Theoretical Computer Science Intern Jobs in Chicago, IL

As a Software Engineer Intern, you'll work side-by-side with your mentor and teammates to build real-world applications that power a global trading firm. Your projects will be scoped based on your team's real needs - not hypothetical tasks - and your mentor will be fully invested in helping you build high-quality software that's designed to last. You'll contribute to meaningful projects solving trading problems and improving the performance, reliability, and scalability of our systems - and you'll see your code hit production in real time.

Optiver is building with cutting edge AI technology in the most competitive, data rich landscapes in the world: financial markets. That means no two days are the same, and every day brings new, exciting technical challenges to solve.

This opportunity is also available in our Austin office - learn more and apply. 

What you'll do:

Our internship is designed for fast thinkers with a critical mindset and a drive to solve tough problems. You'll experience what it's like to be a full-time engineer at a leading trading firm - working on projects that push the limits of performance, efficiency, and real-world impact. Mentored by Optiver engineers, our program gives you the opportunity to:

• Deep dive into trading fundamentals, from theoretical concepts to financial markets, strategies, AI-enabled tools and cutting-edge technology.
• Collaborate closely with best-in-class engineers, traders, and business teams to develop, test, and ship your code to production.
• Tackle complex, real-world problems to enhance your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Push your limits and accelerate your growth in a fascinating and high-performing environment.

What you'll get:

You'll join a culture of collaboration and excellence, 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, collectively tackling some of the toughest challenges in the financial markets.

In addition, you'll receive:

• The opportunity to work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 40 different countries
• A highly-competitive internship compensation package
• Optiver-covered flights, living accommodations, and commuting stipends
• Extensive office perks, including breakfast, lunch and snacks, regular social events, clubs, sporting leagues and more

Who you are:

• A student pursuing a bachelor's, master's, or PhD in Computer Science or Computer Engineering
• On track to graduate between December 2027 to June 2028, with junior standing or higher
• Passionate for writing clean code, well-architected systems, and continuous improvement
• Proficient in coding languages such as C++, Python, or Java
• A student with strong engineering instincts and a solid understanding of computer science fundamentals
• Driven by an entrepreneurial mindset and curious about how tech powers the financial industry
• A natural problem-solver with a sharp, analytical approach to tackling challenges
• A collaborative teammate comfortable working with developers, traders and business teams

Who we are: 

Optiver is a leading technology- and research-driven trading firm. Our teams of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and traders work side by side to develop, test, and scale ideas that shape how we understand and trade global markets. Powered by a global platform built for rapid experimentation and iteration, we combine the scientific rigor of a research institution with the pace of a technology company. 

Our differences are our edge. Optiver does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, or other legally protected characteristics. Optiver is supportive of US immigration sponsorship for this role. 

Optiver has a global application re-apply policy for our intern and graduate roles. If you have completed an online assessment or interviewed for a technology graduate or internship role at any Optiver location in the past 8 months, please note that you are not yet eligible to reapply. We welcome you to re-apply to after the 8-month cool off period.