Sep 28, 2022
Our trading activities are predicated on a foundation of quantitative research. Our research teams, which are composed of professionals with MSc and PhDs in a range of STEM fields, use a rigorous method to investigate and create our top-notch trading algorithms. This entails using and creating cutting-edge stochastic models to price options, forecast market volatility, and differentiate between discrete realisations of stochastic processes using Monte Carlo methods. It also entails creating statistical arbitrage techniques using a variety of high-powered computational back-testing frameworks, petabytes of low latency, high-frequency market data sets, and more. Due to our extensive international experience, we are skilled at assisting expats with their migration, providing affordable relocation packages, and, where needed, sponsoring their visas.
Optiver Researchers believe in academic discourse, and therefore invite their teammates and Traders to challenge each hypothesis. Can it be mathematically improved? Does it pose potential risk? Does it exploit a market behavioural pattern? Can it sustain its output goals? Constant testing, analysis, refinement and innovation ensure our quantitative models remain at the cutting-edge of constantly evolving capital markets.
WHO YOU ARE:
We're looking for a Quantitative Researcher who will be versatile, flexible and creative in innovating new solutions. In return, we'll give you the freedom to pursue your ideas and implement them right into our production systems. Within a few months, you will play a key role in developing automated analysis programs and trading algorithms.
In terms of skills and qualifications, we're looking for:
Academic degree with top grades in Engineering, Physics, Maths, Econometrics, Computer science or equivalent
Programming experience in any language (C, C++, Python, Basic, JAVA, etc.)
Ability to apply basic concepts of probability, calculus and linear algebra
Ability to carry a project on your own in a structured way within a short timeframe
Competitive attitude and eagerness to constantly improve yourself
Self-starting, ‘can do’ attitude
Ability to learn quickly
Excellent verbal and written English language skills
WHAT YOU'LL GET:
The chance to start your career working alongside best-in-class professionals from over 40 different countries.
Our performance based bonus structure is unmatched anywhere in the industry. We combine our profits across desks, teams and offices into a global profit pool fostering a truly collaborative environment to work in.
Alongside this you will get great secondary benefits such as 25 paid vacation days, fully paid first-class commuting expenses, training opportunities, discounts on health insurance, breakfast and lunch facilities, sports and leisure activities, Friday afternoon drinks and even weekly in-house chair massages. Being highly international, we are accustomed to guiding expats through their relocation, offering competitive relocation packages and providing visa sponsorship where necessary.
HOW TO APPLY:
Are you interested in furthering your career on one of the most dynamic and exciting trading floors in Europe?
Apply directly via the form below for the position of Quantitative Researcher. Please provide us with a CV, a solution to all three puzzle questions highlighting in bold your final answers and a letter of motivation in English. Applications without an answer to the puzzle and a letter of motivation will not be reviewed.
Can you solve this puzzle?
An ant leaves its anthill in order to forage for food. It moves with the speed of 10cm per second, but it doesn't know where to go, therefore every second it moves randomly 10cm directly north, south, east or west with equal probability.
If the food is located on east-west lines 20cm to the north and 20cm to the south, as well as on north-south lines 20cm to the east and 20cm to the west from the anthill, how long will it take the ant to reach it on average?
What is the average time the ant will reach food if it is located only on a diagonal line passing through (10cm, 0cm) and (0cm, 10cm) points?
Can you write a program that comes up with an estimate of average time to find food for any closed boundary around the anthill? What would be the answer if food is located outside an defined by ( (x – 2.5cm) / 30cm )2 + ( (y – 2.5cm) / 40cm )2 < 1 in coordinate system where the anthill is located at (x = 0cm, y = 0cm)? Provide us with a solution rounded to the nearest integer.
The full puzzle solution is to be uploaded in the same document as the cover letter and submitted as a pdf.
When we think there is a potential match, you will hear from us sooner than you expect. If you have any questions feel free to contact our Recruiter Rachael via rachaelthompson@Optiver.com. Please note, we cannot accept applications via email for data protection