Hardware Engineer Intern, Summer 2026

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, Singapore and London. 

What you’ll do as a Hardware Engineer Intern on the FPGA Team at Akuna:

We are seeking Hardware Engineer Interns to join our innovative and growing technology team for our 10-week Akunacademy summer internship program. In this role you will work alongside our experienced Hardware Engineers to design and implement elegant solutions to complex and interesting problems. No previous experience in finance or trading is required. Training and continuous education is provided for all engineers to ensure they have the skills and knowledge needed to be successful. In this role you will:

• Use cutting-edge technology while working on high performance/low latency systems
• Collaborate with team members to investigate and create automated trading algorithms
• Work on high performance computing systems to break speed and performance boundaries
• Contribute to high-profile work that is important to the bottom line of the company

 Qualities that make great candidates for the FPGA team:

• Pursuing a BS/MS/PhD in Computer and Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
• Knowledge of digital logic circuit design, using Verilog, SystemVerilog, or VHDL
• Strong analytic and problem-solving skills
• 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
• Can create an easily understood and testable design that can change as quickly as the market does
• Passion for innovation and building systems from the ground up
• Ability to adapt to an ever-changing environment
• Graduating in May 2028 or prior
• GPA of 3.5 or above
• Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required on the first day of employment including F-1 students using CPT, OPT or STEM

**Resumes must be submitted in PDF format.

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 all groups to feel empowered to apply, even if you don’t meet every qualification. We welcome your application and encourage you to take the first steps toward your future with us! 

Please note: By submitting an application for this role, you are indicating this is your top preference and acknowledge you will not be considered for other Quant and/or Tech roles at Akuna this recruiting season. This acknowledgement does not limit applications to Trading roles - in addition to this role, you may apply to any Trader roles of interest. 

In accordance with Illinois Equal Pay Act, the minimum annualized base salary starts at $130,000. Exact compensation offered may vary based on many factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and skill set. The minimum base salary herein was determined in good faith by Akuna Capital LLC.