Ready to kickstart your career in one of the world's leading tech-driven trading firms? 

Join FutureFocus, our immersive five-day program designed to ignite your potential as a future trader, researcher or developer at Optiver.  

Dive into the fundamentals of trading, gain unique insights into Optiver’s cutting-edge trading systems and build the key skills that our teams use every day. 

Plus, if you've excelled in the program, you could receive a direct offer for our 2027/28 Summer Internship Program. 

 

• Eligible for pre-penultimate university students (graduating in 2028 or 2029) 

• Program dates: 12 - 16 October, 2026

• Application close: 17 July, 2026 (5pm) 

• Where: Optiver Sydney office* 

*Note: If you reside outside of Sydney, Optiver will cover your travel and accommodation costs. 

What you'll do 

Led by ex-traders and ex-engineers, our renowned in-house education team will guide you through the intricacies of market making. You will be immersed in a mix of hands-on and classroom learning, empowering you to thrive in the world of trading and technology. 

As part of the FutureFocus program, you’ll have the opportunity to: 

• Kickstart your journey in trading or research, as you learn the fundamentals of trading theory. You’ll also learn how to build trading strategies and deploy them in a virtual market. 

• Immerse in our dynamic trading floor and see our cutting-edge systems in action. You'll discover unique insights into our in-house trading systems and understand how we remain at the forefront of the global financial markets. 

• Connect with recent graduates and hear their personal experiences. 

• Receive mentorship and support from our in-house trainers and senior traders, who are committed to ensuring you have the guidance and support needed to succeed. 

• Experience Optiver's culture and enjoy our incredible perks, including daily breakfast, lunch and coffee, weekly massages and more. 

 

Who you are 

• A pre-penultimate university student, graduating in 2028 or 2029. All degree backgrounds are considered. 

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

• An inquisitive thinker, with a passion for quantitative problems and working in collaborative, dynamic environments. 

• Holds superior quantitative and logical reasoning skills, and enjoys working on an array of problems, with a strong focus on results. 

• Excited to test yourself in one of the most dynamic areas of the financial market. 

 

Applying for the program 

The FutureFocus program offers two streams: Trading and Research or Technology. To help you choose the stream that aligns with your interests, please find more information below. Please note that you can only apply for one stream. 

Trading and Research  

Our Traders make trading decisions based on market conditions and other factors. They’re driven and have a flair for analytical problem solving. Check out Will’s ‘Day in the life’ story to learn more. 

Our Researchers collaborate closely with traders and developers to build and improve our trading strategies. 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. 

Technology 

Our Software and FPGA Developers play a critical role in executing successful trades. Driven by the desire to find the simplest solutions to the most complex problems, they design and build high performance systems that solve real business problems. Check out Brenda’s ‘Day in the Life’ story to learn more. 

Ready to kickstart your career with Optiver? Apply for FutureFocus to ignite your potential today. 

 

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 our team at careers@optiver.com.au.  

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.