AI Lead

About the job AI Lead Protogon Research builds AI models with a deep understanding of the world, monetizing them through proprietary trading. Founded and led by serial entrepreneur Rafael Cosman-co-founder of Archblock and the TrueFi DeFi protocol-Protogon is charting a path toward superintelligence. Why Trading? Focusing on trading provides several key advantages: Proprietary models and datasets - This helps us avoid the race-to-the-bottom faced by many other AI companies. Fast innovation cycle - Technological advancements directly translate into increased revenue, allowing us to rapidly test and implement improvements. Pure focus on AI development - With no need for sales, marketing, or customer support, we can concentrate on building groundbreaking systems. True understanding, not imitation - We create AI that deeply understands the world, rather than just replicating human behavior or generating superficial outputs. We believe trading is a powerful testbed for developing highly intelligent AI systems, offering unique advantages over other approaches. Backed by top VCs, our highly technical team is on a mission to build the most transformative invention of the 21st century. Unlike traditional quant funds, our goal isnt to focus on short-term profits but to build the long-term success of our AI technology. While we leverage AI for trading, everything-from our investors to our culture-is aligned with this vision of lasting impact. Moreover, were not just another AI company layering a thin wrapper over existing technologies or burning through resources on models that add little value. Our work is original, proprietary, and defensible. We are a small, dynamic team of eight currently based in Redwood City, CA, and we are seeking a talented AI Lead to help us build impactful technology and drive innovation. We work primarily in person and welcome candidates based in the Bay Area or San Diego, with the expectation that this role will relocate to the Greater San Diego Area when our headquarters moves in mid-2026. Responsibilities and Expectations This role is expected to be primarily hands-on, with the majority of time spent building, training, and deploying models, while providing leadership to a small and growing AI team. Applied AI Execution & Modeling LeadershipOwn the design, development, and deployment of production ML models used in live trading environments. Work closely with leadership and engineering partners to improve predictive performance, robustness, and adaptability across changing market conditions, with a strong focus on practical implementation and measurable real-world impact. Technical Leadership & CollaborationAct as the technical and people lead for a small AI team (initially 1-3 engineers), combining hands-on execution with mentorship and guidance. Lead day-to-day modeling work, provide technical direction, and support hiring, onboarding, and development of ML engineers in partnership with company leaders and HR. AI Systems, Data Pipelines & Model QualityContribute to and improve core ML infrastructure, including data pipelines, training workflows, evaluation tooling, and inference systems. Ensure models are reliable, observable, and performant in both training and production environments. Execution Against Trading ObjectivesWork directly with leadership to identify high-impact modeling opportunities and translate them into executable ML work. Operate in an early-stage environment where objectives may be loosely defined, validating approaches through rapid experimentation and integrating models into evolving systems. Who You Are Experienced Applied ML Engineer: You bring 5-8 years of applied ML / AI experience, with 1-2 years of technical or people leadership (e.g., mentoring, leading small projects or pods). You have a strong track record of shipping ML systems to production in environments where model performance directly impacts outcomes. Execution-Focused Problem Solver: You excel at turning ambiguous problems into executable modeling work. You prioritize reliability, performance, and iteration over novelty, and communicate clearly with engineering, operations, and management. Strong Technical Foundation: You have hands-on experience with modern ML techniques (e.g., deep learning, sequence models, RL, or time-series modeling). You are fluent in Python and familiar with frameworks such as PyTorch, and have experience working with training pipelines, evaluation systems, and production ML infrastructure. Collaborative Technical Leader: You work effectively across functions, incorporating domain expertise into modeling decisions and ensuring ML systems operate reliably in real-time or high-stakes environments. You help drive predictable execution and raise the technical bar through example. Nice to Have: Experience applying ML in quantitative finance or trading PhD in ML/AI or similar research experience Experience improving ML platforms, data pipelines, or deployment workflows in production systems Strong collaboration with Portfolio Managers, traders, or domain experts to translate insights into modeling improvements What We Offer: Competitive Compensation: A competitive base salary with equity ownership on top Comprehensive Benefits Package: Medical, dental, and vision coverage designed to support you and your family's well-being. Financial & Wellness Support: 401(k), Commuter, FSA, and HSA programs, and additional benefits to support long-term stability. Flexible Time Off & Work-Life Balance: Generous vacation, sick leave, and company holidays, with flexibility to recharge when needed. Additional Information Protogon Research is planning on moving our HQ to Southern California in mid-2026, so we are looking for candidates that are either based in the Greater San Diego Area or are open to re-location. This role requires current authorization to work in the United States; Protogon Research is not able to provide visa sponsorship at this time.

Created: 2026-03-04