Hardware Engineer

Hardware Engineers at Optiver build custom trading hardware systems to achieve lower latency and higher bandwidth computation. They are responsible for owning all aspects of the development process – from ideation to implementation, creating bespoke solutions to our complex trading problems. Their systems have little room for failure which add to the stability of the market, not detract from it. Working in close collaboration with Software Engineers and Traders, Hardware Engineers deeply understand our trading problems and create dynamic, well-architected systems that make an impact in a matter of days and weeks rather than months and years.

Who we are:

Optiver is a tech-driven trading firm and leading global market maker. As one of the oldest market making institutions, we are a trusted partner of 70+ exchanges across the globe. Our mission is to constantly improve the market by injecting liquidity, providing accurate pricing, increasing transparency and acting as a stabilising 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.

Based in ‘The Domain’ neighborhood, Optiver’s Austin office serves as the firm’s innovation nucleus, with a strong focus on quantitative research, software and hardware engineering initiatives. With tech innovation an integral part of our core business, the booming city proved an ideal backdrop for our heavy investment into machine learning, research infrastructure and big data computing. What’s more, with world-class music, food and art scenes, as well as countless scenic outdoor activities, the quality of life for Austin Optiverians is second to none.

What you’ll do:

As we further optimize the latency and scale of our hardware systems, we are reaching the limits of what’s commercially available, so we need to customize our own solutions for the specific needs of our systems. As Optiver's Hardware Engineer, you'll accelerate network infrastructure and trading systems with custom high-speed hardware designs. This will require you to research new low-latency techniques and components in order to identify opportunities for integration with our trading systems. You’ll ensure the successful production and maintenance of our designs, and manage relationships with 3rd-party vendors. Along the way, you'll have the support of a multidisciplinary team of Traders, Software Developers, and Infrastructure Engineers to empower you to build the best hardware available, enabling our FPGAs and processors to operate with optimal performance.

Who you are:

• Bachelor’s degree in CE, EE, or related technical field.
• Proven success with end-to-end PCB development including schematic capture, layout, bring-up, testing, and debugging of high-density, high-speed PCBs
• Familiarity with high speed signal integrity simulation and analysis techniques
• Experience with mechanical integration of PCBs with custom enclosures
• Strong communication and organizational skills to manage relationships with external suppliers and contract manufacturers.
• Experience supporting post-silicon bring-up and debugging is a plus

What you’ll get:

• Work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 40 different countries.
• Performance based bonus structure that is unmatched anywhere in the industry. We combine our profits across desks, teams and offices into a global profit pool fostering a truly collaborative environment to work in.
• Ownership over initiatives that directly solve business problems.  

Alongside this you will get great other benefits such as 25 paid vacation days and market holidays, fully paid commuting expenses and health insurance, daily breakfast and lunch, training opportunities, 401(k) match up to 50% and charitable match opportunities, regular social events and clubs, and many more.