Chief Exchange Platform Architect

Ink Foundation; United States; On-site; USD 177,000 - 395,000; Full time

Job summary

Kraken is seeking a Head of Exchange Infrastructure to own the core of our trading stack, including the matching engine, API engine, custody interfaces, and latency-focused infrastructure. You will lead a small, independent team of product managers, setting roadmaps and writing specs as needed.

You will consolidate multiple engines into a unified platform, drive cross-functional collaboration with engineering, risk, and compliance, and shape the future of open finance for crypto markets.

Qualifications

• Senior product leader with experience in exchange, trading, or high-performance platforms.
• Experience managing and developing product managers, capable of running without constant oversight.
• Willing to write specs and roadmaps, not only review them.
• Proven ability to set a product vision and translate it into a long-term roadmap.
• Strong understanding of matching engine and market data architecture and the latency tradeoffs.
• Experience building platforms for internal customers with platform-level thinking.
• Excellent communication skills to influence technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Passion for crypto markets, market structure, and building modern infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Own the product vision and roadmap for the exchange layer: matching engine, core infrastructure, custody, algo engine, API engine.
• Lead and grow a team of four to five product managers; set the bar for product craft.
• Consolidate multiple matching engines into one, starting with US derivatives, then international derivatives, then spot.
• Build interface-agnostic platforms so all product teams can build on a single platform.
• Define success metrics (latency, throughput, uptime, resiliency) and ensure accountability.
• Collaborate with engineering leaders to sequence migrations without disrupting live markets.
• Partner with Risk and Credit Infrastructure to enable one account across products.
• Anticipate industry shifts and shape the platform to stay ahead.
• Align cross-functional teams around the exchange strategy.

Skills

Senior product leader

Exchange / trading experience

Manage and develop PMs

Player-coach leadership

Vision to roadmap translation

Matching engine knowledge

Market data architecture

Cross-team collaboration

Job description

Kraken is seeking a Head of Exchange Infrastructure to own the core of our trading stack, including the matching engine, API engine, custody interfaces, and latency-focused infrastructure. You will lead a small, independent team of product managers, setting roadmaps and writing specs as needed.

You will consolidate multiple engines into a unified platform, drive cross-functional collaboration with engineering, risk, and compliance, and shape the future of open finance for crypto markets.