OCC
Clearinghouse offering risk management for derivatives
Associate Principal - Software Engineering, DevOps
+ Discretionary bonus
Up to 40% telecommuting permitted; the benefits section specifies up to two remote days per week.
About the job
- A Master's degree in computer science or a related field.
- Two years of experience as a DevOps engineer, software developer, cloud engineer, or related professional.
- Experience automating deployment and configuration of Amazon Web Services infrastructure using Ansible and Terraform, including management of EC2 instances, VPC networking, IAM access controls, S3 storage, and ELB load balancer services.
- Experience provisioning and operating Kubernetes clusters on AWS infrastructure, configuring worker nodes, network policies, and persistent storage, managing cluster lifecycles through Rancher, packaging and deploying applications using Helm and Harness deployment pipelines, and implementing secret management through HashiCorp Vault.
- Experience developing Terraform automation frameworks to manage Apache Kafka and IBM MQ configurations, including validation of topic and queue configuration, message routing workflows, and consumer processing.
- Experience designing and implementing end-to-end CI/CD automation pipelines using Jenkins Groovy scripting, GitHub source control, automated build and testing workflows, SonarQube static code analysis, Veracode and Sysdig security scanning, JFrog artifact management, and Docker containerized application deployments.
- Collaborate with product, infrastructure, operations, security, and production control teams to elicit and fulfill technical requirements.
- Manage and support AWS infrastructure using AWS EC2, IAM, S3, VPC, AMI, and security groups.
- Automate deployment and configuration of AWS infrastructure using Ansible and Terraform to support scalable and highly available infrastructure.
- Develop Terraform automation frameworks for Apache Kafka and IBM MQ messaging systems, validating topic and queue configurations, message routing workflows, and consumer processing.
- Deploy and repave Kafka clusters for developers using Terraform, Jenkins, Ansible, and Docker.
- Perform Harness deployments through Helm charts and Kubernetes clusters.
- Provision and operate Kubernetes clusters on AWS infrastructure, managing worker nodes, network policies, persistent storage, cluster lifecycles through Rancher, Helm application packaging, Harness deployment pipelines, and HashiCorp Vault secret management.
- Design and implement CI/CD automation pipelines using Jenkins Groovy scripting and GitHub source control, with automated build and testing workflows, SonarQube analysis, Veracode and Sysdig security scanning, JFrog artifact management, and Docker deployments across development, staging, and production environments.
- Elicit application deployment sizing requirements to manage expected workloads.
- Monitor and tune application performance with product teams.
- Create deployment plans with product team leads and practitioners.
- Devise implementation details with Enterprise Architecture and Product Architecture teams.
- Promote secure standards for application configuration.
- Collaborate with access management and security teams to establish roles and permissions using least-privilege strategies.
- Collaborate with integration and performance testing teams to use integrated release tests in Integration and Release Acceptance environments.
- Collaborate with operations and enablement teams to deliver, configure, and test applications.
- Collaborate with production controls teams on monitoring, failover, and logging.
- Provide guidance to systems and DevOps engineers on building highly performant environments.
- Design and implement infrastructure failover scenarios.
- Confer with networking teams on connectivity details and issue resolution between on-premises systems and AWS.
- Deploy applications in virtual-machine-based and container-based environments.
- Develop documentation for SDLC pipeline operations and practices to enable technical support of applications and infrastructure.
About the company
OCC clears and settles trades in the derivatives market, acting as a central counterparty that guarantees completion of transactions and manages risk. It serves clients including clearing members and exchanges, handling standard options, stock loans, and futures by processing trades, margining, and settlement through its systems. The OCC earns fees based on trade volume and risk management activities, and it emphasizes secure technology like its MyOCC portal to protect authorized users. What sets OCC apart is its focus on being a dedicated, regulated clearinghouse with robust risk controls and technology infrastructure to support the safety and efficiency of derivatives markets. Its goal is to maintain the stability and integrity of financial markets by reducing counterparty risk and ensuring smooth clearing and settlement of trades.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
Debt Financing
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Chicago, Illinois
Founded
1973
Get referred to OCC
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Jake Middleton joined September 8, 2026, strengthening security before Ovation production launch.
- MIAX Futures launched May 17, 2026, adding fees and deeper clearing-member relationships.
- AWS genAI cut test documentation up to 80%, improving engineering throughput and costs.
What critics are saying
- September 8, 2026 cybersecurity hires confirm cloud launch exposes OCC to catastrophic breach risk.
- SEC filed SR-OCC-2026-802 on August 13, 2026, signaling tighter scrutiny over credit facilities.
- March 27, 2026 collateral changes for crypto wrong-way risk show margin-model fragility under stress.
What makes OCC unique
- OCC remains the sole CCP for U.S. listed options in 2026.
- OCC cleared MIAX Futures on May 20, 2026, expanding cross-margining reach.
- Ovation testing and cloud adoption make OCC the first SIFMU migrating clearing systems.
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Benefits
Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
Life, AD&D, and Disability Insurance
Health Savings Account
Flexible Spending Accounts
401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
401(k) Employer Match
Monthly Student Debt Contribution
Tuition Reimbursement
10 Paid Holidays (including 1 Floating Holiday)
Paid Time Off (PTO)
12-week Paid Parental Leave
Sabbatical
Technology Stipend up to $2000
Work from Home Program
Back-up Dependent/Elder Care Support
Company News
The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) has appointed Jake Middleton as Chief Security Officer, effective 8 September 2026. Middleton will lead enterprise-wide information security and cybersecurity teams. Middleton brings over 20 years of cyber and information security leadership experience. He joins OCC from Federal Reserve Financial Services, where he served as Vice President and Head of Product and Platform Security. He previously spent nearly a decade as Vice President and Information Security Officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. At OCC, Middleton will oversee Cyber Operations, Security Governance, Security Business Operations, Security Engineering & Technology Integration, and the Security Red Team. The appointment comes as OCC prepares to launch the first cloud-powered clearinghouse platform.
OCC names Jake Middleton as Chief Security Officer. Business Wire CHICAGO, September 08, 2026-(BUSINESS WIRE)-The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC)(R), the world's largest equity derivatives clearing organization, has appointed Jake Middleton as Chief Security Officer, effective Sept. 8, 2026. Middleton will lead and manage enterprise-wide information security and cybersecurity teams. Middleton has more than 20 years of cyber and information security leadership. He joins OCC from Federal Reserve Financial Services, where he served as Vice President and Head of Product and Platform Security. There he led security architecture for the Federal Reserve's national payment, clearing, and settlement services. Prior to that, he spent nearly a decade as Vice President and Information Security Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. In that role, he had accountability for security operations, security engineering, incident response, and cyber risk management. Previously, he held progressively senior engineering and management roles at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. "As the threat landscape evolves and we prepare to launch the first cloud-powered clearinghouse platform, strong security leadership is critical," said Andrej Bolkovic, chief executive officer, OCC. "Jake's experience building and managing high-stakes information and cyber security teams at the Federal Reserve makes him uniquely suited to protect the security of the critical financial infrastructure OCC manages every day." Middleton will oversee Cyber Operations, Security Governance, Security Business Operations, Security Engineering & Technology Integration, and the Security Red Team. "OCC operates at the core of global financial markets, and the confidence the industry places here rests on systems that have to operate safely and securely every day," said Middleton. "My job is to make sure the security risk is understood and managed with the rigor this institution's role demands." The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) is the world's largest equity derivatives clearing organization. Founded in 1973, OCC is dedicated to promoting stability and market integrity by delivering clearing and settlement services for options, futures and securities lending transactions. As a Systemically Important Financial Market Utility (SIFMU), OCC operates under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. OCC has more than 100 clearing members and provides central counterparty (CCP) clearing and settlement services to 21 exchanges and trading platforms. More information about OCC is available at www.theocc.com.
Brian P. Donnelly joins OCC Board of Directors. New York, July 28, 2026 - RQD*Clearing LLC is excited to celebrate Brian Donnelly's appointment to the Board of Directors of The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC). As Founder and Chairman of RQD* Clearing and Founder, Chairman and CEO of Optimal Market Technologies, Brian brings deep expertise across options trading, clearing and financial market infrastructure. OCC's Board plays a critical governance role, helping ensure the nation's clearing infrastructure remains resilient, well-governed and capable of supporting stable and efficient markets. Brian's appointment is significant recognition of his industry leadership, experience and longstanding commitment to strengthening the infrastructure that supports the U.S. financial markets. Read the full announcement here.
Stephen Luparello will retire as chairman of OCC's board of directors in January 2027 after nine years of service. Michael Bodson, former president and CEO of Depository Trust & Clearing Corp. (DTCC), has been elected as a public director and will succeed Luparello as chairman. Bodson brings over 35 years of experience leading major financial institutions. He served as DTCC's president and CEO from 2012 to 2022, guiding the company through significant market events including the COVID-19 pandemic and meme-stock volatility. OCC also announced the election of two new member directors, Matthew Hulsizer and Brian P. Donnelly. Luparello will remain engaged with OCC as an adviser to the board following his retirement.
Stephen Luparello to retire in January as OCC board chairman; Michael Bodson elected public director and named successor. July 27, 2026 Matthew Hulsizer and Brian P. Donnelly also join OCC's board as member directors. OCC, the world's largest equity derivatives clearing organization, today announced that Stephen Luparello will retire as chairman of its board of directors in January 2027, and that Michael Bodson, former president and chief executive officer of Depository Trust & Clearing Corp. (DTCC) has been elected as a public director and will succeed him as chairman. OCC also announced the election of two new member directors, Matthew Hulsizer and Brian P. Donnelly. Luparello will step down as chairman in January 2027 after nine years of service on OCC's board. He will remain engaged with OCC as an advisor to the board. "Steve has been a staunch advocate and trusted adviser to me and the OCC Management Committee as chairman and member of the OCC board of directors," said Andrej Bolkovic, OCC's chief executive officer. "During his tenure, we've seen unprecedented volume growth in options and futures trading, and OCC has set the benchmark for market stability and integrity. He's helped us advance our transformation and the development of a new clearing platform, Ovation, which is now open for scenario testing with market participants. Our deepest appreciation to Steve for his expert counsel and guidance, and for supporting a smooth transition." Bodson brings more than 35 years of experience leading large, systemically important financial institutions to the role. He served as president and chief executive officer of DTCC from 2012 to 2022. During his tenure, he led through a series of systemic market events, including the Knight Capital disruption, Superstorm Sandy, the COVID-19 pandemic and meme-stock volatility, while strengthening the company's financial resilience. Before his appointment as CEO, Bodson held several senior roles at DTCC, including chief operating officer, and spent two decades at Morgan Stanley in senior operations and financial control roles in the U.S., Japan and Asia. Since retiring from DTCC in 2022, he has served on corporate boards and as an advisor to McKinsey and several asset digitization and data firms. "I have always admired OCC for its strong risk management and processing capabilities - strengths that will be needed even more as markets undergo increasingly rapid transformations," said Mike Bodson, incoming public director and board chairman. "My time at DTCC provided me the opportunity to see how critical market infrastructures are in maintaining highly efficient and resilient financial systems and I look forward to leveraging my experience to positively contribute to this impressive organization." "I've had the privilege of knowing and working with Mike for years, and I've seen firsthand the calm, disciplined leadership he brings in moments of crisis," said Steve Luparello, OCC's outgoing board chairman. "He led DTCC with a steady hand and a clear understanding of how markets, operational risk and regulatory oversight intersect. OCC will be extraordinarily well-served by his leadership." "We are fortunate to have Mike join the board during this pivotal time at OCC, and we look forward to working closely with him," Bolkovic added. OCC also announced two additional member directors to its board, Matthew Hulsizer and Brian P. Donnelly. Hulsizer is co-founder and managing partner of PEAK6 Investments, an Austin-based financial services and technology firm, and will serve as a member director. Founded in 1997 as a proprietary options trading firm, PEAK6 has grown into a multibillion-dollar company with a diversified portfolio that includes PEAK6 Capital Management, PEAK6 Strategic Capital, and Apex Fintech Solutions. "Over the past two decades, Matthew has created or invested in more than 200 businesses, from options trading and clearing to companies at the forefront of AI. He understands our business and the importance of transformation. OCC will benefit from his expert counsel," said Luparello. Donnelly joins OCC's board as a member director. He is founder and chairman of RQD Clearing, a next-generation correspondent clearing provider offering clearing, custody and execution solutions for the modern market. Donnelly is also founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Optimal Market Technologies, and a founder and director of Volant Trading. Earlier in his career, he held positions at Goldman Sachs and UBS after beginning his career at Hull Trading Co. "Brian has contributed to several industry initiatives, including options market structure, clearing and financial market infrastructure. His insight and forward-looking approach will help OCC compete as the financial industry continues to evolve," Luparello added. The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) is the world's largest equity derivatives clearing organization. Founded in 1973, OCC is dedicated to promoting stability and market integrity by delivering clearing and settlement services for options, futures and securities lending transactions. As a Systemically Important Financial Market Utility (SIFMU), OCC operates under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. OCC has more than 100 clearing members and provides central counterparty (CCP) clearing and settlement services to 21 exchanges and trading platforms. More information about OCC is available at www.theocc.com. Media Contact: