Proprietary Trader / Trading Team – Opportunistic Capital Partnership
Location: North America & Europe, Dubai (Multiple Desks / Flexible)
The Mandate
We are partnering with a premier independent proprietary trading platform, trading its own capital across global markets. This is not a single-desk mandate tied to one strategy or asset class — it is a standing line for experienced traders and trading teams who can demonstrate a genuine, provable edge.
The platform allocates capital and infrastructure to traders who can prove out a strategy. It does not underwrite unproven theses, and it does not provide a soft landing for a track record built on someone else's risk budget.
If you're early in your career, cannot point to a real risk-taking track record, or are looking for a discretionary allocation on the strength of a good pitch alone, this isn't the seat. If you have a validated strategy, genuine P&L history in a risk-taking capacity, and want a platform that can scale what you've already proven works, this is exactly that seat.
The Hard Questions (What You Will Solve)
- Articulating and Defending Edge: how do you take a strategy you've traded successfully elsewhere and present it in a way that survives rigorous, skeptical due diligence — not just a track record, but the actual mechanism generating the edge?
- Validating Under New Constraints: how does your strategy perform when transplanted onto new capital, risk limits, and infrastructure — and what evidence can you provide that the edge isn't an artifact of your previous firm's specific setup?
- Operating Without a Pre-Built Playbook: opportunistic capital means there's no mandate waiting for you — how do you define your own risk parameters, sizing discipline, and scaling plan in a fast-moving, competitive market with minimal hand-holding?
The Structural Edge
- Proprietary Capital, No External LPs: the firm trades its own balance sheet, so capital decisions are made on strategy merit and speed, not investor-relations cycles or redemption pressure.
- Cross-Asset, Global Reach: affiliated broker-dealers, a cryptocurrency market-making operation, and a growing investment adviser arm give traders infrastructure and market access well beyond a single desk's typical remit.
- Genuine Autonomy, Not Bureaucracy: the platform is built around fast iteration and testing new ideas without layers of committee sign-off — this is not a seat where good ideas die in process.
Ideal Profile
The Metric
- Experience: minimum 3 years at a proprietary trading firm or hedge fund, including at least 1 year in a genuine risk-taking capacity (not purely research or support).
- Track Record: a provable, articulable trading record with a calmar ratio of 4.0 or higher — able to walk through the strategy's mechanics and validate performance, not just cite headline PnL or Sharpe.
- Mindset: comfortable operating in a fast-moving, competitive environment with minimal pre-built structure; not a fit for candidates seeking a fully defined mandate on day one.
The Tech
- Quant Foundation: strong analytical and mathematical grounding sufficient to build, defend, and iterate on a trading strategy independently.
- Strategy Scope: open to individual traders or full trading teams, across asset classes and strategy types — no single asset-class restriction for this intake.
Compensation & Preferences
- Non-compete: Preferably >18 months
- Compensation: $200k + 20-40% profit sharing
This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary; a final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience, domain expertise, and geographic location.
At Onyx Alpha Partners, we are committed to connecting the most sought after talent in the financial world, to opportunities that expand the universe of unconstrained performance within their chosen discipline. If this opportunity aligns with your career aspirations, we encourage you to apply and explore the potential for growth and unparalleled success.
Proprietary Trader / Trading Team – Opportunistic Capital Partnership in London employer: Onyx Alpha Partners
Onyx Alpha Partners is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment where innovation and analytical thinking are at the forefront. Located in the UK, we provide our employees with unparalleled growth opportunities, a collaborative culture, and the chance to shape the future of our rates options desk. Join us to be part of a team that values independence, creativity, and professional development.
