Senior Quant Researcher - CTA/Fixed Income

Quant Blueprint LLC; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Akuna Capital is looking for an Options Trader in Chicago who will manage a derivatives portfolio, ensuring effective risk management and algorithm performance. Candidates should have at least 1 year of market making experience and a Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field.

Strong mathematical skills and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions are essential. The position offers a dynamic trading environment with opportunities to improve algorithms and optimize trading strategies.

Qualifications

• 1+ years of market making experience with responsibility for PnL and risk.
• Strong math aptitude with numerical and quantitative analysis skills.
• Ability to initiate problem-solving in a team-oriented environment.

Responsibilities

• Profitably manage a derivatives portfolio and dynamically manage risk.
• Collaborate with technology teams to ensure algorithms function properly.
• Analyze data to optimize trading parameters.

Skills

Market making experience

Mathematical analysis

Quantitative analysis

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Actuarial Science or equivalent

Job description

About Akuna

Akuna Capital is an innovative trading firm with a strong focus on collaboration, cutting‑edge technology, data driven solutions, and automation. We specialize in providing liquidity as an options market‑maker – meaning we are committed to providing competitive quotes that we are willing to both buy and sell. To do this successfully, we design and implement our own low latency technologies, trading strategies, and mathematical models.

Our Founding Partners first conceptualized Akuna in their hometown of Sydney. They opened the firm's first office in 2011 in the heart of the derivatives industry and the options capital of the world – Chicago. Today, Akuna is proud to operate from additional offices in Sydney, Shanghai, and London.

What you’ll do as an Options Trader at Akuna

• Profitably manage a derivatives portfolio and be responsible for dynamically managing risk to ensure portfolio is under prescribed risk limits
• Work with our technology and quant teams to ensure existing algorithms are functioning properly
• Analyze data to optimize parameters
• Introduce improvements to our algorithms to best provide liquidity

Qualities that make great candidates

• 1+ years of market making experience (responsibility for PnL and risk)
• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Actuarial Science or a related/equivalent field
• Strong math aptitude, numerical, and quantitative analysis skills
• Entrepreneurial self‑starter ready to work in a fast‑paced, team environment
• Passionate about problem‑solving and finding creative solutions in an ever‑changing market
• The ability to communicate effectively and efficiently while fostering external professional relationships
• Detail‑oriented
• The ability to react quickly and accurately to rapidly changing market conditions, including the ability to quickly and accurately respond and/or solve math and coding problems are essential functions of the role