Equity Dispersion Trader

Trading Interview; Greater London; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

DRW in London seeks a highly motivated Quantitative Trader for the Equity Options team, focusing on dispersion strategies in US and European markets. You will develop and optimize systematic and discretionary strategies, working with technologists, researchers, and traders.

You will design dispersion trades, analyze volatility surfaces, and monitor risk, leveraging Python/C++ and large data to improve forecasting and execution.

Qualifications

• Strong academic background in a quantitative field.
• Experience trading equity options in US and/or European markets.
• Solid understanding of options theory and pricing.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage quantitative trading strategies in US and EU equity options.
• Design dispersion trades and capture relative value.
• Analyze volatility surfaces, correlations, and cross-asset links.
• Monitor risk exposures including vega, gamma, and tail risks.
• Collaborate with developers to build trading infra and execution systems.
• Leverage AI/LLMs to improve opportunity spotting.
• Refine models using large datasets to forecast implied vs realized volatility.
• Respond to market events and adjust positions in real time.
• Contribute to research on new products and markets.

Skills

Quantitative analysis

Options trading

Python

C++

Statistics

Big data

Fast-paced environment

Education

Advanced degree in Math/Physics/CS

Tools

NumPy

Pandas

Job description

DRW is a diversified trading firm with over 3 decades of experience bringing sophisticated technology and exceptional people together to operate in markets around the world. We value autonomy and the ability to quickly pivot to capture opportunities, so we operate using our own capital and trading at our own risk.

Headquartered in Chicago with offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia, we trade a variety of asset classes including Fixed Income, ETFs, Equities, FX, Commodities and Energy across all major global markets. We have also leveraged our expertise and technology to expand into three non-traditional strategies: real estate, venture capital and cryptoassets.

We operate with respect, curiosity and open minds. The people who thrive here share our belief that it’s not just what we do that matters- it's how we do it. DRW is a place of high expectations, integrity, innovation and a willingness to challenge consensus.

DRW is seeking a highly motivated Quantitative Trader to join our Equity Options team, focusing on US and European markets with a specialization in dispersion strategies. This role combines deep quantitative analysis, real-time decision-making, and hands-on trading to identify and capture opportunities between index and single-stock options.

You will work closely with technologists, researchers, and other traders to develop, implement, and optimize systematic and discretionary trading strategies.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and manage quantitative trading strategies in US and EU equity options markets
• Design and execute dispersion trades, capturing relative value between index volatility and single-name volatility
• Conduct in-depth analysis of volatility surfaces, correlation structures, and cross-asset relationships
• Monitor and manage risk exposures, including vega, gamma, correlation, and tail risks
• Collaborate with developers to build and enhance trading infrastructure, models, and execution systems
• Work with LLM's and AI to work on tools that help improve opportunity spotting
• Continuously refine models using large datasets, improving forecasting of implied vs realized volatility and correlations
• Respond to market events in real time, adjusting positions and strategies accordingly
• Contribute to research on new products, markets, and trading opportunities

Required Skills & Experience

• Strong academic background in Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field
• Proven experience trading equity options, across US and/or European markets
• Deep understanding of options theory, volatility modeling, and derivatives pricing
• Experience with or strong knowledge of dispersion and correlation trading strategies
• Proficiency in programming (Python, C++, or similar) and working with large datasets
• Strong statistical and analytical skills, with the ability to translate insights into trading decisions
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment
• Familiarity with market microstructure and execution algorithms
• Knowledge of index composition, corporate actions, and dividends in US/EU equities

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This description was published by DRW. Applications are handled on their careers site: we are not the employer and cannot process them.

DRW is a team of innovative and ambitious individuals who use the power of free markets to solve challenging problems, capture opportunities, and pursue positive change. In 1992, the founder...