Chief Investment Officer (California)

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About the Role: We're seeking a world-class Chief Investment Officer (CIO) to lead the development of a lean, high-performance trading fund from inception. This unique opportunity offers full ownership of strategy, team, and technology, with complete autonomy and no external capital constraints. The CIO will be responsible for designing, executing, and overseeing profitable trading strategies, leading a skilled team, and ensuring efficient operations.

Responsibilities:

• Design and lead profitable trading strategies across quant, stat-arb, crypto, equities, and macro markets.
• Own and evolve the fund's investment philosophy—whether quantitative, discretionary, or arbitrage-based.
• Develop and refine models, algorithms, and systems for backtesting, live execution, and real-time reporting.
• Build and lead a high-performing team of traders, quantitative developers, and analysts; recruit, mentor, and manage talent to scale.
• Oversee daily trading operations, including PnL management and high-stakes decision-making.
• Implement a comprehensive risk management framework, including exposure limits, stop-losses, drawdown controls, and real-time monitoring.
• Manage relationships with brokers, exchanges, trading platforms, and API providers to optimize infrastructure and execution.
• Collaborate with legal and compliance teams to ensure regulatory adherence across all strategies.
• Lead long-term scaling initiatives: expanding AUM, diversifying strategies, and raising external capital.

What You'll Need:

• Proven track record of profitable trading, both independently and within institutional settings.
• Deep expertise in quantitative research, strategy design, and risk management.
• Strong coding skills (Python, R, or C++) and familiarity with backtesting frameworks.
• Experience in hiring and mentoring trading or research teams.
• Entrepreneurial mindset—able to build from zero and iterate quickly.
• Optional: Background in crypto markets, HFT, or derivatives.

Minimum Requirements:

• 10+ years of experience in investment management or trading, with at least 5 years in a leadership role at a top-tier firm.
• Expertise in quantitative trading, risk management, and performance tracking.
• Strong technical skills in Python, R, or C++.
• Ability to build and scale a high-performance team and fund infrastructure.

Benefits:

• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Work From Home

Seniority level

• Director

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Finance

Industries

• IT Services and IT Consulting