CTO - Derivnex

DRW is a diversified trading firm with over 3 decades of experience bringing sophisticated technology and exceptional people together to operate in markets around the world. We value autonomy and the ability to quickly pivot to capture opportunities, so we operate using our own capital and trading at our own risk.

Headquartered in Chicago with offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia, we trade a variety of asset classes including Fixed Income, ETFs, Equities, FX, Commodities and Energy across all major global markets. We have also leveraged our expertise and technology to expand into three non-traditional strategies: real estate, venture capital and cryptoassets.

We operate with respect, curiosity and open minds. The people who thrive here share our belief that it’s not just what we do that matters–it's how we do it. DRW is a place of high expectations, integrity, innovation and a willingness to challenge consensus.

Derivnex is DRW’s institutional platform for on-chain OTC derivatives lifecycle management, built on the permissioned Canton Network using the DAML smart-contract model. The platform transforms matched OTC trades into private, versioned smart-contract state with cryptographic attestation and immutable auditability. Margin, settlement, novation, termination, and other lifecycle events are executed and recorded directly on ledger through tokenized transfers between counterparties.

We are seeking a technically exceptional and commercially minded CTO to lead the architecture, engineering, and strategic evolution of Derivnex as it scales into production institutional markets.

Role Overview

The CTO will define and execute the technical vision for Derivnex, leading platform architecture, distributed systems engineering, smart-contract infrastructure, security, and operational resilience. This leader will work closely with trading, operations, legal, and external counterparties to build secure, scalable, regulator-ready market infrastructure for OTC derivatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the technical strategy, architecture, and engineering roadmap for the Derivnex platform.
• Oversee development of distributed ledger infrastructure and DAML smart-contract systems deployed on Canton.
• Build secure, scalable systems supporting real-time collateral, margin, settlement, novation, and lifecycle event processing.
• Lead engineering, infrastructure, DevOps, and security teams delivering institutional-grade reliability and performance.
• Partner with trading, operations, legal, and risk teams to translate OTC derivatives workflows into programmable on-chain infrastructure.
• Drive platform security, governance, operational resilience, and auditability.
• Represent Derivnex externally with counterparties, partners, and industry stakeholders.

Required Skills & Experience

• Strong understanding of OTC derivatives and post-trade lifecycle management.
• Deep knowledge of collateral management and settlement workflows.
• Strong expertise in blockchain technology, distributed systems, and smart-contract infrastructure.
• Experience with crypto payments, tokenized settlement systems, and digital asset infrastructure.
• Proven experience leading high-performance engineering organizations and building scalable production platforms.
• Strong understanding of security architecture, cryptography, and resilient financial infrastructure.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.
• Experience with DAML, Canton Network, or privacy-enabled blockchain platforms.
• Background in capital markets, digital assets, or financial market infrastructure.
• Experience operating within regulated institutional environments.

The annual base salary range for this position is $150,000 to $250,000 depending on the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and relevant skill set. The position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. In addition, DRW offers a comprehensive suite of employee benefits including group medical, pharmacy, dental and vision insurance, 401k (with discretionary employer match), short and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance, health savings accounts, and flexible spending accounts.

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