Research Scientist

About CryptoEconLab

CryptoEconLab (CEL) designs next-generation crypto protocols—from initial design to governance and ecosystem growth. Our work spans token design, incentive engineering, market construction, and cutting-edge simulations.

The Role

We need a Research Scientist who can architect protocols from the ground up using first principles. You’ll synthesize project visions, design new token economies, mitigate adverse incentives, and guide projects from ideation to whitepaper to real-world deployment. You’ll also work directly with clients to communicate and refine protocol designs throughout the development process.

Key Responsibilities

• Protocol Design: Invent token economies and emission mechanisms that align with project KPIs and guard against economic exploits, particularly in DeFi, DePIN, and public goods ecosystems.
• Adverse Incentive Mitigation: Identify collusion, sybil, or other attack vectors and propose robust defenses.
• Market & Auction Construction: Develop pricing, bidding, and matching systems that foster efficient discovery and fair participation.
• Simulation & Digital Twin: Model agent-based behaviors, forecast circulating supply, and inform governance decisions with data-driven insights.
• Practical Implementation: Work closely with engineers to ensure that theoretical designs translate into functioning smart contracts and mainnet-ready architectures.
• Research Leadership: Supervise junior research scientists, providing guidance on methodologies, deliverables, and professional growth. Maintain a strong research reputation and following (e.g., publications, conference speaking engagements) and represent CEL as an industry-leading cryptoeconomic research hub.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Computational Chemistry, or other strongly quantitative fields.
• Track record of creating, deploying or operating new protocols or mechanisms in the crypto space.
• Knowledge of game theory, distributed systems, and cryptoeconomic principles, or ability to quickly learn these areas.
• Strong practical software engineering skills.
• Creative and analytical mind with a proactive mindset.
• Exceptionally clear written and verbal communication, with demonstrated ability to communicate complex designs succinctly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• High energy and motivation for a fast-paced startup environment.

Why Join Us

• High-Impact Work: Shape groundbreaking protocols from scratch.
• Collaborative Environment: Join a team of leading experts in cryptoeconomics and decentralized governance.
• Competitive Compensation: $100-140k USD/year + benefits.
• Flexible, Remote-First Culture: Work with a global network of top talent across US, Europe and Asia.