Trading Automation and Operations Intern (Summer 2027)

Optiver • Chicago, IL

5d

About The Position

As a Trading Automation and Operations Intern, you'll work on our trading floor enhancing fully systematic trading strategies and solving operational challenges that directly support our core market-making business. Over ten weeks, you'll build automation, investigate real production issues, and improve our trading strategies, systems, and workflows. You'll take ownership of real business problems with the support of experienced teammates and mentors, while deepening your understanding of financial markets and market making. Like teams across Optiver, you’ll use AI to accelerate how you investigate problems, build solutions, and learn, while applying your own judgment to decide what works.

Requirements

• Working toward a bachelor’s, master’s or PhD in a STEM field
• Junior or higher standing with a graduation date of Winter 2027 or Spring 2028
• Proficiency with a programming language, preferably Python
• Possess superior analytical, quantitative and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communicator and team player
• Able to work in an accurate and structured way
• Driven to constantly improve and optimize
• Able to work under pressure and muti-task
• Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required; we will not sponsor individuals for employment authorization for this job opening

Responsibilities

• Develop a deep understanding of financial markets, market making, and the systems that support our trading business.
• Build tools, automated workflows, and data pipelines that traders rely on daily.
• Improve systems and workflows by identifying opportunities to simplify manual processes and reduce operational friction.
• Use AI-native workflows to investigate problems, analyze information, and develop solutions while applying your own judgment to evaluate results.
• Collaborate closely with traders, researchers, and engineers to understand problems from multiple perspectives and deliver practical solutions.
• Take ownership of a project from problem definition through implementation, with guidance and feedback from an experienced mentor.

Benefits

• The opportunity to work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 40 different countries.
• The opportunity to earn a return internship or full-time offer in Chicago, Austin, New York City, or Amsterdam based on performance.
• A highly competitive internship compensation package.
• Optiver-covered flights, living accommodations, and commuting stipends.
• Extensive office perks, including breakfast, lunch, snacks, regular social events, clubs, sporting leagues, and more.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: High school or GED