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Floor Trader- SPX

Akuna Capital · Chicago, IL · Floor Trading

Posted Jul 13, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Walk me through your background in the SPX pit. Who have you been trading for, and what has your role been on the desk in the last 18 months?

whether the candidate has the specific, recent SPX pit experience the posting requires, not just general options floor experience

Tell me about a time you had to make a market on a name or complex you didn't fully have an edge on yet. How did you protect yourself?

risk discipline and honesty about the limits of one's own pricing edge

Tell me about a broker relationship you built on the floor that mattered to your P&L. How did you earn that trust?

whether the candidate actually has working relationships in the pit, since the posting explicitly requires this

Describe a stretch where the market was moving faster than you could think clearly. What actually happened and how did you get through it?

self-awareness about performance under high-pressure, fast-moving conditions

You're handed a trading tablet running Akuna's proprietary pricing and execution software instead of whatever you used before. Tell me about a time you had to learn a new system fast while still performing live.

adaptability to new tools without a drop in execution quality

Tell me about a disagreement you had with a more experienced trader on your team about how to handle a position. How did it get resolved?

ability to collaborate and take feedback inside a team-based trading environment without losing conviction

Technical

Give me the delta and theta on a position quickly: you're short 50 of the 4500 calls, 30 days out, vol is 18. Roughly what greeks am I looking at?

raw mathematical fluency and comfort doing options math fast and under pressure, exactly as the posting demands

How do you think about the relationship between the SPX pit and the broader S&P 500 options complex, including SPY and futures? Where do you look for signal?

depth of market structure knowledge across the S&P complex, not just isolated pit mechanics

Quick one: implied vol on a 30-day at-the-money option is 20, and the market just realized 25 vol over the past week. What does that tell you and what would you do with it?

understanding of implied versus realized volatility and whether that translates into an actionable trading view

Where do you see risk building in the SPX complex right now, whether it's positioning, an event, or something structural, and how would that change how you'd quote?

current market awareness and whether the candidate is actively thinking about SPX-specific risk, not just reciting general knowledge

Situational

Say SPX just gapped two points on a Fed headline and your book is skewed long gamma on one side. Walk me through what you're doing in the first thirty seconds.

speed and clarity of decision-making under real market stress, not textbook risk theory

A broker flashes you an order that's slightly away from your model price, and you have half a second to react before someone else takes it. What do you do?

speed versus discipline tradeoff when a real opportunity conflicts with model output

If you saw a resting order that looked mispriced by the model but the broker seemed confident in it, what would you do before hitting it?

judgment about when to trust a model versus trust market information

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The full job description

As published by Akuna Capital.

About Akuna:  Akuna Capital is an innovative trading firm with a strong focus on collaboration, cutting-edge technology, data driven solutions, and automation. We specialize in providing liquidity as an options market maker – meaning we are committed to providing competitive quotes that we are willing to both buy and sell. To do this successfully, we design and implement our own low latency technologies, trading strategies, and mathematical models.  Our Founding Partners first conceptualized Akuna in their hometown of Sydney. They opened the firm’s first office in 2011 in the heart of the derivatives industry and the options capital of the world – Chicago. Today, Akuna is proud to operate from additional offices in Sydney, Shanghai, London and Singapore. What you’ll do as an SPX Floor Trader at Akuna: We are seeking a Floor Trader to join Akuna’s Equity Indices team in the SPX pit on the CBOE floor. The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated individual interested in supporting our team coverage and competing in the marketplace. Candidates must possess working relationships inside of and strong familiarity with the S&P500 complex of options. As a part of Akuna’s SPX team, you will make markets on options for brokers using our proprietary pricing and execution software custom-designed for use on your trading tablet. Whether being first to make a market or removing liquidity on a resting order, the opportunities you identify and execute on in the marketplace will be immediately represented in the team’s P&L. You will be entrenched in a collaborative and comprehensive team environment where you will have the opportunity to learn our systems and trading style from some of our most experienced traders. Your previous experience will be expected to provide value from day one even as you adapt to your new role. Qualities that make great candidates: <ul> <li>2+ years of experience market making options on the CBOE floor</li> <li>SPX pit experience in the last 18 months required </li> <li>Entrepreneurial self-starter ready to work in a fast paced, team environment</li> <li>Strong mathematical aptitude giving the ability to maximize trading opportunities in a high-pressure environment</li> <li>Effective and efficient communication and superior interpersonal skills</li> <li>Passion for problem-solving and finding creative solutions in an ever-changing market</li> <li>BS/MS in Finance, Economics, Business, Mathematics, or equivalent</li> <li>The ability to react quickly and accurately to rapidly changing market conditions, including the ability to quickly and accurately respond and/or solve math and coding problems are essential functions of the role</li> </ul> In addition to technical skillsets, Akuna values the unique perspectives people can bring to the table to collaboratively solve complex problems and drive Akuna forward. We want everyone to feel empowered to apply. We welcome your application and encourage you to take the first steps toward your future with us!  In accordance with Illinois Equal Pay Act, the minimum base salary starts at $145,000. Exact compensation offered may vary based on many factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and skill set. This role is also eligible for a discretionary performance bonus as part of the total compensation package and includes a comprehensive benefits package that may encompass employer-paid medical, dental, vision, retirement contributions, paid time off, and other benefits. The minimum base salary herein was determined in good faith by Akuna Capital LLC.

Apply at Akuna Capital

Floor Trader- SPX

Likely interview questions for this role

Practice this interview out loud.

The full job description

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