Senior Macro Analyst

ittihad medical centre; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

IMC, a global trading firm, is seeking a Senior Macro Analyst based in Amsterdam to generate insights across European equity index volatility and related markets. You will work with traders and the Lead Macro Analyst to develop scenario analyses, translate macro events into trading implications, and shape responses to fast-moving developments.

The role requires clear communication under pressure, ownership of research areas, and collaboration with global teams to keep IMC ahead of market

Qualifications

• 4–6+ years of experience in trading, macro research, volatility, or strategy-focused roles.
• Strong understanding of European financial markets and macro factors that influence equity indices, volatility, rates, FX, and risk sentiment.
• Experience analyzing equity index products, options, volatility, futures, spreads, or related instruments.
• Proven ability to translate macro events, political developments, and market headlines into practical trading implications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage traders clearly in fast-moving market conditions.

Responsibilities

• Generate actionable trading ideas and market analysis across European equity index volatility, options, spreads, futures, and related instruments.
• Develop and maintain scenario analyses around key market-moving events, including data releases, central bank meetings, budgets, elections, geopolitical events.
• Monitor global and European macro themes to assess policy, politics, growth, inflation, rates, FX, and risk sentiment impact on volatility.
• Provide traders with timely, clear updates on what is driving markets during European trading hours and out-of-hours sessions.
• React quickly to breaking news, assess outcomes, and identify trading opportunities in real time.
• Collaborate with traders to evaluate risk/reward and refine trading hypotheses for macro-driven strategies.

Skills

Macro analysis

Trading experience

Communication skills

Scenario analysis

Team collaboration

Job description

About the role

IMC’s Macro Analyst team provides traders with market‑moving insights and actionable trading ideas across global macro and volatility markets. As a Senior Macro Analyst, you will be based in Amsterdam and take ownership of generating insights and trading ideas across European equity index volatility and related markets.

Working closely with traders and the Lead Macro Analyst, you will develop event‑driven scenarios, identify opportunities around global macro themes, and help shape IMC’s response to fast‑moving economic, political, and market developments. You will translate complex market information into clear trading implications, contribute to macro‑driven strategies across options and volatility products, and play a key role in ensuring IMC remains ahead of market narratives.

This is a highly collaborative role for someone who combines strong macro judgment, deep market understanding, and the ability to communicate clearly and decisively under time pressure.

Your Core Responsibilities

• Generate actionable trading ideas and market analysis across European equity index volatility, options, spreads, futures, and related financial instruments;
• Develop and maintain scenario analyses around key market‑moving events, including economic data releases, central bank meetings, national budgets, elections, geopolitical developments, and unexpected macro shocks;
• Monitor global and European macro themes, identifying how changes in policy, politics, growth, inflation, rates, FX, and risk sentiment may affect equity index volatility and related markets;
• Provide traders with timely, clear, and actionable updates on what is driving markets during European trading hours and relevant out‑of‑hours futures sessions;
• React quickly to breaking news and unexpected market events, assessing potential outcomes, market impact, and trading opportunities in real time;
• Work closely with traders to evaluate risk/reward, refine trading hypotheses, and contribute to the development of macro‑driven options and volatility strategies;
• Contribute to discussions around macro‑driven positions, market themes, PnL drivers, and evolving risks across European and global markets;
• Take ownership of specific research areas, recurring event playbooks, analytical frameworks, or market coverage themes;
• Help ensure strong operational coverage of key events, market sessions, and trader needs through disciplined preparation, responsiveness, and high‑quality communication;
• Collaborate with other IMC analyst teams across Amsterdam, Chicago, Sydney, and Mumbai to share insights, compare market views, and strengthen global coverage;
• Support the development of more junior analysts by sharing market knowledge, improving team processes, and helping raise the overall quality of the team’s output;
• Continuously improve the team’s analytical tools, event preparation, communication formats, and trading idea generation process.

Your Skills and Experience

• 4–6+ years of experience in a trading, macro research, volatility, options, or strategy‑focused role, ideally at a high‑frequency trading firm, investment bank, hedge fund, asset manager, or market‑making environment;
• Strong understanding of European financial markets and the macroeconomic, political, and geopolitical factors that influence equity indices, volatility, rates, FX, and broader risk sentiment;
• Experience analyzing equity index products, options, volatility, futures, spreads, or related financial instruments;
• Proven ability to translate macro events, political developments, and market headlines into practical trading implications;
• Strong scenario analysis skills, with the ability to assess probabilities, market impact, positioning, and potential second‑order effects;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage traders clearly, succinctly, and confidently in fast‑moving market conditions;
• Sound market judgment and the ability to form independent views while incorporating feedback from traders and other analysts;
• Calm, focused, and decisive when markets are moving quickly or information is incomplete;
• Collaborative mindset, with the ability to work effectively with traders, analysts, and global teams;
• High level of ownership, curiosity, and intellectual drive, with a strong interest in markets, policy, politics, and global events;
• Entrepreneurial approach, with a desire to improve processes, develop new analytical frameworks, and contribute ideas that can directly impact trading outcomes.

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.