European Bonds Trader / German Bunds Trader

As a German Bunds Volatility Trader at Optiver, you will take a leading role in trading and risk-managing interest rate volatility across the German government bond complex – Bund, Bobls and Schatz. This role blends the fast-paced decision-making of a screen trader with the relationship-driven insights of an institutional trader. You’ll operate at the intersection of liquidity provision, market structure expertise, and client interaction helping Optiver to maintain its position as a leading liquidity provider in European fixed income markets.

What you’ll do

• Trade and actively manage volatility risk across German Bunds and related fixed-income derivatives, leveraging Optiver’s proprietary pricing models, execution infrastructure, and real-time risk systems.
• Quote, price, and execute options and volatility trades for institutional counterparties, ensuring competitive markets, tight spreads, and efficient hedging across Bunds, Bobls, and Schatz products.
• Collaborate with quantitative researchers, developers, and fellow traders to refine volatility surfaces, optimize execution algorithms, and enhance risk and pricing models for interest rate options.
• Continuously analyze macroeconomic, central bank, and market microstructure developments that influence European sovereign bond volatility, identifying and acting on trading opportunities in real time.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with counterparties, brokers, and market participants to strengthen Optiver’s position as a leading liquidity provider in European rates volatility.
• Contribute to the strategic expansion of Optiver’s volatility trading capabilities, including new products, cross-market strategies, and innovations in the European fixed income and derivatives landscape.

Who you are

• Bachelor’s degree or higher or equivalent in a quantitative discipline
• Experience in European government bonds volatility trading.
• Experience specifically within German Bunds (options) are strong advantage.
• Proven ability to manage risk and interpret macro drivers in the rates markets.
• Excellent communication and proven ability to build relationships with institutional counterparties.
• Proficiency in Python is a plus, as is familiarity with electronic trading systems (e.g., MTS, Eurex, Bloomberg, Tradeweb).

Who we are 

At Optiver, our mission is to continuously improve the market. By providing liquidity and accurate pricing in various financial instruments, to multiple exchanges across the world, we participate in the safeguarding of healthy and efficient markets.

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

In addition, you’ll receive:

• A performance-based bonus structure unmatched anywhere in the industry. We combine our profits across desks, teams and offices into a global profit pool.
• The opportunity to work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 50 different countries.
• 25 paid vacation days in your first year, increasing to 30 from your second year onwards.
• Training opportunities, discounts on health insurance, and fully paid first-class commuting expenses.
• Extensive office perks, including breakfast, lunch and dinner, world-class barista coffee, in-house physio and chair massages, organized sports and leisure activities, and Friday afternoon drinks.
• Training and continuous learning opportunities, including access to conferences and tech events.
• Competitive relocation packages and visa sponsorship where necessary for expats.

How to apply

Are you interested in furthering your career on one of the most dynamic and exciting trading floors in Europe?

Apply directly via the form below. If you have any questions feel free to contact our Recruitment team via recruitment@optiver.com.

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Optiver is committed to diversity and inclusion.