Career Kickstarter – Trading (Mar 2027)

HTU; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Daily breakfast

Lunch provided

Coffee

Job summary

Optiver invites final-year students to join the Career Kickstarter: Trading, a five-day immersive program designed to fast-track university graduates into a full-time trading career. You'll experience market making, options theory, and practical skills through lectures, simulations, and mentorship.

Led by our education team, you’ll build a trading algorithm, test ideas, and compete in trading games while learning from current traders and developers.

Qualifications

• Final year university student graduating in 2027 or earlier.
• Australian working rights.
• Passion for quantitative problems and teamwork.
• Strong logical reasoning skills.
• Experience in programming or scripting in Python is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Gain understanding of market making and trading strategies through hands-on and classroom learning.
• Learn options theory through interactive lectures.
• Develop and test your own trading algorithm.
• Participate in trading games to sharpen decision-making under pressure.

Skills

Python programming

Quantitative problem solving

Education

Final year student

Job description

Want tofast-trackyourcareerpath from student to full-time trader?

JoinCareer Kickstarter: Trading,ourfive-dayimmersiveprogramdesigned to accelerate your journey from university to a full-time trading career.Experience the fast-paced world ofquantitative tradingand discover what it takes to excel as a trader,frommasteringoptions theory todeveloping highlypractical industry skills.

Througha blend ofinteractive lectures, trading simulations, and mentorship from ourworld-classeducation team,you’llsharpen your analytical edge and learn how to think,and act,like a traderby the end of the week.

Plus, ifyou’veexcelled in the program, you couldreceive anofferfor our2028GraduateProgram.

• Eligiblefor final year university students(graduating in 2027 or earlier),with Australian working rights
• Program dates:March 2027
• Application close:January 2027
• Where: OptiverSydney office*

*Note: If youresideoutside of Sydney, Optiver will cover your travel and accommodation costs.

Whatyou’lldo

Led by Optiver’s world-class education team,you’llgain a deep understanding of market making and trading strategies,through a blend of hands-on and classroom learning.

Learning and skill development:

• Discoveroptions theory:Learn the fundamentals that underpin options trading,through engaging, interactivelectures.
• Exploretrading strategies:Discover how data, reports, and proposals drive the development of impactful new trading strategies.
• Build and test your owntrading algorithm:Gain hands-on experience designing and testing your own trading algorithm.
• Engage in trading games:Participatein fast-paced games that mimic real-world trading scenarios, helping sharpen your instincts and decision-making skills under pressure.

Networking and culture:

• Gainexpert mentorship:Learn directly from a dedicated team of educators, consistingof current and former traders and developers.
• Build your network:Enjoyconnectingwithtraders,quantitativeresearchers, anddevelopersthrough curated events.
• ExperienceOptiver’s culture:Immerse in ourincredible culture and enjoy our benefits, including daily breakfast, lunch, coffee, and more.

Who you are

• Final year university students (graduating in 2027 or earlier). All degree backgrounds are considered.
• An Australian or New Zealand Citizen, Australian Permanent Resident or able to provide evidence of full working rights.
• Lateral thinker, with a passion for quantitative problems and working in collaborative, dynamic environments.
• Holds superior logical reasoning skills.
• Experienced in programming or scripting in Python a plus.

Applying for the program

TheCareer Kickstarterprogram offers threestreams:TradingorResearchorTechnology. To help you choose the stream that aligns with your interests, please find more information below.Please note that you can only apply for one stream.

Trading

OurTradersmake trading decisions based on market conditions and other factors.They’redriven and have a flair for analytical problem solving.Check out Matt’s ‘Day in the life’ story to learn more.

Research

OurResearchersbuild modelsleveragingbig data and machine learning toidentifyprofitable signals that underpin our algorithmic trading strategies.Check out Noah’s ‘Day in the life’ story to learn more.

Technology

OurSoftwareandFPGADevelopersplay a critical role in executing successful trades. Driven by the desire to find the simplest solutions to the most complex problems,they design andbuildhighperformancesystemsthat solvereal businessproblems.Check out Brenda’s ‘Day in the Life’ story to learn more.

Who we are

At Optiver, our mission is to improve the market by injecting liquidity, providing accurate pricing, increasing transparency, and stabilising the market no matter the conditions. With a focus on continuous improvement, we prioritise safeguarding the health and efficiency of the markets for all participants. As one of the largest market-making institutions, we are a respected partner on 100+ exchanges across the globe.

Diversity statement

Optiver is committed todiversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds, and welcome requests for reasonable adjustments during the process to ensure that you can bestdemonstrateyour abilities.

We accept one application per role per year. If you have previously applied to this position during this season and have been unsuccessful, you can re-apply when the next recruitment season begins in 2028.