# Software Engineer
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** Junior Software Engineer
**Company:** [Akuna Capital](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/akuna-capital)
**Difficulty:** Medium
**Salary:** US$85000 - US$110000
**Experience:** 0 - 2
**Timeline:** ~14 days
Akuna Capital is seeking a motivated and talented Junior Software Engineer to join our dynamic team. This role is ideal for individuals passionate about building robust and scalable financial technology solutions. The interview process is designed to assess your foundational knowledge in computer science, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within our fast-paced trading environment.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/akuna-capital/junior-software-engineer-software-engineer
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Skills
- Communication
- Behavioral and Cultural Fit

## Questions asked

- Write a function to reverse a linked list.
- Given an array of integers, find the two numbers that add up to a specific target.
- Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
- What is a hash map and how does it work?
- Describe a situation where you had to deal with a difficult team member.
- How would you design a system to track stock prices in real-time?
- What are the time and space complexities of your solution?
- Why are you interested in working at Akuna Capital?
- Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.
- How do you stay updated with new technologies?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Review fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal).
- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Coderbyte, focusing on easy and medium difficulty.
- Brush up on object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts.
- Understand basic computer science concepts like operating systems, databases, and networking.
- Prepare to discuss your resume and past projects in detail.
- Research Akuna Capital's business, values, and technology stack.
- Practice explaining your thought process clearly and concisely.
- Prepare questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and company culture.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Data Structures Fundamentals","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures like arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, and hash maps. Practice implementing them and solving problems involving their efficient use. Cover basic sorting algorithms (Bubble Sort, Insertion Sort, Merge Sort, Quick Sort) and searching algorithms (Binary Search).","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Stacks, Queues, Hash Maps) & Basic Sorting/Searching Algorithms."}
- {"title":"Advanced Data Structures & Algorithms","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into more advanced data structures such as trees (binary trees, BSTs, AVL trees) and graphs. Learn about graph traversal algorithms (BFS, DFS) and common graph problems. Begin exploring dynamic programming concepts with introductory problems.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Advanced Data Structures (Trees, Graphs) & Introduction to Dynamic Programming."}
- {"title":"Object-Oriented Programming & CS Basics","longDescription":"Week 5: Focus on object-oriented programming principles (encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction). Practice designing simple classes and understanding design patterns. Review fundamental computer science concepts like operating systems, databases, and networking basics.","shortDescription":"Week 5: OOP Concepts & CS Fundamentals (OS, DB, Networking)."}
- {"title":"Interview Practice & Company Research","longDescription":"Week 6: Practice coding problems extensively, simulating interview conditions. Focus on explaining your thought process aloud. Prepare to discuss your resume projects, highlighting technical challenges and solutions. Research Akuna Capital and prepare thoughtful questions.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Mock Interviews, Resume Review & Company Research."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Chicago","differences":{"tips":["Be prepared to discuss your academic projects in detail.","Emphasize your eagerness to learn and contribute.","Showcase your understanding of fundamental programming concepts.","Research Akuna Capital's business and technology stack."],"interviewFocus":["Understanding of core data structures and algorithms.","Ability to write clean, efficient, and maintainable code.","Problem-solving and analytical thinking.","Enthusiasm for learning and adapting to new technologies."],"commonQuestions":["Describe a challenging project you worked on during your internship or academic career.","How do you approach debugging a complex issue?","What are your favorite programming languages and why?","Tell me about a time you had to learn a new technology quickly."]}}
- {"location":"Remote","differences":{"tips":["Highlight any experience with remote collaboration tools.","Be ready to discuss your understanding of software development lifecycles.","Showcase your ability to work effectively in a team.","Express interest in Akuna Capital's global presence."],"interviewFocus":["Collaboration and communication skills.","Familiarity with distributed systems concepts.","Understanding of software development best practices.","Adaptability to different work environments."],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle working in a distributed team environment?","What are your thoughts on cloud computing and its applications in finance?","Describe your experience with version control systems like Git.","How do you ensure the quality of your code?"]}}

## Round 1: Technical Coding Round 1
**Type:** Data Structures and Algorithms Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Coding challenge focused on data structures and algorithms.
This round focuses on your core technical skills. You will be asked to solve 1-2 coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will assess your problem-solving approach, your ability to write efficient and correct code, and your understanding of fundamental computer science concepts. Be prepared to explain your thought process clearly and discuss the time and space complexity of your solutions.
**Interviewers look for:** Logical thinking.; Ability to translate requirements into code.; Understanding of time and space complexity.; Clean and readable code.
**Evaluation criteria:** Problem-solving approach.; Correctness and efficiency of code.; Understanding of data structures and algorithms.; Clarity of explanation.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate thought process.; Incorrect or inefficient solutions to coding problems.; Lack of understanding of fundamental data structures and algorithms.; Poor communication skills.
## Questions

- Given an array of integers, return indices of the two numbers such that they add up to a specific target.
- Implement a function to check if a binary tree is a valid Binary Search Tree (BST).
- Find the kth smallest element in an unsorted array.

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode.
- Focus on explaining your approach before coding.
- Write clean, well-commented code.
- Be ready to discuss edge cases and test your solution.

## Round 2: System Design Round
**Type:** System Design / Architecture · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Assess system design thinking and architectural considerations.
This round assesses your ability to think about system design and architecture. You'll be given a high-level problem (e.g., design a URL shortener, design a Twitter feed) and asked to propose a solution. The focus is on your ability to break down the problem, identify key components, consider scalability, reliability, and trade-offs. While deep dives into specific technologies are less critical at the junior level, understanding fundamental concepts is important.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to design scalable systems.; Knowledge of common system components (databases, caches, load balancers).; Understanding of trade-offs in design decisions.; Structured approach to problem-solving.
**Evaluation criteria:** System design thinking.; Understanding of scalability and performance.; Trade-off analysis.; Clarity of design explanation.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios.; Lack of understanding of system design principles.; Poor consideration of scalability and trade-offs.; Difficulty in explaining design choices.
## Questions

- Design a basic rate limiter.
- How would you design a system to handle real-time stock price updates for a trading platform?
- Design a simple key-value store.

## Preparation tips

- Study common system design patterns and concepts.
- Practice designing simple systems.
- Think about scalability, availability, and latency.
- Be prepared to discuss trade-offs of different design choices.

## Round 3: Behavioral and Fit Round
**Type:** Behavioral / Managerial Interview · **Difficulty:** Easy · **Duration:** 30 min
Focuses on behavioral questions, cultural fit, and career aspirations.
This round is typically conducted by the hiring manager or a recruiter. It focuses on your behavioral aspects, career aspirations, and overall fit with the team and company culture. You'll be asked questions about your past experiences, how you handle challenges, your strengths and weaknesses, and why you're interested in Akuna Capital. This is also an opportunity for you to ask questions about the team, the role, and the company.
**Interviewers look for:** Genuine interest in Akuna Capital.; Ability to work collaboratively.; Past experiences demonstrating key behavioral competencies.; Enthusiasm and a positive attitude.
**Evaluation criteria:** Motivation and passion for software engineering.; Teamwork and collaboration skills.; Problem-solving approach in past experiences.; Cultural alignment with Akuna Capital.
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of enthusiasm or interest in the company/role.; Poor communication or interpersonal skills.; Inability to provide specific examples for behavioral questions.; Mismatch in cultural values.
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult teammate. How did you handle it?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a software engineer?
- Why are you interested in Akuna Capital and this specific role?
- Describe a challenging technical problem you solved and how you approached it.

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
- Research Akuna Capital's values and mission.
- Be ready to articulate why you want to work here.
- Think about your career goals and how this role aligns with them.