Data Scientist - Optiver

Data Scientist - Optiver

How does Optiver accurately price hundreds of thousands of interconnected financial products in real-time? In one word: data. Data science is at the very core of Optiver’s pricing strategies. Our Data Science teams tackle fascinating challenges that exist at the intersection of technology and trading – a space with some of the most complex and exciting volumes of financial market data. With world-class skills that can cut through the noise, Optiver's Data Science teams directly impact the precision and scalability of our 35+ year trading business.

Optiver's Data Scientists collaborate with Data Analysts, Data Engineers, Quantitative Researchers and Traders to perform in-depth data analysis. They sit on our buzzing Trading floor – the heartbeat of the business – to share their market insights with our Traders, Quantitative Researchers and Developers. As a Data Scientist, your observations and recommendations will be highly valued, and trusted to inform crucial trading decisions, including identifying new trading opportunities. This makes you a key player in our market activities, whose impact can be felt in real time.

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 50+ exchanges across the globe. Our mission is to constantly improve the market by injecting liquidity, providing accurate pricing, increasing transparency and acting as a stabilising 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.

Our Amsterdam office is where it all began. Over 35 years ago, Optiver’s business started with a single trader on the floor of Amsterdam’s European Stock Exchange. Since our founding, Optiver’s Amsterdam office has grown into one of the most dynamic and exciting trading floors in Europe. Our culture reflects the Dutch capital city’s progressive, innovative and inclusive nature. With its unique spirit, Amsterdam is the ideal hub for our teams to trade a wide range of products from listed derivatives to cash equities, ETFs, bonds and foreign exchange.

What you'll do:

Data Scientists at Optiver apply their statistics and analytics skills to develop and improve our trading strategies. It’s a fascinating role that requires strong a coding background and problem-solving skills.

Your typical day could involve any number of challenging assignments. Perhaps you’ll work on predictive analytics using historical data. Maybe you’ll statistically evaluate our trading strategies and systems together with developers and traders. You may also find yourself unlocking a new trading business alongside traders and engineers. You could of course be writing robust and scalable code to prototype sophisticated pricing and hedging logics. You can expect to:

• Create and streamline data pipelines to extract, transform and load data streams from various sources into our SQL data warehouse
• Build Python-based data analysis and visualization tools that monitor and optimise our trading strategies
• Work closely with our trading team to improve our trading results using data-driven insights
• Develop and test your market hypotheses

Who you are:

The feedback loop for this team is immediate, therefore we look for dynamic and highly ambitious people who seek to constantly innovate, challenge the status quo and want to work alongside some of the most talented and intelligent people in the business.

In terms of skills and qualifications, we're looking for:

• Excellent data analysis, scientific and critical thinking skills, as well as an eye for detail
• A decent level of Python development ability, experience with scientific Python stack (e.g. Pandas, Numpy and SciPy) is highly desirable
• Outstanding communication skills to collaborate with multiple stakeholder groups, challenge thinking and obtain buy-in
• The ability to present complex ideas with data to expedite decision making
• A focus on pragmatic outcomes, and the ability to prioritise effectively
• A strong interest in the world of trading, however no experience in the financial industry required

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 Data Scientist. Please provide us with a CV and letter of motivation in English. Applications without a letter of motivation will not be reviewed. 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 Bernice Juk via

Please note, if you are selected from your application to proceed to the next round for the position of Data Scientist, you will be required to take an online assessment.

Kindly note that we do not require any assistance from third-parties including agencies in the recruitment of this role.

Diversity Statement:

As an intentionally flat organisation, we believe that great ideas and impact can come from everyone. We are passionate about empowering individuals and creating diverse teams that thrive. Every person at Optiver should feel included, valued and respected, because we believe our best work is done together.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is hardwired through every stage of our hiring process. We encourage applications from candidates from any and all backgrounds, and we welcome requests for reasonable adjustments during the process to ensure that you can best demonstrate your abilities.