Head of Risk

Aave Labs; United States; Remote; USD 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Aave Labs is seeking a Head of Risk to lead the Risk team and own the risk frameworks for the Aave Protocol. You will coordinate with external risk service providers, set risk parameters, and sign off on collateral onboarding and liquidation performance.

This leadership role requires deep protocol knowledge, strong accountability, and the judgment to make high-stakes decisions. You will guide analysts, data scientists, and credit specialists while collaborating across the organization to keep

Qualifications

• 5+ years of risk management experience, preferably in DeFi or crypto-native environments.
• Proven track record of leading and growing a risk team.
• Deep understanding of the Aave Protocol, markets, governance, and risk dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Lead and build the Risk team with clear direction and standards.
• Own and evolve risk management frameworks and policies.
• Coordinate with external risk service providers to align risk parameters.
• Set and adjust risk parameters across deployments and markets.
• Approve collateral onboarding decisions and risk assessments.
• Review liquidation performance and suggest improvements.
• Present risk analyses to governance (DAO) and stakeholders.

Skills

Risk management

Team leadership

DeFi / crypto experience

Governance communication

Stress testing

External partner management

Job description

About us

Aave Labs began with a simple question: how do we make financial services like borrowing, saving, and earning more accessible globally?

We built the Aave Protocol, now the world’s largest and most trusted onchain lending market, connecting decentralized finance with individuals, traditional finance, and fintech.

Today, we build trusted, high-quality products that expand access to lending, credit, and savings globally

Our culture

We build trusted products that help people access and discover economic opportunities.

We hold a high bar for quality and craftsmanship. No detail is too small. Trust depends on it.

We’re a global team building products people can actually use, turning complex technology into something simple and reliable.

We stay aligned, move quickly, and think long term, while keeping teams lean and focused on impact.

About the role

We’re looking for a Head of Risk to lead the Risk team and own the risk frameworks that govern one of the most important protocols in DeFi. You’ll coordinate with external risk service providers, set and monitor risk parameters, and serve as the final sign-off on collateral onboarding and liquidation performance. This is a leadership role that requires deep protocol knowledge, strong accountability, and the judgment to make high-stakes decisions.

You’ll lead a team of risk analysts, researchers, data scientists, and credit specialists while working across the organization and with external partners to ensure Aave’s risk posture remains best-in-class as the protocol scales into new markets and asset classes. If you understand market structure, portfolio risk management, and the Aave Protocol at a deep level, and you’re ready to take ownership of risk at scale, this role is designed for you.

How you can make an impact:

• Lead and build the Risk team, setting direction, priorities, and standards for the function
• Own and evolve Aave’s risk management frameworks and policies
• Coordinate with external risk service provider teams to ensure alignment on risk parameters
• Set, monitor, and adjust protocol risk parameters across deployments and markets
• Approve and sign off on collateral onboarding decisions and risk assessments
• Review liquidation performance and recommend improvements to liquidation mechanisms
• Lead risk governance processes and present risk analyses to the DAO
• Monitor market structure changes and their implications for protocol risk
• Take full accountability for risk outcomes and drive a culture of ownership within the team

Let’s connect if you have:

• 5+ years of experience in risk management, with a strong preference for DeFi or crypto-native experience
• Proven experience leading and managing a risk team
• Deep understanding of the Aave Protocol: its markets, governance, parameters, and risk dynamics
• Strong grasp of market structure, portfolio risk management, and stress testing methodologies
• Experience working with or managing external risk service providers
• Strong sense of accountability and ownership. You take responsibility for outcomes and hold your team to the same standard
• Excellent judgment under uncertainty. You’re comfortable making consequential decisions with imperfect information
• Strong communication skills for governance proposals, risk reports, and stakeholder alignment

Nice to have:

• Previous experience working directly with DeFi governance processes
• Background in traditional finance risk management (portfolio, credit, or market risk)
• Familiarity with risk tooling and simulation platforms used in DeFi

Equal opportunities statement:

Aave Labs celebrates diversity and views each and every team member as a separate individual with their own unique identity. No matter your race, religion, gender, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation or even the wallet you use, we welcome you at Aave Labs. As an equal opportunities employer, we take accountability and believe in everyone’s potential to build, create and inspire changes. With a mission to build a diverse workforce, we are proud to foster a working environment in which everyone can feel safe and valued for who they are.

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