About
is an AI-driven quantitative investment firm that applies advanced machine learning, statistics, and large-scale software engineering to financial markets. Voleon’s engineering teams build and operate production systems that ingest massive datasets, train and deploy models, and support real-time research and decision workflows. The environment emphasizes rigorous engineering, reproducibility, and performance at scale.
Role Overview – Software Engineer (University Hire / Intern)
- Position: Software Engineer – University Hire / Software Engineering Intern
- Location: United States (Berkeley, California – hybrid/onsite; exact arrangements per official posting)
- Experience Level: Students / Fresh Graduates (University Hire)
- Qualification: Bachelor’s / Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or closely related fields
- Employment Type: Internship / Early-Career (term-based, typically Summer/Fall/Winter)
- Domain: Software Engineering / Backend Systems / Distributed Platforms
This role is designed for candidates who want hands-on ownership in production-grade systems rather than purely academic or shadow assignments.
Purpose of the Role
The primary goal of the Software Engineer (University Hire / Intern) role is to contribute meaningfully to Voleon’s core software stack. Engineers work on high-performance, scalable systems that support data ingestion, model training, simulation, and research tooling. The role emphasizes learning through impact—shipping code that matters, reviewed by experienced engineers, and used in live environments.
What You’ll Work On
Engineers in this role typically contribute across several areas depending on team needs and background:
- Backend services that power research and analytics workflows
- Distributed systems for data processing, scheduling, and orchestration
- APIs and tooling used by researchers and production systems
- Performance-critical components where efficiency and correctness matter
- Infrastructure-adjacent code that improves reliability, observability, and deployment
Assignments are scoped to be challenging yet achievable within the internship or university-hire timeframe.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and implement software components in collaboration with senior engineers
- Write clean, efficient, and testable code following best practices
- Participate in design reviews and code reviews
- Debug and resolve issues across development and testing cycles
- Build unit and integration tests to ensure reliability
- Contribute to documentation for systems, APIs, and workflows
- Collaborate with cross-functional partners (research, data, infra)
- Learn and apply version control, CI/CD, and deployment workflows
- Take ownership of scoped features from idea to delivery
These responsibilities ensure exposure to the full software development lifecycle.
Technical Skills & Foundations
Successful candidates usually demonstrate strong fundamentals rather than narrow tool expertise:
- Programming proficiency in one or more languages (commonly Python, Java, C++, or similar)
- Solid grasp of data structures and algorithms
- Understanding of operating systems basics and concurrency concepts
- Familiarity with Linux environments and command-line tooling
- Experience with Git and collaborative workflows
- Basic knowledge of databases and data modeling
- Comfort reading and navigating large codebases
Exposure to cloud platforms, containers, or distributed systems is helpful but not mandatory.
Professional & Soft Skills
- Analytical thinking and structured problem-solving
- Clear written and verbal communication
- Ability to learn quickly and incorporate feedback
- Collaboration and respect for diverse perspectives
- Ownership mindset and attention to detail
- Time management and prioritization
These qualities are critical in a fast-moving, high-impact engineering environment.
Daily Work Experience
A typical day may include:
- Reviewing design notes or tickets with a mentor
- Implementing features or fixing bugs in core services
- Writing tests and validating changes locally and in CI
- Participating in stand-ups or technical discussions
- Iterating based on code review feedback
- Updating documentation or benchmarks
- Learning system internals through real tasks
The focus is on doing real work with real outcomes.
Who Should Apply
This role is a strong fit for:
- Students or recent graduates in CS/Engineering
- Candidates with strong fundamentals and curiosity
- Developers with academic or personal projects in systems or backend work
- Individuals excited by scalable systems and applied AI infrastructure
- Those seeking mentorship and ownership rather than observation
A GitHub portfolio or project descriptions can strengthen applications.
Work Culture & Environment
Voleon emphasizes engineering rigor, thoughtful design, and collaboration. Interns and university hires are treated as contributors, not observers. Mentorship is practical and code-centric, with frequent feedback loops and opportunities to learn from experienced engineers and researchers.
Learning & Skill Development
Participants gain experience in:
- Production software engineering practices
- Large-scale systems and performance considerations
- Testing, observability, and reliability
- Collaborative development and reviews
- Translating research needs into robust software
This learning curve prepares candidates for top-tier engineering roles.
Career Growth & Progression
High performers may progress into:
- Full-Time Software Engineer roles
- Backend or Systems Engineer tracks
- Infrastructure or Platform Engineering
- Research-adjacent engineering paths
Growth is driven by demonstrated impact, code quality, and systems understanding.
Why This Role Stands Out
- Real ownership in production systems
- Exposure to AI-driven, data-intensive platforms
- Mentorship from experienced engineers
- Emphasis on fundamentals and long-term growth
- Clear pathway to full-time engineering roles
Apply Link
Prepare a resume that highlights CS fundamentals, projects, and problem-solving rather than tool lists.
Final Insight
The Voleon Software Engineer (University Hire / Intern) role offers a rare chance to work on serious, high-impact software at the intersection of AI, data, and systems engineering. For candidates seeking depth, ownership, and mentorship, this opportunity provides an excellent foundation for a long-term engineering career.
