Senior Trading Automation Specialist
Optiverus · Chicago, Illinois, United States · Posted Jul 8, 2026
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Optiver is seeking a Senior Trading Automation Specialist to join the team responsible for the daily operations, automation, and continuous improvement of our market making activity in Chicago. This is a high-impact role that sits at the intersection of trading, technology, and operational excellence.
You will drive the strategic vision for how we scale our operations through automation, ensure the integrity and reliability of our core market making systems and strategies, and serve as a key partner to traders, researchers, and engineers across the firm. You will be expected to take full ownership of critical workstreams and deliver results with minimal oversight.
This role requires someone who can operate at both a strategic and tactical level — comfortable shaping the long-term roadmap for trading automation while also rolling up their sleeves to solve problems in real time on the trading floor.
What You'll Do
As a Senior Trading Automation Specialist, your key responsibilities include:
Define , drive and implement the automation roadmap for trading, identifying high-impact opportunities to eliminate manual processes and scale the business
Design, implement, and maintain automated workflows, data pipelines, and reporting infrastructure
Collaborate with Quantitative Traders, Quantitative Researchers, and Software Engineers to translate operational insights into system improvements
Act as an escalation point for critical operational decisions and incidents
Lead post-mortem processes, driving root-cause analysis and preventive measures
Own end-to-end reliability of core trading automation systems
Identify and resolve operational risks proactively
What You'll Get
The opportunity to work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 40 different countries
A highly competitive compensation package
Global profit-sharing pool and performance-based bonus structure
401(k) match up to 50%
Comprehensive health, mental, dental, vision, disability, and life coverage
25 paid vacation days alongside market holidays
Extensive office perks, including breakfast, lunch and snacks, regular social events, clubs, sporting leagues and more
Who You Are
Required:
5 + years of experience in trading operations, trading technology, quantitative finance, or a closely related field
Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field (Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or related); advanced degree preferred
Strong programming skills in Python, SQL, or similar languages, with a track record of building automation and tooling
Deep understanding of electronic trading systems, market microstructure, and the operational mechanics of market making
Excellent analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving abilities
Outstanding communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders across trading, technology, and risk functions
Preferred:
Demonstrated leadership experience, including mentoring team members and driving cross-functional initiatives in a fast-paced environment
Experience at a market making firm, proprietary trading firm, or quantitative hedge fund
Track record of driving large-scale process automation or operational transformation initiatives
Who We Are
Optiver is a tech-driven trading firm and leading global market maker. As one of the oldest market making institutions, we are a trusted partner of 70+ exchanges across the globe. Our mission is to constantly improve the market by injecting liquidity, providing accurate pricing, increasing transparency and acting as a stabilizing force no matter the market conditions. With a focus on continuous improvement, we participate in the safeguarding of healthy and efficient markets for everyone who participates.
Optiver Chicago’s culture parallels the energetic city we’re immersed in. Home to the Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Board Options Exchange, and Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Chicago has established itself as the trading capital of the US. Active on leading US exchanges, Optiver’s Chicago office trades a wide range of products from listed derivatives to cash equities, ETFs, bonds and foreign exchange.
Our differences are our edge. Optiver does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, or other legally protected characteristics.
Below is the expected base salary for this position. This is a good-faith estimate of the base pay scale for this position and offers will ultimately be determined based on experience, education, skill set, and performance in the interview process. This position will also be eligible for a discretionary bonus (if determined by Optiver) and Optiver’s benefits package with the benefits listed above.
Base Salary Range
$200,000 $200,000 USD