Senior Surveillance Analyst

tastytrade; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance Bonuses

Stock Purchase Options

401k Plan

Paid Vacation

Job summary

tastytrade is seeking a Senior Surveillance Specialist to design and operate a cross-asset surveillance and AML monitoring program. You will develop detection logic, investigate alerts, and prepare regulatory reporting across equities, futures, crypto, and other markets.

The role requires active licenses (Series 7, 63/66, 3) and strong knowledge of FINRA/NFA/CFTC rules, plus experience with industry surveillance platforms. Located in Chicago with comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 2-5+ years of trade surveillance and/or AML monitoring experience.
• Active licenses: Series 7, Series 63 (or 66), Series 3; Series 24 preferred.
• Strong knowledge of FINRA, SEC, NFA/CFTC rules and BSA/AML/KYC requirements.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and test surveillance alerts across multiple asset classes.
• Investigate alerts and customer escalations; document methodology and testing results.
• Draft, review, and file SARs; report to regulators as needed.
• Coordinate with Compliance, Legal, and Operations on surveillance tools and upgrades.

Skills

Trade surveillance

AML monitoring

SQL data analysis

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

NICE Actimize

Nasdaq SMARTS

Eventus Validus

Blockchain/KYT software

Job description

Reports To: AML Compliance Officer, tastytrade

Employment Type: Full-Time

About the Role

tastytrade is a FINRA-regulated broker-dealer and NFA member offering equities, futures, crypto, and prediction market products to retail clients. We are seeking a Senior Surveillance Specialist to help build out, operate, and continuously improve our cross-asset trade surveillance and AML transaction-monitoring program. This role spans both the design and day-to-day execution of surveillance: developing and tuning detection logic, investigating alerts and customer escalations, monitoring cryptocurrency and blockchain activity, and preparing regulatory reporting — not simply administering an existing vendor tool.

The role supports surveillance coverage that satisfies FINRA's supervisory and anti-manipulation requirements (e.g., Rules 3110 and 3310), the parallel NFA/CFTC framework governing futures (e.g., NFA Compliance Rules 2-4 and 2-9, and CFTC Rules 180.1/180.2 and CEA Section 4c(a)), and the firm's BSA/AML and KYC/KYT obligations under the Bank Secrecy Act and USA PATRIOT Act.

What You’ll Do

• Design, build, and test surveillance scenarios/alerts across equities, options, futures, crypto, and prediction markets, covering manipulative and abusive trading patterns (e.g., spoofing, layering, wash trading, front-running, marking the close, insider trading, cross-product/cross-market manipulation, uneconomical trading).
• Tune and validate surveillance thresholds and models; document methodology, coverage, and testing/back-testing results to demonstrate reasonable design under FINRA Rule 3110 and NFA Compliance Rule 2-9.
• Conduct first- and second-level review of surveillance alerts and customer escalations; investigate potential violations of FINRA, SEC, NFA Compliance Rule 2-4 (Just and Equitable Principles of Trade), CFTC Rules 180.1/180.2, CEA Section 4c(a), and internal policies.
• Conduct thorough investigations into suspicious transactions or activities, collaborating with Compliance, Legal, and Operations to gather necessary information and evidence.
• Monitor cryptocurrency transactions and blockchain activity for signs of suspicious or illicit behavior, using blockchain analytical software to satisfy the firm's Know Your Transaction (KYT) requirements and identify potential risks.
• Draft, review, and file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) arising from trade surveillance in accordance with BSA/AML requirements; maintain SAR documentation and related recordkeeping.
• Report and elevate suspicious activities to appropriate regulatory or law enforcement agencies as required; prepare regulatory reporting and respond to inquiries, exams, and requests for information from FINRA, the SEC, and the CFTC/NFA.
• Communicate with customers on monitoring and surveillance-related matters.
• Partner with Compliance, Legal, and Technology teams to define requirements for new or enhanced surveillance tools, including vendor system implementation or in-house build.
• Maintain and update Written Supervisory Procedures (WSPs) covering trade surveillance, market manipulation, and associated SAR filing across all product lines, including futures-specific procedures required under NFA Compliance Rule 2-9.
• Monitor for emerging manipulation typologies specific to newer product types (e.g., crypto market abuse, prediction market-specific manipulation such as outcome manipulation or coordinated wash trading).
• Coordinate with the CAT reporting team as needed to support surveillance investigations that rely on CAT data (CAT reporting itself is owned by a separate team).
• Track and report key surveillance metrics (alert volumes, false-positive rates, SAR filing statistics, case aging) to senior management and committees.
• Stay current on regulatory developments across FINRA, SEC, and CFTC/NFA affecting surveillance and AML obligations, and translate them into program and procedural updates.
• Support general compliance initiatives, including procedural review and ad hoc projects.

Who You Are

• 2-5+ years of trade surveillance and/or AML transaction-monitoring experience at a broker-dealer, FCM, exchange, or regulator; experience building or materially enhancing a surveillance program is a strong plus (versus solely operating an out-of-the-box tool).
• Active licenses: Series 7, Series 63 (or 66), and Series 3 (National Commodity Futures) required; Series 24 preferred.
• Sound working knowledge of relevant rulebooks and regulations, including FINRA Rules 3110/3310, SEC Rule 15c3-5, NFA Compliance Rules 2-4 and 2-9, CFTC Rules 180.1/180.2, CEA Section 4c(a), the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), the USA PATRIOT Act, and AML/KYC requirements for broker-dealers and NFA introducing brokers, plus awareness of applicable crypto/digital asset regulatory frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience writing and filing SARs, including familiarity with FinCEN SAR forms and BSA/AML narrative-writing standards.
• Experience with surveillance platforms (e.g., NICE Actimize, Nasdaq SMARTS, Eventus Validus, or similar) and blockchain analytical/KYT software; comfort partnering with engineering on custom/in-house surveillance logic, including hands-on experience with data stored on/processed via AWS S3, strongly preferred.
• Strong SQL and data analysis skills; ability to query large trade/order datasets to investigate alerts and validate surveillance logic.
• Strong analytical and investigative skills, with the ability to identify suspicious patterns, conduct detailed investigations, and make sound judgments based on available information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively interact with internal stakeholders, regulatory authorities, external parties, and customers.
• Collaborative and team-oriented approach, capable of working with cross-functional teams and building strong relationships across the organization.
• Experience with multi-asset class surveillance a strong plus, particularly any exposure to digital assets or novel/event-contract products.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or certifications (e.g., CAMS – Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, CFE) a plus.

Company Perks + Benefits

• Performance Bonuses
• Stock Purchase Options
• 401k Plan
• 20 Paid Vacation Days (plus an additional paid vacation day the month of your birthday!)
• 10 Paid Sick Days
• Pet Insurance
• Wellness & Mental Health Programs
• Charitable Donation Matching
• Daily catered lunch when in the office
• Full kitchen with snacks and beverages
• Shuttle to/from Metra

Discretionary Performance Bonus

8-10% of base salary based on individual and company performance.

About IGNA + tasty

IG North America is home to tastytrade, tastylive, and tastyfx-a family of brands built to democratize trading and empower individual investors. Founded in Chicago by the creators of thinkorswim, acquired by London-based IG Group in 2021, we combine startup innovation with the backing of a FTSE 100 fintech operating across five continents serving over 1.3m customers and handling billions of dollars in transactions - built on scale, trust, and proof.

Location

Our office is in the West Loop - Chicago's growing center of tech, great cuisine, and high-end bars. tastytrade | tastylive | tastyfx 1330 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607

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