Continuing education: Interning abroad

During your second internship, how did your experience change?

My second internship was a truly unique experience. I spent the summer in Amsterdam with the other returning interns and Optiver threw us in the deep end right away–putting us directly on desks to trade with real money. I joined a main desk trading AEX, a Dutch index, alongside a senior trader. Being fully embedded in the team and making decisions that directly impacted our trading taught me a ton.

Midway through, I spotted a pricing inefficiency that evolved into a larger data and systems project. Although my internship ended before I saw it through, I got a firsthand look at what it’s like to be a full-time trader–identifying a problem, digging into it, and then scaling it into a broader solution. It was overwhelming at first, but the experience accelerated my learning and laid a solid foundation for my full-time role.

Outside of work, the other interns and I went on a few weekend trips to explore Europe. We saw the tallest mountain in Switzerland, went cliff jumping in Spain, and visited the wooden windmills in the Netherlands! As my first time abroad, it made the whole summer even more memorable.

You already interned at Optiver once, did you consider going somewhere else for your second-year internship?

I think I accepted my return offer almost immediately. I was given the opportunity to go to Amsterdam for a second internship to trade real money. While I could have explored a different firm, I think the opportunity to apply what I’d learned in practice and actually start trading, alongside my good friends, was too good to pass up.

What made you confident that this was the place to start your full-time career?

What made me confident in my decision was how transparent and honest everyone was throughout both of my internships. Right away, it was clear that this is a place where people cared about your growth and feedback was part of the daily rhythm. I was constantly learning and challenged by problems that genuinely excited me.

I grew a lot, not just in my technical abilities, but also in my thinking and how I approach complex problems. People were always willing to share insights, and that kind of consistent openness helps you grow quickly.

Beyond the work itself, the people made a huge difference. I built close friendships with other interns as we explored different cities together, but what stood out most was the support from full-time employees. I remember being able to text my mentor for advice and they would happily hop on a call to answer any question. I could tell they genuinely wanted to see me succeed.

In Part 4, Jason is a full-time quantitative trader and looks back on his journey into trading and the exciting challenges ahead.