[Hiring] Performance Engineering Working Student - Stream Processing @Ververica GmbH

Role Description

We are seeking a highly motivated Master’s-level student with strong computer science fundamentals and a passion for understanding systems at a deep level. As a Performance Engineering Intern, you will work closely with our architects and performance engineering teams to push the boundaries of what’s possible in large-scale stream processing.

You will contribute directly to performance improvements in Apache Flink and Ververica’s next-generation stream processing engine (VERA), exploring optimizations and enhancing the efficiency of complex data processing workloads.

This internship offers the opportunity to work on real, production-grade systems that power mission-critical systems worldwide and gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge distributed runtime technologies.

What You’ll Do

• Analyze JVM behavior (e.g., JIT compilation, garbage collection, class loading) under real-world streaming workloads.
• Profile, and benchmark runtime behavior, identifying hotspots, inefficiencies, and opportunities for speedups.
• Work with native code integration, reflection usage, and dynamic class loading patterns—understanding their impact on runtime efficiency.
• Design and prototype compiler- and runtime-level optimizations for stream processing operators and execution pipelines.
• Document findings, present insights, and contribute to internal knowledge sharing on performance engineering topics.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a closely related field—with outstanding academic performance.
• Deep understanding of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM): You can confidently explain concepts such as bytecode interpretation vs. JIT compilation (C1/C2), garbage collection algorithms (e.g., G1, ZGC), heap/non-heap memory management, and class initialization.
• Strong programming skills in Java (and optionally other JVM languages), with attention to performance-sensitive code (e.g., object allocation, escape analysis, inlining).
• Familiarity with performance analysis tools (e.g., async-profiler, JFR, JITWatch, GC logs).
• Interest in distributed systems, stream processing, or systems programming.
• Ability to work independently on complex problems, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Bonus: Experience with Apache Flink, reactive systems, or low-latency JVM applications.

Benefits

• Work on foundational technology used by Fortune 500 companies and cloud providers.
• Direct mentorship from experts in Apache Flink, JVM, compilers, and distributed systems.
• Opportunity to present at internal tech talks or international conferences.
• Flexible, inclusive, and intellectually rigorous environment.

Company Description

Ververica is the company that originally created Apache Flink®, the leading open-source framework for stateful stream processing. We build enterprise streaming data platforms that power real-time decision-making at massive scale.

• Our engines process billions of events per second with millisecond latency, enabling organizations across financial services, travel, telecommunications, and technology to turn real-time data into AI-driven intelligence, fraud detection, dynamic pricing, and customer analytics.
• We offer a unified streaming data platform that combines data movement, real-time processing, and streaming lakehouse capabilities—delivering up to 10x faster performance than open-source Flink with over 40% lower total cost of ownership.
• With flexible deployment options across cloud providers and on-premise data centers, plus enterprise-grade security and 24/7 support, Ververica is trusted by global brands to handle their most demanding real-time data workloads.
• Join us to work at the frontier of stream processing technology, alongside the original architects of Apache Flink.