Senior Software Engineer

Optimal Market Technologies, LLC•Chicago, IL

1d•$200,000 - $250,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Optimal Market Technologies is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to help build its next-generation options trading platform and maintain and improve its current platform. The engineer will own a defined part of the next-generation platform from design through release, with a focus on design judgment, verification, and review. The position involves using AI coding agents, including Claude Code or similar tools, and collaborating with the team to develop shared practices for using these agents. The engineer will also participate in the production support rotation. Optimal Market Technologies is a FINRA-registered broker-dealer offering wholesale options and execution solutions. Its offerings include a Competition for Order Flow platform, an institutional Alternative Trading System for discreet execution and price improvement, and execution services for institutional routing and algorithmic execution. This is an opportunity to join a fintech startup during a period of growth and contribute to a small, collaborative team. The position is based in Chicago, Illinois, with a hybrid work arrangement. Compensation is a base salary of $200,000–$250,000, plus a discretionary bonus commensurate with experience.

Requirements

At least 5 years of professional software engineering experience, including designing systems where failure has serious financial or regulatory consequences.
Strong programming and critical code-review skills in statically typed, compiled languages, including C++.
Experience shipping production software using AI coding agents, with an explainable method.
Experience designing tests that check correctness independently of the implementation.
Ability to turn a business specification into discrete tasks with clear acceptance criteria.
Basic working knowledge of Python and SQL.
Clear communication, including stating what has and has not been verified.

Nice To Haves

Deeper experience with Python and SQL.
Experience with trading systems or financial markets.

Responsibilities

Own a defined part of the next-generation trading platform from design through release.
Design systems for failure, including durability, failover, and recovery.
Keep business logic deterministic and testable in isolation, separate from code that sends messages.
Create discrete tasks with executable acceptance criteria from business specifications.
Build checks that are independent of the implementation.
Share code review with the team's existing reviewers.
Use AI coding agents and work with the team to develop shared agent practices.
Participate in the production support rotation.