About the role#
As an FPGA Engineer Intern, you will work with mentors and teammates to build real applications for a global trading firm. Your projects will address real team needs rather than hypothetical tasks. You will contribute to projects focused on nanosecond response times, highly parallelized algorithms, and customized low-level networking.
What you'll do#
- Accelerate network infrastructure and trading system components with high-speed hardware designs.
- Research new low-latency techniques and platforms to identify integration opportunities for our trading system.
- Collaborate in a multidisciplinary team of traders, software developers, and infrastructure engineers.
- Use existing hardware or build in-house versions to ensure FPGAs interface with server hardware.
What you'll need#
- Pursuing a bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
- On track to graduate between December 2027 and June 2028 with junior standing or higher.
- Strong engineering instincts and hands-on experience in digital design with FPGAs or ASICs.
- Experience writing hardware in VHDL, Verilog, or System Verilog.
- A focus on clean code, well-architected systems, and continuous improvement.
- Ability to work as a collaborative teammate with developers, traders, and business teams.
Location & details#
- Location: Chicago, Illinois.
- Term: Summer 2027.
- Modality: On-site.
- Employment: Full-time.
- Compensation: Paid internship.
- Sponsorship: Available for this role.
About Optiver
Optiver is a global electronic market maker founded in 1986. The firm provides liquidity for listed derivatives, cash equities, ETFs, bonds, and foreign currencies. It operates from offices in cities including Amsterdam, Chicago, Sydney, and Singapore. The company employs between 1,001 and 5,000 people.
How to get in at Optiver
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