Index Options Volatility Trader

Trading Interview; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

IMC is seeking a trader with a strong background in index options volatility to join our team in Amsterdam. You will focus on pricing volatility, executing high-risk strategies, and expanding the desk across EU and US markets.

You will collaborate with quants and engineers to refine models, test ideas, and improve execution tools, latency, and risk management. A strong Python background and a calculated risk appetite are essential for success.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of Index Options volatility trading experience.
• BS, MS, or PhD, preferably in business, economics, or STEM.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with appetite for risk.
• Ability to act and make decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Analytical and reflective on trades to improve.
• Deep understanding of volatility dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Maximize revenue by identifying and monetizing mispricing and managing positions.
• Monitor and react to volatility shifts, liquidity changes, and macro events.
• Take ownership of index options trading books across EU/US markets with opportunistic strategies.
• Deploy directional and volatility-based trades with market-based signals and scenario analysis.
• Collaborate with quants and engineers to refine pricing models and tools.
• Back test signals and validate new ideas.
• Provide feedback to enhance risk systems and volatility surfaces.
• Perform post-trade reviews to improve execution and hedging.
• Take ownership early to drive strategy forward.

Skills

Index Options volatility trading

Python

Analytical thinking

Decision making

Education

BS/MS/PhD in business/economics/STEM

Tools

Python

Job description

Our Index Options team chases edge in volatility valuation, detailed execution, and fast technology. We are making a big push in our ability to price vol and take risk, with the goal of growing into a leading volatility desk in the marketplace. We are a highly collaborative group of generalists and specialists. Together we strive to have deep expertise, ownership, and innovation in the topic areas that are important to winning in the Index Options space.

Your Core Responsibilities

• Maximize revenue by identifying and monetizing short- and long-term mispricing, as well as managing the resulting positions
• Monitor and react to volatility shifts, liquidity changes, and macro events
• Take ownership of index options trading books across EU and/or US markets with a focus on opportunistic, high-risk/high-reward strategies
• Deploy directional and volatility-based trades with strong conviction, backed by market intuition, quantitative signals and rigorous scenario analysis
• Collaborate with quants and engineers to refine pricing models and volatility surfaces and to improve execution tools, automation and latency
• Back test signals and validate new trading ideas
• Provide feedback to enhance risk systems, scenario tools, and vol surfaces
• Perform post-trade reviews to continuously improve execution and hedging
• Be able to take lots of responsibility and ownership early in your time here to drive the strategy forward

Your skills and experience:

• 2+ years of Index Options Volatility trading experience
• BS, MS, or PhD,preferably in business, economics, or STEM
• You have an entrepreneurial mindset and a healthy appetite for risk
• You have a proven ability to act and make decisions in a fast-paced and competitive environment
• You are analytical, passionate about reflecting on past trades, and always seeking to do better
• You have a deep understanding of fundamental drivers of volatility dynamics
• Strong proficiency in Python

About Us

IMC is a global trading firm powered by a cutting-edge research environment and a world-class technology backbone. Since 1989, we’ve been a stabilizing force in financial markets, providing essential liquidity upon which market participants depend. Across our offices in the US, Europe, Asia Pacific, and India, our talented quant researchers, engineers, traders, and business operations professionals are united by our uniquely collaborative, high-performance culture, and our commitment to giving back. From entering dynamic new markets to embracing disruptive technologies, and from developing an innovative research environment to diversifying our trading strategies, we dare to continuously innovate and collaborate to succeed.

For three decades IMC has provided liquidity to the financial markets globally. Specialised in algorithmic trading and advanced technology, we set the pace for the evolution of market making. Cutting-edge…