Fixed Income Relative Value Trader

About Us:

Founded 20 years ago and headquartered in Chicago, the DV Group of financial services firms has grown to more than 600 people operating throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Since spinning out of a large brokerage firm in 2016, DV Trading has rapidly scaled as an independent proprietary trading firm utilizing its own capital, trading strategies, and risk management methodologies to provide liquidity to worldwide financial markets and hedging opportunities to commodity producers and users. Now, DV group affiliates include two broker dealers, a cryptocurrency market making firm, and a bourgeoning investment adviser.

Overview:

DV is looking for a full-time right hand to the head of a highly profitable fixed-income relative-value trading desk. The team combines rigorous market analysis, sophisticated technology, and disciplined risk-taking to identify and capture opportunities across global fixed-income markets. 

We operate like an entrepreneurial trading business, not a bureaucracy. Decisions are made quickly. Good ideas are tested aggressively. Everyone is expected to take ownership, solve problems, and do whatever is necessary to get the job done.

The learning curve will be steep, the standards will be unforgiving, and the hours will be driven by the markets and the work-not by the clock. For the right person, the upside is exceptional: direct exposure to portfolio construction, trade execution, quantitative research, technology development, and risk management from day one.

Location: Northfield, Illinois

Job Responsibilities:

• Work directly with the head of the trading desk on live positions, research, execution, and risk management.
• Monitor fixed-income markets, relative-value relationships, portfolio exposures, and trading opportunities.
• Build and improve analytical tools, trading systems, data pipelines, dashboards, and automated workflows.
• Research new strategies and test ideas using market data and quantitative methods.
• Investigate pricing discrepancies and explain what is driving changes in markets and portfolio performance.
• Execute accurately under pressure and follow through relentlessly.
• Take responsibility for operational details that cannot be allowed to fail.
• Learn the desk’s investment process from the inside and gradually assume greater trading and risk-taking responsibility.

Requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree in economics, mathematics, statistics, physics, computer science, engineering, or another rigorous quantitative discipline.
• Strong quantitative reasoning and the ability to think clearly under pressure.
• Genuine interest in markets, trading, technology, and risk.
• The ability to learn unfamiliar concepts rapidly and turn them into useful work.
• Exceptional attention to detail. Small mistakes matter in trading.
• Strong ownership instincts. You identify problems and solve them without waiting to be managed.
• The resilience to handle direct feedback, demanding standards, and periods of intense work.
• The willingness and ability to work full-time from our Northfield, Illinois office for at least the first 18 months.
• Direct fixed-income experience or experience on a trading desk is valuable but not required if you can demonstrate unusual ability, intellectual curiosity, and drive.

Career Trajectory:

• This is not a conventional entry-level finance job.
• The initial role is to become indispensable to the head of the desk. As your skills and judgment develop, you will be given increasing autonomy to research strategies, propose trades, build systems, and manage risk.
• The long-term opportunity is not to remain an assistant. It is to develop your own ideas, establish a track record, and earn the opportunity to become a portfolio manager.
• If you want maximum responsibility early in your career-and believe you can meet a very high bar, we want to hear from you.

How to Apply:

Send your resume and a brief cover letter explaining:

1. Why you want to trade fixed-income relative value.
2. What you have built, analyzed, or accomplished that demonstrates exceptional ability.
3. Why you are prepared for an intense, entrepreneurial, fully in-office environment.

Benefits:

• Discretionary bonus eligibility
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• HSA, FSA, and Dependent Care Options
• Employer Paid Group Term Life and AD&D insurance
• Voluntary LTD, Life & AD&D insurance
• Flexible Vacation policy
• Retirement plan with employer match

Compensation: Competitive base salary plus discretionary performance bonus

DV is not accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms. Only search firms with valid, written agreements with DV should submit resumes in response to DV’s posted positions. All resumes submitted by search firms to DV via e-mail, the Internet, personal delivery, facsimile, or any other method without a valid written agreement shall be deemed the sole property of DV, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by DV. DV is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.