Software Engineer Intern - C++, Summer 2027

About Akuna

Akuna Capital is an innovative trading firm focused on collaboration, technology, data-driven solutions, and automation. Specializing in options market making, Akuna builds and maintains low-latency technologies including application frameworks, trading strategies, and mathematical models. Founded by partners in Sydney, Australia, Akuna operates globally from offices in Sydney, Shanghai, Singapore, and London.

What You'll Do

C++ Software Engineer Interns at Akuna have the opportunity to work on high-performance systems powering the firm's core business operations. Embedded on small-to-medium-sized teams interfacing with Quant and Trading, interns focus on specific domains while experiencing software engineering firsthand. Projects range from adding functionality to existing systems to implementing new components, experimenting with new technologies, and delivering and maintaining these projects over a 10-week Akunacademy experience.

Requirements

• Pursuing a bachelor's, master's, or Ph.D. in a technical field (computer science/engineering, math, physics, or equivalent)
• Graduating by August 2028
• Legal authorization to work in the U.S. as of the first day of employment, including F-1 students using OPT or STEM
• No previous experience in finance or trading required

Qualities That Make a Great C++ Software Engineer Candidate

• Experience programming in modern C++ (C++20 or later; C++23 preferred)
• Experience with distributed systems, parallel processing, asynchronous architectures, networking, protocol encoding/decoding, lock-free data structures, and algorithms
• Performance profiling skills (e.g. perf, gprof, vtune)
• Familiarity with scripting languages like Python or shell
• Standard debugging tools (e.g. GDB, Valgrind, address sanitizer)
• The ability to communicate with non-technical stakeholders
• The ability to quickly adapt to market changes
• The ability to collaborate with diverse team members
• An intrinsically motivated attitude and drive to solve problems independently

Benefits

• Base salary starting at $145,000
• Discretionary performance bonus
• Comprehensive benefits package including employer-paid medical, dental, vision, retirement contributions, paid time off, and other benefits