C++ Software Engineer

About Optiver

Optiver is a global proprietary trading firm and market maker, established in 1986 in Amsterdam. With about 2,000 employees worldwide, the company operates across Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. Optiver provides market liquidity by trading listed derivatives, cash products, and commodities using its own capital and risk.

The Singapore office acts as a pivotal APAC hub, hosting the options trading technology for the region. The team actively trades a growing portfolio of commodities spanning India, China, Australia, and other global markets, covering both listed and over-the-counter instruments.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with commodities traders and quantitative researchers to grasp trading goals related to pricing, quoting, execution, and systematic research, then develop robust software solutions accordingly.
• Develop and maintain the research and backtesting platforms crucial for systematic trading strategies, transforming trader and quant concepts into parameterized, production-quality systems, and integrating research workflows into live trading environments.
• Architect and implement high-performance, latency-sensitive trading modules grounded on solid engineering principles.
• Drive the continuous improvement and scalability of the commodities trading platform to ensure it remains reliable, testable, and low-latency.
• Work dynamically in a fast-paced setting, frequently testing and deploying code while iteratively aligning with trading desks on both engineering and research efforts.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• A minimum of three years professional experience as a software engineer focused on distributed systems, low-latency applications, or data- and research-intensive environments.
• Strong proficiency in C++, including modern C++ standards, with a thorough understanding of the language’s performance features.
• Firm grasp of core computer science concepts such as operating systems, data structures, algorithms, and concurrency mechanisms.
• Experience with a scripting language like Python to support tooling, research processes, and automation tasks.
• Capability to utilize AI tools effectively for productivity enhancements without sacrificing software quality or runtime efficiency.
• A passion for solving complex technical challenges and for collaborating closely with business stakeholders.

Desirable Experience

• Background in electronic trading firms or solid familiarity with derivatives trading principles.
• Experience with data analytics platforms such as Spark and Databricks used for research and data workflows.
• Exposure to infrastructure supporting quantitative research, including data pipelines or systematic strategy development.

What Optiver Offers

• A bonus system based on firm-wide profits, encouraging teamwork across departments and regions.
• A collaborative and intellectually stimulating workplace surrounded by skilled and curious professionals.
• Extensive investment in employee growth through training, mentorship programs, and opportunities for internal career moves alongside some of the industry’s top engineers and traders.
• Daily provided breakfast and lunch, gym membership, plus regular in-house chair massages.
• Frequent social activities and a company-wide weekend retreat every two years.

Additional Information

At Optiver, engineers play a central role in the firm's success, with their work directly impacting market making and risk management. The environment values excellence, curiosity, and precision.

Applications are especially encouraged from Singapore citizens or permanent residents.