
Trading Operations Engineer
Optiver · Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
- On site
- Full-time
- $120,000 / year
- Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
Job highlights
- Engineer low-latency trading systems for Optiver.
- Support high-frequency trading floors, resolving incidents.
- Deploy, monitor, and optimize trading infrastructure.
- Automate system management processes and deployments.
- Collaborate with traders, developers, and operations.
About the role
Trading Operations Engineer
The Trading Operations Production Support Engineering team is responsible for maintaining and scaling Optiver’s low-latency trading systems. The team ensures a safe, stable, and efficient production environment while supporting profitability and sustainable growth across various regions. Collaborating closely with traders, development, and operational teams, the engineer will deploy, monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize our trading infrastructure to enhance reliability, performance, and automation.
What You'll Do
- Provide technical expertise and support to high-frequency trading floors, troubleshooting complex issues and resolving incidents in a fast-paced, dynamic setting.
- Deploy, maintain, and monitor proprietary trading applications, ensuring stability and performance in the trading environment.
- Review and analyze incidents to identify recurring themes, driving improvements to enhance automation and operational efficiency.
- Coordinate deployments of new trading products, systems, and exchanges, ensuring readiness for events such as corporate actions or special announcements.
- Architect and maintain services to maximize reliability, ensuring the trading systems operate within performance thresholds.
- Collaborate with development teams to establish best practices and ensure the long-term stability of production systems, even under extreme conditions.
- Set standards for system configuration and deployment to minimize risks and support smooth scaling.
- Manage the colocation to ensure the right level of redundancy and capacity for growth is available.
- Automate system management processes, while maintaining control over critical operations.
Who You Are
Technical Skills
- Solid experience managing complex distributed systems in Linux environments (L2/L3 support), with a strong understanding of networking fundamentals, build, deployment, and version control systems.
- Proficiency with CI/CD tooling and scripting in Python or similar languages to automate tasks.
- Experience with relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL) or other database systems.
- Demonstrated ability to drive system improvements and work across global teams to deliver changes.
Non-Technical Skills
- A collaborative team player with a positive attitude, capable of coordinating effectively across departments.
- A pragmatic and logical thinker who thrives under pressure in high-intensity environments, with strong troubleshooting skills and the ability to resolve incidents efficiently.
- Effective communicator, able to clearly explain technical concepts and ask insightful questions.
- Highly organized, able to manage multiple responsibilities while keeping stakeholders informed.
- Passionate about technology, curious about the interaction between hardware and software, and driven to learn and grow by embracing frequent change.
- Prior experience in high-frequency trading environments is a plus, but not required.
No prior trading or financial experience is needed – our onboarding program will kick-start your career at Optiver and support you in gaining all the relevant knowledge about our business.
Who We Are
At Optiver, 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. As one of the largest market making institutions, we are a trusted partner of 70+ exchanges across the globe.
What You'll Get
You’ll join a culture of collaboration and excellence, where you’ll be surrounded by curious thinkers and creative problem solvers. Motivated by a passion for continuous improvement, you’ll thrive in a supportive, high-performing environment alongside talented colleagues, working collectively to tackle the toughest problems in the financial markets.
In addition, you’ll receive:
- A performance-based bonus structure, enabling all of our employees to benefit from our global profit pool.
- The opportunity to work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 50 different countries.
- 25 paid vacation days in your first year, increasing to 30 from your second year onwards.
- Training opportunities, discounts on health insurance, and fully paid first-class commuting expenses.
- Extensive office perks, including breakfast, lunch and dinner, world-class barista coffee, in-house physio and chair massages, organized sports and leisure activities, and Friday afternoon drinks.
- Training and continuous learning opportunities, including access to conferences and tech events.
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 Trading Operations Engineer. If you have any questions feel free to contact our Recruiter team via recruitment inquiry form.
Please note:
- We cannot accept applications via email for data protection reasons.
- We do not require any assistance from third-parties including agencies in the recruitment of this role
Diversity statement
Optiver is committed to diversity and inclusion.
Key skills/competency
- Trading Operations Engineer
- Distributed Systems
- Linux
- Networking
- CI/CD
- Python Scripting
- Databases
- Troubleshooting
- Production Support
- System Architecture
Skills & topics
- Trading Operations Engineer
- Production Support
- Low-latency Systems
- High-Frequency Trading
- Linux
- Distributed Systems
- Networking
- CI/CD
- Python
- Automation
- System Administration
- Infrastructure
- Financial Markets
- DevOps
- Site Reliability Engineer
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight Linux, networking, CI/CD, and Python scripting skills. Emphasize distributed systems experience.
- Showcase problem-solving: Detail your troubleshooting and incident resolution experience, especially in high-pressure environments.
- Demonstrate collaboration: Provide examples of working effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
- Prepare for technical questions: Brush up on distributed systems, networking fundamentals, and automation scripting.
- Research Optiver: Understand their mission to provide liquidity and ensure market stability.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What is the work arrangement for the Trading Operations Engineer role at Optiver?
- The Trading Operations Engineer role at Optiver appears to be primarily on-site, given the description of working on high-frequency trading floors and managing colocation. While remote work is not explicitly mentioned, the emphasis on a dynamic, collaborative environment within their offices suggests a strong on-site presence is expected.
- What are the key technical skills required for the Trading Operations Engineer position at Optiver?
- The key technical skills for the Trading Operations Engineer role at Optiver include solid experience with complex distributed systems in Linux environments (L2/L3 support), strong understanding of networking fundamentals, build, deployment, and version control systems. Proficiency in CI/CD tooling and scripting languages like Python is also essential, along with experience in relational databases.
- Does Optiver require prior trading or financial experience for the Trading Operations Engineer role?
- No, Optiver explicitly states that prior trading or financial experience is not required for the Trading Operations Engineer position. They offer a comprehensive onboarding program designed to equip successful candidates with the necessary business knowledge.
- What kind of support and benefits does Optiver offer to its Trading Operations Engineers?
- Optiver offers a performance-based bonus structure, opportunities to work with international professionals, increasing paid vacation days, training opportunities, health insurance discounts, and fully paid commuting expenses. Additionally, extensive office perks include meals, coffee, wellness services, and organized activities.
- How can I best prepare my resume for the Trading Operations Engineer application at Optiver?
- To best prepare your resume for the Trading Operations Engineer role at Optiver, highlight your experience with Linux, distributed systems, networking, and CI/CD. Quantify achievements where possible, such as improvements in system stability or automation efficiency. Clearly list your proficiency in scripting languages like Python and any database experience.
- What is the typical career growth path for a Trading Operations Engineer at Optiver?
- While specific paths aren't detailed, a Trading Operations Engineer at Optiver can expect growth through increased responsibility in system architecture, automation, and potentially leading projects. The company emphasizes continuous learning, training opportunities, and exposure to complex financial market challenges, fostering professional development.
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