JobsAkuna Capital

Junior Trader

Akuna Capital · Chicago, IL · Trading

Posted Sep 14, 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 competed against other people and it really mattered to you whether you won or lost.

genuine competitiveness versus performing enthusiasm for the interviewer

Give me an example of a time you made a decision with incomplete information and it turned out to be wrong. What did you do next?

how they handle being wrong and whether they adjust quickly or get defensive

Tell me about a time you had to explain something technical or quantitative to someone who didn't have your background.

communication skill, since traders constantly explain reasoning to teammates fast

Why do you want to be a trader instead of, say, a quant researcher or a software engineer at a firm like this?

whether their interest in live risk-taking is genuine or they're just applying broadly

Technical

Walk me through how you'd price a simple bet: I'll pay you if a coin lands heads twice in a row, what odds would you offer me and why?

whether the candidate can reason through expected value and probability quickly and explain their logic out loud

If I flip a fair coin 100 times, roughly how many heads would you expect, and how confident are you in that number?

comfort with basic probability and standard deviation without reaching for a calculator

What is an option, in your own words, and why would its price change if the stock's volatility goes up but the price doesn't move at all?

whether they actually understand vega and options pricing versus having memorized vocabulary

How would you estimate the number of piano tuners in Chicago?

structured mental math and comfort breaking a fuzzy problem into estimable pieces

Have you written code before, and can you describe a project or problem you used it for?

actual programming exposure versus a resume line, since the desk relies on proprietary tools

If a stock is trading at 100 and I tell you a call option struck at 100 is worth 8 with three months to expiry, is that number more likely to reflect high or low volatility, and why?

intuitive grasp of how volatility drives option premium, a core building block for the desks listed

Situational

Say you're quoting a two-sided market and a large order suddenly moves against you before you can update your price, what do you do in that moment?

instinct for risk control and speed of reaction under real market pressure

If you're up big on a trade early in the day, does that change how you'd trade for the rest of the day? Why or why not?

risk discipline and whether emotion or ego drives their decision making

Two coworkers on your desk disagree loudly about a trade in the middle of a busy session. What do you do?

how they operate in a fast, blunt, high-friction team culture without freezing or escalating unnecessarily

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Akuna Capital from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Akuna Capital.

<p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>About Akuna:</strong></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span data-contrast="none">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.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":true,"134233118":false,"201341983":2,"335559739":300,"335559740":350}">&nbsp;</span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span data-contrast="none">Our Founding Partners</span><em>&nbsp;</em><span data-contrast="none">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.&nbsp;</span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>What you’ll do as a Junior Trader at Akuna:</strong></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We are seeking bright, math-savvy, competitive, and ambitious Junior Traders with a strong desire to learn how to make markets in a rapidly growing trading firm. Akuna gives new Traders the opportunity to learn from the most successful members of our Trading team and apply their knowledge quickly. The ideal candidate will be a motivated individual with a desire to compete in the marketplace and make an immediate impact at a growing firm.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">As a Junior Trader, we’ll teach you how to leverage our proprietary technology while implementing a variety of trading strategies and ideas, so you can get on the trading screens and make an impact on the bottom line of the firm. The ideal candidate displays strong mental math and excellent communications skills and is interested in being a part of a fast-paced and collaborative team environment.</span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">After training, candidates will start with one of the following teams:</span></p> <ol> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Options Market Making (and all the various desks)</span></li> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Delta One</span></li> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Vol Arb</span></li> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Crypto</span></li> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Quantitative Strategy Group</span></li> </ol> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Qualities that make great candidates:</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">BS/MS/PhD degree in Engineering, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Actuarial Science or a related/equivalent field must be completed upon employment</span></li> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Strong math aptitude, numerical and quantitative analysis skills</span></li> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The ability to communicate effectively and efficiently while fostering external professional relationships</span></li> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">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</li> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Entrepreneurial self-starter ready to work in a fast paced and competitive team environment</span></li> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Desire to learn about financial markets and economic theories</span></li> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Programming experience preferred</span></li> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Major GPA of 3.5 or above</span></li> <li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required on the first day of employment including F-1 students using OPT or STEM</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>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!</strong></p> <p><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">*This role is not for immediate hire - the next available start date is August 2027*</span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Please note: </span></strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">By submitting an application for this role, you are indicating this is your top preference and acknowledge you will not be considered for other full-time Trading roles at Akuna this recruiting season. This acknowledgement does not limit applications to other Tech and/or Quant roles - in addition to this role, you may apply to any Tech and/or Quant roles of interest.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><em>In accordance with Illinois Equal Pay Act, the minimum base salary starts at $145,000. Exact compensation offered may vary based on many factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and skill set. This role is also eligible for a discretionary performance bonus as part of the total compensation package and includes a comprehensive benefits package that may encompass employer-paid medical, dental, vision, retirement contributions, paid time off, and other benefits. The minimum base salary herein was determined in good faith by Akuna Capital LLC.</em></p>

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