Blockchain ZK Engineer (Cross Chain Interoperability Protocol)

ChainSafe is a leading blockchain research and development firm specializing in infrastructure solutions for the decentralized web. Alongside its contributions to significant ecosystems such as Ethereum, Polkadot, Filecoin, and more, ChainSafe creates solutions for developers and teams across the web3 space utilizing our expertise in gaming, bridging, NFTs, and decentralized storage. As part of the mission to build innovative products for users and better tooling for developers, ChainSafe embodies an open-source and community-oriented ethos.

To learn more about ChainSafe, look at our Discord, GitHub, and website.

Here’s what you need to know before reading on:

• Our progressive tech stack includes Go, Rust, and TypeScript
• We spearhead ecosystem projects like Lodestar, Web3.js, Forest, and Gossamer
• We are global, remote-friendly, and open to contractors

At ChainSafe, you’ll be part of a team that believes in the community’s vital importance and contributes to advancing humanity with open-source and decentralized technology.

Role Introduction

At Sygma, we are actively seeking an individual who is profoundly invested in improving the blockchain interoperability space, has experience working with blockchain protocols, and aspires to enrich these domains by merging their functionalities.

Our next-generation cross-chain interoperability stack is built using cutting-edge blockchain and verifiable computation technologies: Optimism Cannon, Halo2, zkVMs. Our interoperability protocol focuses on expanding our Sygma solution to be trust-minimized through the design and implementation of innovative cross-chain technologies, specifically ZK and Optimistic bridges, targeting full consensus verification of Ethereum, Polkadot, and extensibility to other chains like Bitcoin.

As a Blockchain ZK Engineer (Cross Chain Interoperability Protocol), your primary responsibility will be to architect and implement a variety of extensions to the foundation of the Sygma interoperability protocol and tools utilizing it. Execution of these responsibilities might also require interaction and help and take over the work conducted by the Research team to uncover novel usage and optimization scenarios for cross-chain protocols.

Your expertise will undoubtedly contribute to the sophistication of blockchain interoperability and redefine the boundaries of what’s possible within this emerging technological sphere. All work across Sygma will be open-source, ensuring expansive opportunities for deep contribution and collaborative efforts across various blockchains and ecosystems.

Responsibilities

• Proactively improve current solutions. Look for an opportunity to increase the quality, performance, and modularity of existing components.
• Initiate research with the Research Team, on a wide range of edge blockchain technologies that are relevant to interoperability technology. Report on your findings on the dedicated technical meetings, and explain the ideas behind them and how they contribute to the overall architecture.
• Plan PoC implementation to prove the feasibility and usability of different solutions and ideas.
• Play a key role in architectural and design decisions, building toward an efficient bridging solution for networks of different nature
• Support developers during the development cycles based on research done

Required Skills

• 2+ years working with blockchain technologies as a developer and at least 3+ years in total working as a Software Engineer
• Experience writing and designing zkSNARK circuits with libraries like Halo2, Plonky2, Arkworks, Circom, but not limited to.
• Extensive knowledge and practical experience with the EVM.
• Experience with building distributed systems and understanding of system design concepts
• 1-2 years experience with Rust or similar languages.
• Excellent debugging skills with attention to detail.
• Problem-solving and hacking mindset, being naturally curious to research, explore, and tinker with complicated and unfamiliar codebases
• Be able to proactively dive into the novel territory and share knowledge on what you’ve learned
• Willingness to learn across multiple technology stacks

Bonus Skills

• Experience working with interoperability projects or protocols
• Experience writing research memos, design proposals, and specifications.
• Understanding of various blockchain low-level protocols and concepts (Data Availability, Rollups, Interoperability, etc)
• Understanding of distributed systems, and peer-to-peer systems

We strongly encourage you to apply even if you don’t fit all the requirements. You don’t have to match all the listed requirements exactly to be considered for this role.

Hiring Steps

Candidates for this position can expect the hiring process at Chainsafe to follow the order below. Please keep in mind that candidates can be declined from the position at any stage of the process.

• Qualified candidates will be invited to schedule a 30-45 minute screening call with one of our tech recruiters
• Next, candidates will be invited to schedule a 60-minute interview with the hiring team
• Then, candidates will be invited to schedule a 60-minute Technical Interview
• Last, Candidates will be asked to complete a technical task that takes under 4 hours, but we provide up to 1 week to complete.

We welcome your fresh perspectives and ideas

At ChainSafe, diversity and inclusion are more than a statement; equality and accessibility are guiding principles embedded in who we are - and why we do what we do. We recognize the benefits of a diverse team and aspire to embed respect for all people into our culture, values, and day-to-day practices. We encourage women, LGBTQIA+ people, people of color, and members of any other group underrepresented in the blockchain space (or tech in general) to apply.

ChainSafe is a remote-first company with an international team. We offer opportunities for personal and professional learning and growth, value autonomy and responsibility, and have a results-driven environment, flexible work hours and time-off policy, as well as competitive salary.

Salary will be determined through the interview process after a review of experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, equity, and location, as well as alignment with market data.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please fill out the application form and please attach your CV/resume as well as a link to your Github/Gitlab profile or some other software project you have contributed to.