencies in the short-end rates market and act on them decisively
Partner with our technology team to evaluate, improve, and expand the automated trading infrastructure underpinning the desk – including contributing directly to strategy logic, parameter optimization, and signal development
Analyze desk data and market microstructure to continuously improve pricing, execution quality, and risk-adjusted returns
Contribute to the broader Akuna trading community through cross-desk collaboration, knowledge sharing, and mentorship of junior traders