An IIT student’s guide to Optiver’s tech internship

In this blog, Yash, an intern from IIT Delhi, gives you an insider’s look at what it’s like to be a tech intern at Optiver. From daily routines and team collaborations to personal growth and technical challenges, this guide offers a comprehensive view of the internship experience.

Introducing Yash

Hometown: Kolkata, India

Study: Electrical Engineering at IIT Delhi

Hobbies: Video games, music, quality time with friends

As a tech intern at Optiver, I’d like to take this opportunity to show you what life is like at a leading proprietary trading firm. By giving you a glimpse of the daily experiences and challenges on the other side of the application process, I hope to help other students determine if this is the path for them.

What my internship looks like

My tech internship began with two intensive weeks of training on Optiver’s business and systems. After this, I was assigned to the D1 Autotrading Software (ATS) team and began work on my project: working on porting a C# GUI application named TradeTicker to C++ using ImGui. My goal was to improve its performance and maintainability, while also contributing towards the team’s strategic goal of standardising programs in C++.

TradeTicker acts as a first line of defence for traders, giving critical audiovisual alerts for unusual market activity. We chose to use the ImGUI library for its ease of use, performance benefits, and compatibility with existing C++ submodules and the single-threaded EventCore framework. This transformation not only increases the app’s performance and decreases resource usage, but it also aligns with our team’s future development objectives, ensuring that traders have a reliable and responsive tool for monitoring and responding to market events. The experience has been rewarding, allowing me to apply my technical skills and problem-solving abilities to create a more efficient and robust application.

Here’s a sneak peek at how I make the most of each day as an intern at Optiver.

A glimpse into a typical day as a tech intern

Getting a good start to the day

My day typically starts at 7:00 a.m. The first thing I do is check in with the folks in India, making sure to stay connected despite the distance. After that, I get myself ready for a busy day at the office.

I arrive at Optiver around 8:30 a.m. and begin my day with a bit of planning. I set short-term goals for each day and track my progress towards long-term goals for the week. This allows me to stay focused and productive regardless of how busy the day is.

Next, I head to the company restaurant for breakfast, which Optiver provides for all employees and interns. I then examine the Delta 1 (D1) Dashboard for any issues that may have arisen overnight and add them to my priority to-do list.

At 9:10 a.m., I attend the daily stand-up meeting with the D1 ATS team. We review the previous day’s work and discuss our team’s goals for the day, thinking critically about our work and making sure we’re all on the same page.

After the stand-up, I touch base with my mentor about my goals and plans for the day. This ensures we’re aligned, and I can dive into my daily tasks with a clear focus.

There are also some mornings dedicated to collaboration and learning, where our team attends a short presentation on topics relating to our technology stack, the infrastructure, or our trading strategies. These lectures are quite useful for expanding our technical knowledge. This also gives me time to discuss what my team members are working on, which is an important part of the environment at Optiver.

Making the most of team-building time

Our team typically goes for lunch together at 12:30 p.m.—again provided by Optiver, in a very open and social cafeteria setting. Lunchtime is a mix of relaxation and conversation. We talk about our weekends, football, and cricket while brainstorming ideas on how we can improve as a team. These chats are not only enjoyable, they also help to build a stronger team spirit. Daytime coffee breaks are another great chance to catch up with others, usually with my co-interns, to learn about their projects and exchange updates on mine.

After lunch, I meet with my mentor for feedback and any constructive criticism. We assess if my plans are operating as intended, evaluate what is going well, and suggest areas that require additional attention. I also meet with traders to gather input on the application I’m working on. These insights assist me in prioritising adjustments that will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their work, which is mission-critical to my project.

My afternoon work pattern is usually quite focused and intensive while I make progress toward meeting my goals set earlier in the day.

Wrapping up a productive day

My end-of-day routine is intended to guarantee that I complete my tasks and accomplish my daily goals. I try not to carry over tasks to the next day, which helps me stay focused and means I can execute tasks more efficiently.

I also take the time to evaluate my performance. I think about the questions I asked, whether they were well thought out, and what I learnt throughout the day. I go over situations where I sought help, determining if I made a sufficient attempt to address problems on my own before seeking assistance. I found this self-analysis to be critical for assessing my progress and identifying opportunities for growth, which in turn allows me to consistently improve my work.

While I usually discuss my analysis with my mentor during our meetings the following day, this reflection at the end of the day sets the stage for those discussions. It helps me to have a clear idea of my progress and areas for improvement, making our discussions more productive and growth-oriented.

I normally leave the office at about 7:30 p.m. with a few other interns. After a long day at work, we frequently unwind by playing foosball, table tennis, chess or Risk in the company recreation area before heading out. These games offer a great way to unwind and connect with co-workers.

After that, we go to our hotel’s clubhouse and spend time cooking and talking about our days. These conversations allow us to learn from one another’s experiences and share thoughts. We also plan our forthcoming weekends, booking reservations and scheduling things to make the most of our time abroad.

I try to get to bed around 11 p.m. to help me recharge and prepare for the next day.

One intern’s advice for a successful internship

Learning from the daily challenges of my internship at Optiver has given me some important takeaways for what makes a successful internship. Here are some tips based on my own experience, including some challenges I successfully overcame:

Know when to ask for help

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is recognising when I need to ask for help from my team or mentor. Timely support is valuable; if I find myself trapped in a problem for too long, I seek assistance to keep moving forward efficiently. Being proactive is important, it allows me to maintain momentum and continue making progress without unnecessary delays.

For example, a recent technical challenge that I experienced was building my application on Bamboo. Because my program is developed and runs on Windows—and Bamboo was not initially configured properly for Windows—this posed a big challenge. To fix this, I sought advice from three or four people outside of my team, as well as my mentor. We worked together to set up Bamboo and configure the submodules needed for my application to build on Windows.

If I hadn’t sought help at the right moment, this problem could have taken considerably longer to overcome, possibly hindering the chance to put something into production and finish my project on deadline. For me, this was a lesson in the value of teamwork and quick problem-solving in a fast-paced work setting. By harnessing the experience of my colleagues and mentors, I was able to learn from others and keep my project on track.

Bring more than top technical skills with you

While excellent technical abilities are fundamental, success also hinges on how you handle various situations and your ability to think creatively when faced with new challenges. Optiver values creativity, innovative approaches, and intelligent problem-solving skills. Your capacity to think outside the box in different situations will set you apart.

Adopt a growth mindset

Optiver places a strong importance on growth. A growth mindset is giving 100% to all work, being open to feedback, and constantly developing. Try to learn something new every day and apply it to the task at hand.

Collaborate and communicate openly

Building connections and collaborating with others is key to making the most of your internship. Effective communication is crucial—being able to channel and convey your thoughts clearly while also listening to others will allow you to thrive. It promotes successful teamwork and ensures that everyone understands the goals and tasks at hand.

Building strong relationships with your colleagues also enhances your understanding of the business and different roles, giving you a more holistic view of the technical problems you face.

Manage your time well

Effective time management is crucial in today’s fast-paced workplace. Prioritise tasks, set reasonable goals, and stay organised to keep up with the demands of your work.

I hope these insights from my internship at Optiver will help you prepare for yours. If you’re someone who can effectively communicate, has a desire to improve, and excels at problem-solving, you will undoubtedly enjoy your experience and prosper as an intern at Optiver.