Da Vinci Trading traces its roots back to Optiver, and the interview shows it: the same rigour and depth, pointed at Da Vinci's own speciality. Volatility trading is the firm's primary revenue source, and it comes up at every stage, so treat it as the one topic you cannot walk in without.
The process runs 4 stages, from a timed numerical test through to two conversations at the Amsterdam HQ.
- 1Online assessment. A numerical quiz, plus a coding assignment if you are applying for the Quantitative Trading Internship.
- 2HR interview. Motivation, volatility trading, spontaneous mental maths, a brainteaser or two, and a first market making game.
- 3Technical interview. Brainteasers from the first minute, then a harder market making game built on your own interests.
- 4Final round. Two conversations, usually at the Amsterdam HQ: one with the founders, one with the Head of Research.
Stage 1: Online assessment
| Component | Who sits it | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| Numerical Quiz | Everyone | Mathematical reasoning, quick calculation and probability. You have to pass this to progress, so do not treat it as a formality |
| Career Match | Frequently used for campus recruitment in India | Probability, combinatorics and game theory, so a noticeably different weighting from the numerical quiz |
| Coding Assignment | Quantitative Trading Internship applicants | Translating a written strategy into code, judged on logical thinking and whether the code is clean and correct |
Which one you sit depends on the route you applied through, so check what your invitation actually names rather than assuming the numerical quiz. If you are coming through Indian campus recruitment in particular, prepare for Career Match, because combinatorics and game theory barely feature in the numerical quiz.
Stage 2: HR interview
Structurally close to the Optiver HR interview, but pointed at Da Vinci's context.
Motivation and firm knowledge
Understand where Da Vinci sits in the market, particularly in volatility trading, and be able to say why Da Vinci over its competitors. Expect "are you a competitive person?" and "what are your weaknesses?".
Mental maths, unannounced
Spontaneous arithmetic dropped into the conversation: a fraction such as 5/17, a multiplication such as 23 × 28, a square such as 85². Keep it sharp with the Math Trainer.
Volatility trading
Be able to explain what volatility trading is, why it matters, and what it implies for how Da Vinci trades. This is the firm's core business, and a vague answer here is more costly than a slow arithmetic answer.
Brainteasers
One or two, after the introductory part. Work the questions reported at Da Vinci beforehand.
A first market making game
A basic version of make me a market, checking that you understand two-sided pricing at all. Read our guide to make me a market and practise on the Market Making Dice Game. The versions later in the process get considerably harder.
The game usually ends the interview, and you will be asked whether you have questions, so have a couple ready.
Stage 3: Technical interview
This one starts fast, with minimal small talk before the first brainteaser.
Brainteasers
Logical reasoning and strategic problems from the opening minutes. Numbers Game I, Drawing Chips Game and Boys and Girls in a Row are reported here.
Market making on your own interests
The conversation turns to what you actually care about, then builds a market out of it. If you mention chess, you might be asked to price the number of moves in a famous match; if football, the goals in a given fixture. You quote with confidence intervals, typically 100%, 75% and 50%, under a spread limitation.
This is a harder version of the game from the HR round, so practise quoting out loud rather than on paper. The Market Making Dice Game and the wider market games are the closest thing to it.
Mental arithmetic
Random two-digit arithmetic throughout, on top of everything else. Addition, subtraction and multiplication, asked while you are mid-thought on something harder.
Stage 4: Final round
Two conversations, usually at the Amsterdam HQ.
In-depth HR interview with the founders
A deeper pass over your motivation, your fit with the culture, and your understanding of volatility trading. Expect the themes from the first HR interview again, now aimed at how you would work inside the team.
Technical interview with the Head of Research
The technical and analytical material returns with new problems, or variations on the card games, weighted toward strategic thinking and how you adapt when the rules move.
Closing advice
Da Vinci rewards depth on one topic more than most firms: understand volatility trading properly and the rest of the process gets easier, because it recurs in every round. Beyond that it is the standard combination, sharp arithmetic and clean reasoning delivered out loud.
Give it weeks rather than days. Work through everything we have for Da Vinci, practise the market making games until quoting under a spread limit feels normal, and read our full interview guide for how these stages compare across firms.