What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Trader, Equities position at Principal Financial Group?
What You'll Do
We’re looking for a Senior Trader to join our Americas Equities team. In this role, you will partner with portfolio management teams around the efficient execution of common stock securities and derivatives transactions.
Who You Are
Salary ranges below reflect targeted base salaries. Non-sales positions have the opportunity to participate in a bonus program. Sales positions are eligible for sales incentives, and in some instances a bonus plan, whereby total compensation may far exceed base salary depending on individual performance. Actual compensation for all roles will be based upon geographic location, work experience, education, licensure requirements and/or skill level and will be finalized at the time of offer.
Salary Range (Non-Exempt expressed as hourly; Exempt expressed as yearly)
$141000 - $191000 / year
Time Off Program
Flexible Time Off (FTO) is provided to salaried (exempt) employees and provides the opportunity to take time away from the office with pay for vacation, personal or short-term illness. Employees don’t accrue a bank of time off under FTO and there is no set number of days provided.
Pension Eligible
No
Location(s)
Locations include Des Moines, IA, Denver, Seattle, New York City, or Chicago. . You can check out what our Global Headquarters in Des Moines looks like here:
Work Environments
This role offers the ability for in-office or four days in-office and one day remote.
Work Authorization/Sponsorship
At this time, we're not considering applicants that need any type of immigration sponsorship (additional work authorization or permanent work authorization) now or in the future to work in the United States. This includes, but IS NOT LIMITED TO: F1-OPT, F1-CPT, H-1B, TN, L-1, J-1, etc. For additional information around work authorization needs please use the following links.
Nonimmigrant Workers and Green Card for Employment-Based Immigrants
Investment Code of Ethics
For Principal Asset Management positions, you’ll need to follow an Investment Code of Ethics related to personal and business conduct as well as personal trading activities for you and members of your household. These same requirements may also apply to other positions across the organization.
Experience Principal
At Principal, we value connecting on both a personal and professional level. Together, we’re imagining a more purpose-led future for financial services - and that starts with you. Our success depends on the unique experiences, backgrounds, and talents of our employees. And we support our employees the same way we support our customers: with comprehensive, competitive benefit offerings crafted to protect their physical, financial, and social well-being. Check out our careers site to learn more about our purpose, values and benefits.
Principal is an Equal Opportunity Employer
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
Posting Window
We will accept applications for 3 full days following the Original Posting Date, after which the posting may remain open or be removed based upon applications received. If we choose to post the job again, we will accept additional applications for at least 1 full day following the Most Recently Posted Date. Please submit applications in a timely manner as there is no guarantee the posting will be available beyond the applicable deadline.
Original Posting Date
12/5/2025
Most Recently Posted Date
12/8/2025
We’re looking for a Senior Trader to join our Americas Equities team. In this role, you will partner with portfolio management teams around the efficient execution of common stock securities and derivatives transactions.
- Partner closely with analysts and portfolio managers to complete appropriate trades within portfolio parameters set by portfolio managers
- Stay abreast of general economic and financial market trends. Monitor market conditions, liquidity opportunities, pertinent news for firm’s holdings and proactively establish an ongoing dialog with portfolio managers and firm's investment staff
- Maximize exposure to favorable liquidity. Minimize adverse impact from order footprint. Mitigate exposure to predatory participants. Maintain anonymity in the marketplace
- Proactively develop, foster, and maintain professional and positive relationships with industry partners, including brokers, vendors, regulators, and industry peers to facilitate innovative and productive relationships
- Initiate and support a globally harmonized investment team structure with persistent communication and interaction with the other regional desks
- Operate with an innovative mindset to advance workflow efficiencies, improve access to liquidity, enhance reporting capabilities and technology evolution within the framework of the trading desk and the firm’s initiatives
Who You Are
- 7 years experience as an Equities Trader, (10 highly preferred)
- Experience in trading Listed and OTC Options
- Proficiency in trading systems and platforms such as Charles River, Tradeweb, Triton, and Bloomberg
- Proficiency in all trading channels, including high-touch, algorithmic, block pools, and program trading
- Solid understanding of TCA (transaction cost analysis) and demonstrate its applications both before and after trade execution
- Experience working (executing to deliver the best price and liquidity expectations) large complex orders, which may require merging, splitting, crossing orders, leveraging multiple brokers/trading venues/trading strategies
- Working knowledge of the market dynamics of various marketplaces, including the trading dynamics of large/medium/small capitalization equities
- Experience in trading Total Return Swaps
- Investment management, hedge fund, or brokerage trading experience
- Proven ability to analyze complex trading opportunities and execute trades efficiently under market-imposed time constraints while adhering to the best execution principles
- Maintain a constant awareness of developments within markets, regulations, trading technology, and other issues relevant to the effective transaction of business
- MBA and/or CFA designation
Salary ranges below reflect targeted base salaries. Non-sales positions have the opportunity to participate in a bonus program. Sales positions are eligible for sales incentives, and in some instances a bonus plan, whereby total compensation may far exceed base salary depending on individual performance. Actual compensation for all roles will be based upon geographic location, work experience, education, licensure requirements and/or skill level and will be finalized at the time of offer.
Salary Range (Non-Exempt expressed as hourly; Exempt expressed as yearly)
$141000 - $191000 / year
Time Off Program
Flexible Time Off (FTO) is provided to salaried (exempt) employees and provides the opportunity to take time away from the office with pay for vacation, personal or short-term illness. Employees don’t accrue a bank of time off under FTO and there is no set number of days provided.
Pension Eligible
No
Location(s)
Locations include Des Moines, IA, Denver, Seattle, New York City, or Chicago. . You can check out what our Global Headquarters in Des Moines looks like here:
Work Environments
This role offers the ability for in-office or four days in-office and one day remote.
Work Authorization/Sponsorship
At this time, we're not considering applicants that need any type of immigration sponsorship (additional work authorization or permanent work authorization) now or in the future to work in the United States. This includes, but IS NOT LIMITED TO: F1-OPT, F1-CPT, H-1B, TN, L-1, J-1, etc. For additional information around work authorization needs please use the following links.
Nonimmigrant Workers and Green Card for Employment-Based Immigrants
Investment Code of Ethics
For Principal Asset Management positions, you’ll need to follow an Investment Code of Ethics related to personal and business conduct as well as personal trading activities for you and members of your household. These same requirements may also apply to other positions across the organization.
Experience Principal
At Principal, we value connecting on both a personal and professional level. Together, we’re imagining a more purpose-led future for financial services - and that starts with you. Our success depends on the unique experiences, backgrounds, and talents of our employees. And we support our employees the same way we support our customers: with comprehensive, competitive benefit offerings crafted to protect their physical, financial, and social well-being. Check out our careers site to learn more about our purpose, values and benefits.
Principal is an Equal Opportunity Employer
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
Posting Window
We will accept applications for 3 full days following the Original Posting Date, after which the posting may remain open or be removed based upon applications received. If we choose to post the job again, we will accept additional applications for at least 1 full day following the Most Recently Posted Date. Please submit applications in a timely manner as there is no guarantee the posting will be available beyond the applicable deadline.
Original Posting Date
12/5/2025
Most Recently Posted Date
12/8/2025
Salary : $141,000 - $191,000