Senior Developer

optimal sp. z o.o.; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 175,000 - 225,000; Full time

Job summary

Optimal Market Technologies, LLC in Chicago, IL is seeking a Senior Developer to own critical parts of a high-performance options trading platform. You will work across a multi-technology codebase and engage directly with clients, market makers, exchanges and brokers to translate requirements into reliable systems.

The role emphasizes hands-on coding in C++ and Python, Linux-based development, and AI-assisted tooling such as Claude Code to raise engineering standards and efficiency.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional software development experience, preferably in finance or latency-sensitive systems.
• Strong, practical ability across C++ and Python.
• Experience supporting and developing Linux-based applications.
• Fluent use of AI-assisted development tools, ideally Claude Code.
• Ability to work directly with clients, market makers and exchanges.

Responsibilities

• Build and own significant parts of a high-performance options trading platform.
• Develop end-to-end features across a multi-technology codebase.
• Write tested, modular code and participate in production ownership.
• Collaborate with clients and counterparties to translate needs into working systems.
• Help set and raise engineering standards for tooling and development.

Skills

C++

Python

Linux

AI-assisted development

Client & stakeholder communication

Tools

Claude Code

PostgreSQL

AERON

perf / gprof

Sanitizers (ASan/UBSan)

Job description

About Us:

Optimal Market Technologies is a FINRA-registered broker-dealer with an innovative platform of wholesale options and execution solutions designed to meet the needs of today’s dynamic market participants. Optimal can quickly and seamlessly enhance its platform, adapt to regulatory changes, and offer a more efficient implementation that scales as clients grow. Optimal is disrupting the US Options Wholesale landscape by introducing a Competition for Order Flow model through which market makers compete for retail flow on our platform based on best execution quality. Additional offerings include an Institutional Alternative Trading System (ATS) for discreet execution and price improvement and Execution Services for institutional-grade routing and algorithmic execution designed to balance price capture, speed, and market impact across trading objectives.

This is an opportunity to work for a fintech start-up and to be an integral part of growing a broker-dealer from the ground up. As a small, hardworking team, we pride ourselves on our entrepreneurial culture and cross-team collaboration. We recently raised funding from several strategic partners and are in a very exciting stage of growth.

Role: Senior Developer
Company: Optimal Market Technologies, LLC
Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid)
Compensation: $175,000 - $225,000 base salary, plus discretionary bonus

Position Overview:

We are seeking a Senior Developer to build and own significant parts of our high-performance options trading platform. This is a hands‑on role across our multi‑technology codebase. You will also work directly with clients, market makers, exchanges, and brokers to understand their needs and turn them into working systems.

We expect strong, fluent use of AI-assisted development tools, ideally Claude Code, as a core part of how you work. You can help raise the team's standard in this area.

Build and ship:

• Contribute directly to our multi-technology codebase across the trading platform.
• Build features end to end, and take responsibility for them once in production.
• Write tested, documented, modular code that others can own and extend.
• Participate in support rotation (starting 7:30am Eastern).

Domain and clients:

• Work directly with clients, PMMs, exchanges, and brokers to answer technical questions.
• Expand the tools and data we provide our trading experts to review, research and optimize trading.
• Verify and validate specs, and turn them into working implementations.

Tools and productivity:

• Use AI-assisted development fluently, and help set standards, evaluate new tools, and bring the rest of the team up to speed.
• Improve the team's tooling, scripts, and operational workflows as you go.

What We're Looking For:

• 5+ years of professional software development experience, with room for a strong 3+ year candidate who has already worked in execution services.
• Strong, practical ability across C++ and Python.
• Experience supporting and developing Linux-based applications.
• Fluent, demonstrated use of AI-assisted development tools, ideally Claude Code, and the ability to raise standards for others.
• Experience of financial and trading domains, or similarly latency sensitive systems.
• Track record of shipping tested, maintainable code in production.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills; comfortable working directly with clients and counterparties.
• Aptitude for balancing speed of delivery with stability in production environments.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in US options, wholesale, or execution/routing.
• Familiarity with the FIX Protocol.
• SQL, ideally PostgreSQL.
• GoogleTest or similar unit testing frameworks.
• Middleware experience, ideally AERON.
• Experience with performance profiling tools (e.g. perf, gprof).
• Familiarity with sanitizers for debugging memory/concurrency issues (e.g. ASan, UBSan).
• Exposure to code coverage tooling (e.g. gcov, lcov).
• Exposure to Rust.

Why This Role:

You will own real systems and real client relationships from early on, on a small team where your work ships and matters. You will work with a Principal Engineer driving the platform's architecture forward, and you will have room to grow your scope as the firm grows.

Salary Range

$175,000 — $225,000 USD

Optimal is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.