Manager of Machine Learning Research

A leading global trading firm is building out its ML research function and looking for a hands-on research lead, someone who still designs and builds model architectures themselves while setting technical direction for a small, high-caliber team. This is a player-coach role: you'll lead from the front, writing code and shaping the research agenda, not stepping back into pure management. The team sits unusually close to the trading desk, so your work translates directly into production impact.

What you'll do

• Set the technical direction for ML research while staying hands-on in the modeling work
• Design and implement novel model architectures from the ground up — not LLM plug-in work
• Lead and grow a small team of researchers, with the team scaling significantly over the next year
• Drive deep learning research across transformers, neural networks, and sequence modeling
• Partner closely with engineers training the models and the traders and quants relying on them

What we're looking for

• PhD with a strong publication record (Google Scholar, top venues) preferred
• Demonstrated experience building your own model architectures at scale — not LLM application or fine-tuning work
• Deep expertise in deep learning, transformers, and neural network modeling
• A track record of technical leadership while remaining hands-on — this is not a strategy-only seat
• Time series and statistics experience a plus, not a requirement
• Background combining big tech and startup environments works well here
• Senior-level experience with the credibility to lead strong researchers

Why it's exciting

• Lead without leaving the work behind. A rare role where you set direction and keep building — no forced trade-off between impact and influence.
• Build a team from a strong base. Shape a growing research function at a pivotal moment, with the mandate and resources to do it properly.
• Build, don't bolt-on. Original architecture work, not wiring up someone else's foundation model.
• A direct line to impact. Your team's models hit production and move real outcomes — rare for research, and even rarer for a leadership seat.
• Top-of-market comp and serious long-term research ambition behind the team.