About the role#
As an FPGA Intern, you will build advanced trading applications using proprietary technology. You will work under the guidance of senior technologists to develop a real-world, trading-centric FPGA application with the goal of deployment during your ten-week term. The role includes participating in an options course designed for developers to help you understand how your solutions function in real-time trading environments.
What you'll do#
- Design, develop, test, and deploy proprietary FPGA solutions.
- Create decoders to receive raw packet data from exchanges and translate it into accessible forms.
- Develop modules that process decoded data to trigger events for specific financial instruments.
- Build novel FPGA architectures to expand data processing capabilities.
- Identify innovative solutions to complex technical problems and communicate your ideas clearly to the team.
- Conduct research to determine optimal technical solutions.
- Collaborate with software developers, quantitative traders, researchers, and business analysts in a cross-functional environment.
What you'll need#
- Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Machine Learning, or a related science discipline.
- Expected graduation date between December 2027 and June 2028.
- Exposure to the FPGA development flow.
- Strong understanding of data structures and algorithms.
- Excellent development skills in System Verilog, Verilog, or VHDL.
- Working knowledge of C++ or Python.
- Strong problem-solving, analytical, communication, and collaboration skills.
Location & details#
- Location: Chicago, Illinois.
- Term: Summer 2026.
- Modality: On-site.
- Employment type: Full-time.
- Compensation: This position is paid.
About DRW
DRW is a financial services firm that trades and invests across various asset classes and global markets. The company relies on technology, research, and risk management to identify trading opportunities. It maintains a presence in multiple international locations with its headquarters in Chicago. The firm employs approximately 2,500 people.
How to get in at DRW
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