Quantitative Researcher Internship - 2026-27

As our Quantitative Research Intern, you’ll spend your summer delving into complex, data-driven problems at one of the world’s leading tech-driven trading firms. Under the guidance and mentorship of industry experts, you’ll apply your critical mindset and strong technical skills to optimise the models that drive Optiver’s innovative trading strategies.  

Through a mix of trading lectures, coursework and hands-on project experience, you’ll have deepened your understanding of the quantitative trading industry and mastered the practical skills needed to drive our trading success by the end of the 8-week internship. Plus, if you’ve excelled over the summer, you’ll receive an offer to return as a Graduate Quantitative Researcher. 

What you’ll do 

Led by our in-house education team that consists of former traders and engineers, you will complete a curated series of lectures and coursework on trading fundamentals, covering topics such as options pricing, financial markets, trading strategies and cutting-edge technology.  

Then, you will join one of our research teams and be paired with a mentor, applying your recently acquired knowledge to real-world scenarios that contribute towards our trading success. Some of the topics you could be working on, include: 

• Using statistical models and machine learning to develop trading algorithms. 

• Leveraging big data technologies to analyse high-frequency trading strategies, market microstructure, and financial instruments to identify trading opportunities. 

• Building stochastic models to determine the fair value of financial derivatives. 

• Combining quantitative analysis and high-performance implementation to ensure the efficiency and accuracy of pricing engines and libraries. 

Find your niche in research 

During the internship, you will gain exposure to the various opportunities that are available in our research teams. Discover some of the teams below.  

• Read Noah’s story to discover how he leverages large datasets to create underlying models that price our financial instruments in the Options Pricing team. 

• Read Rob’s story to discover how he develops and tests hypotheses that drive improvements in the execution, speed and success of our trading systems, in the Performance Research team. 

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. Driven by a passion for continuous improvement, you’ll thrive in a supportive, high-performing environment alongside talented colleagues, working collectively to tackle the most complex problems in the financial markets.  

In addition, you’ll receive: 

• A highly competitive remuneration package. 

• Optiver-covered flights and accommodation for the duration of the internship. 

• The opportunity to work alongside best-in-class professionals. 

• Training, mentorship and personal development opportunities. 

• Gym membership, plus weekly in-house chair massages. 

• Daily breakfast, lunch and in-house barista. 

• Regular social events. 

Who you are 

• A penultimate university student. If you are a pre-penultimate university student, discover our 2026 FutureFocus program. 

• An Australian or New Zealand Citizen, Australian Permanent Resident or able to provide evidence of full working rights. 

• Studying a quantitative or technically focused degree, such as Maths, Statistics, Physics, Electrical / Mechatronic / Software Engineering, Computer Science, Applied / Quantitative Finance or Econometrics. 

• Inquisitive and critical thinker, who enjoys creating innovative, new solutions. 

• Have a passion for quantitative problems and working in collaborative, dynamic environments. 

• Pragmatic, focused on outcomes and can communicate technical concepts well. 

• Enjoys utilising technology, programming, or maths in your daily life to solve problems. 

• Possess programming experience in any language (C, C++, Python, Basic, JAVA, etc.). 

 Diversity statement  

Optiver is committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds, and welcome requests for reasonable adjustments during the process to ensure that you can best demonstrate your abilities. 

Questions? Get in touch with the team at [email protected].  

We accept one application per role per year. If you have previously applied to this position during this season and have been unsuccessful, you can re-apply when the next recruitment season begins in 2027.