Jobs › Akuna Capital

Accounting Intern (Term-Time, Part-Time)

Akuna Capital · Chicago, IL · Finance

Posted Sep 17, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

Apply at Akuna Capital

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you found an error in your own work. What did you do next?

honesty and whether they catch and correct mistakes rather than hide them

Tell me about a time you had to juggle schoolwork with a job or a big commitment. How did you manage your time?

realistic assessment of whether 15 hours a week is sustainable alongside a full course load

Describe a situation where you had to keep something organized or track detailed records for a group project or job. How did you make sure nothing slipped through the cracks?

attention to detail and a system for staying organized under repetitive, precise work

Tell me about a time you had to explain something technical or numbers-heavy to someone who wasn't familiar with the details.

communication skills, since the role requires explaining discrepancies clearly to a manager

Technical

Walk me through how you'd do a bank reconciliation from start to finish.

whether the candidate actually understands the mechanics of reconciling cash, not just the term

Can you explain what a journal entry is and give me an example of one you'd make during month-end close?

basic fluency with double-entry bookkeeping and whether coursework translates to practical understanding

What's the difference between an income statement, a balance sheet, and a cash flow statement, and how do they connect to each other?

whether financial statement fundamentals are solid, since the role touches all three indirectly

If you were given a spreadsheet with thousands of transactions and asked to find ones that don't match a bank statement, how would you approach it in Excel?

actual Excel comfort beyond just claiming intermediate skills

What do you know about what a market maker like Akuna actually does, and why might that make the accounting here a little different from a typical company?

whether they did homework on the firm and can connect accounting basics to a trading business context

Situational

Say you're reconciling an account and you find a discrepancy you can't explain right away. What do you do before you bring it to your manager?

whether they'll try to solve problems independently versus escalating everything immediately

Imagine an external auditor asks you for supporting documentation on a transaction and you can't immediately find it. What do you do?

composure under scrutiny and understanding of why documentation matters for audits

How do you decide what to prioritize when you're given several small tasks at once with no clear deadline order?

judgment and self-direction, since the role expects working independently on ad hoc projects

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The full job description

As published by Akuna Capital.

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, London, and Singapore.  What you’ll do as an Accounting Intern at Akuna:  Akuna is seeking a part-time Accounting Intern to join our Finance team during the school year. This is a hands-on role where you'll work directly with experienced accountants and see how finance operates inside a global trading firm. We're looking for a detail-oriented, proactive student who is eager to learn and comfortable working independently. In this role, you will:  <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="12" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Perform daily bank reconciliations</li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="12" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Support month-end close, including journal entries and account reconciliations  </li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="12" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Investigate discrepancies and propose solutions before escalating to your manager  </li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="12" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Maintain organized accounting records and supporting documentation</li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="12" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Support external audits</li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="12" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Take on ad hoc projects across the Finance team as they arise </li> </ul> Qualities that make great candidates:  <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="14" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Currently pursuing a degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field (sophomore standing or above preferred) </li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="14" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Solid grasp of basic accounting principles and financial statements  </li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="14" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Proficient in MS office software with intermediate Excel skills</li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="14" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Strong analytical skills and exceptional attention to detail  </li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="14" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Excellent verbal and written communication  </li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="14" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment</li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="14" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Available to work approximately 15 hours per week in our Chicago office during the academic term  </li> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="14" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">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 </li> </ul> 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 everyone to feel empowered to apply. We welcome your application and encourage you to take the first steps toward your future with us! In accordance with Illinois Equal Pay Act, the minimum hourly wage is $25/hour. 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.

Apply at Akuna Capital

Accounting Intern (Term-Time, Part-Time)

Likely interview questions for this role

Practice this interview out loud.

The full job description

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