FutureFocus – Trading & Research (May 2027)

SANITI - Student Association of Nelson-Marlborough Institute of Technology Inc; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 11,000 - 22,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Daily breakfast, lunch and coffee

Weekly massages

Job summary

Optiver is offering the FutureFocus five‑day program in Sydney to kickstart your career in trading, research or development. You will learn trading theory, build strategies, and deploy them in a virtual market, guided by mentors and a dedicated education team.

You can join one stream (Trading, Research or Technology) and gain exposure to our trading floor, in-house systems, and a network of recent graduates. Optiver covers travel for non‑Sydney residents and offers strong onboarding support.

Qualifications

• Pre-penultimate student graduating in 2029 or 2030.
• Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent resident, or student visa holder.
• Strong quantitative and logical reasoning skills; enjoys solving problems.
• Curious and collaborative thinker with a focus on results.

Responsibilities

• Learn fundamentals of trading theory and build trading strategies in a virtual market.
• Immerse in Optiver's trading floor and understand in-house systems.
• Receive mentorship from in-house trainers and senior traders.
• Explore Trading, Research or Technology streams and align with interests.
• Experience Optiver's culture and perks, including daily meals and wellness benefits.

Job description

Ready to kickstart your career in one of the world's leading tech-driven trading firms? Join FutureFocus, our immersive five-day program designed to ignite your potential as a future trader, researcher, or developer at Optiver.

Dive into the fundamentals of trading, gain unique insights into Optiver’s cutting-edge trading systems, and build the key skills that our teams use every day.

Plus, if you've excelled in the program, you could receive a direct offer for our 2028/29 Summer Internship Program.

• Eligible for pre-penultimate university students (graduating in 2029 or 2030) studying in an Australian or New Zealand university
• Program dates: May2027
• Application close:March 2027
• Where: Optiver Sydney office*

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

What you'll do

Led by former traders and engineers, our renowned in-house education team will guide you through the intricacies of market making. You will be immersed in a mix of hands-on and classroom learning, empowering you to thrive in the world of trading and technology.

As part of the FutureFocus program, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• Kickstart your journey in trading or research, as you learn the fundamentals of trading theory. You’ll also learn how to build trading strategies and deploy them in a virtual market.
• Immerse in our dynamic trading floor and see our cutting-edge systems in action. You'll discover unique insights into our in-house trading systems and understand how we remain at the forefront of the global financial markets.
• Connect with recent graduates and hear their personal experiences.
• Receive mentorship and support from our in-house trainers and senior traders, who are committed to ensuring you have the guidance and support needed to succeed.
• Experience Optiver's culture and enjoy our incredible perks, including daily breakfast, lunch, and coffee, weekly massages, and more.

Who you are

• A pre-penultimate university student, graduating in 2029 or 2030. All degree backgrounds are considered.
• An Australian or New Zealand Citizen, Australian Permanent resident, or individual on an Australian student visa.
• An inquisitive thinker, with a passion for quantitative problems and working in collaborative, dynamic environments.
• Holds superior quantitative and logical reasoning skills, and enjoys working on an array of problems, with a strong focus on results.
• Excited to test yourself in one of the most dynamic areas of the financial market.

Applying for the program

The FutureFocus program offers two streams: Trading and Research or Technology. 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 and Research

Our Traders make trading decisions based on market conditions and other factors. They’re driven and have a flair for analytical problem-solving. Check out Will’s story to learn more.

Our Researchers collaborate closely with traders and developers to build and improve our trading strategies. They'll often work with huge amounts of data and use statistical and machine learning algorithms. Check out Rob's story to learn more.

Technology

Our Software and FPGA Developers play a critical role in executing successful trades. Driven by the desire to find the simplest solutions to the most complex problems, they design and build high performance systems that solve real business problems. Check out Brenda’s 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 of all backgrounds, and welcome requests for reasonable adjustments during the process.

Questions?

Check out our Campus FAQs or get in touch with the team.

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.