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Optiver·Software Engineer·Technical Phone Screen·Intermediate

Intermediate
May 2026

Summary

Second tech round at Optiver for a quant engineering role. The whole thing was a live market-making simulation where you trade against bots, and the real test is whether you can keep your EV math updated in real time while the bots are actively trying to mess with you.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

In a live simulation where bots are posting bids and offers, how do you decide which trades to take, which to leave, and when to pass entirely? How do you update your decision rule as new information comes in?

Technical Trade-offsAdaptability & AmbiguityAlgorithms & Data Structures
Author's notes

This is basically a continuous EV estimation problem under adversarial conditions.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Frame your answer around a systematic, data-driven decision process: define an objective (e.g., expected value, risk-adjusted return), set thresholds for action, and continuously update your model as new information arrives. Emphasize the trade-off between exploiting known edges and exploring to learn, and how you'd adapt in real-time.

Pro tip: Show you think in terms of expected value and risk management, not just profit. Mention that you'd start with a simple, robust rule and only add complexity when data justifies it—this demonstrates pragmatism and avoids overfitting.

1. Define Objective and Constraints

Clarify what you're optimizing for (e.g., expected P&L, Sharpe ratio) and any constraints (e.g., risk limits, latency). This sets the foundation for all decisions.

2. Establish a Baseline Decision Rule

Start with a simple heuristic, such as taking trades with positive expected value above a threshold, and passing otherwise. This provides a benchmark to improve upon.

3. Incorporate New Information Dynamically

Use Bayesian updating or online learning to adjust your estimates of value and risk as new bids/offers arrive. Recalculate thresholds and re-evaluate open decisions.

4. Manage Risk and Uncertainty

Apply position sizing, stop-losses, or diversification to limit exposure. When uncertainty is high, widen thresholds or pass entirely to avoid adverse selection.

5. Monitor and Iterate

Continuously track performance and market conditions. If the rule underperforms, diagnose whether it's due to model error or regime change, and update accordingly.

Key Points to Mention

  • Expected value calculation and risk-adjusted returns
  • Threshold-based decision making with dynamic adjustment
  • Bayesian updating or online learning for real-time adaptation
  • Exploration vs. exploitation trade-off
  • Risk management techniques (position sizing, stop-loss)
  • Avoiding overfitting and maintaining robustness

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.