ESP Analyst and Liaison

About the Ethereum Foundation and the Ecosystem Support Program

The Ethereum Foundation (EF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Ethereum and related technologies. The EF is not a company or even a traditional non-profit. We do not control Ethereum, nor are we the only organization that funds the critical development of Ethereum-related technologies. We are part of a large ecosystem of organizations, individuals, and companies that support Ethereum. Our mission is to do what is best for Ethereum’s long-term success. Our role is to allocate resources to critical projects, to be a valued voice within the Ethereum ecosystem, and to advocate for Ethereum to the outside world.

About the Ecosystem Support Program

The EF’s Ecosystem Support Program (ESP) is the public facing allocation arm of the EF, providing grants and other forms of support to eligible projects working to improve Ethereum. The ESP supports work that strengthens Ethereum’s foundations and enables future builders, such as developer tools, research, community building, infrastructure and open standards.

Your Mission

Your mission is to facilitate the growth of the ecosystem by connecting builders and projects within the Ethereum ecosystem with the support they need.

Passionate and capable new contributors are looking to build on Ethereum every day. They face common obstacles * the technology is complex and the landscape is changing constantly. ESP works to lower barriers to entry, to draw new contributors into the community by helping them find success, and to magnify the impact of their work. That can mean giving advice, making connections, validating ideas, or providing financial support.

This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with and learn from some of the brightest and most talented individuals interested in Ethereum.

Core Responsibilities

You will identify, assess, evaluate, and shape high potential incoming applications to make recommendations on where the ESP should allocate EF resources. You will be working directly with applicants to provide guidance and feedback, as well as providing recommendations to set applicants up for success.

Throughout the evaluation process, you will be working together with various community advisors from the Ethereum Foundation and the larger ecosystem to form a comprehensive assessment of each application.

You will lead the evaluation of individual grant applications, including planning, coordination, execution and report writing. You will need to use your judgment to trade off the benefits and risks of each application, considering:

• the expected ecosystem impact,
• project feasibility,
• team quality and alignment,
• alternatives to achieving ecosystem goals,
• applicant interviews, and
• advisor feedback

In order to do this work effectively, you will need to:

• Lead and facilitate meetings with potential grantees and technical advisors,
• ask the right questions so that ESP can make optimally informed decisions,
• be creative as to how structure the proposed work to efficiently and effectively meet the project’s objectives,
• manage relationships with advisors, applicants and grantees,
• communicate effectively and proactively with people from different disciplines and domains,
• read technical papers and review literature as needed,
• negotiate grant terms (funding levels, roadmaps, milestones, KPIs, etc.), and
• write detailed reports of each considered applications that clearly and concisely lays out information needed for the ESP to make informed decisions

About You

You understand the needs of the Ethereum ecosystem.

• You identify opportunities for ESP involvement,
• You analyze potential risks and benefits of opportunities, and
• You effectively and efficiently make good decisions.

You are skilled at exploratory ideation, problem solving, and synthesizing information.

• You are comfortable with uncertainty, and ambiguity,
• You have the ability to shift between highly technical, and second order thinking.

You are skilled at communicating on a remote, global team.

• As an excellent communicator, both verbally and in writing, you are able to express your thought process and provide encouragement, even when rejecting support requests.
• You are a strong relationship manager comfortable with complex collaborative relationships.
• You are a resourceful connector, a patient listener, and an enthusiastic Ethereum community member!

You are systematic and organized.

• You have strong habits for tracking multiple parallel accountabilities.
• When you take on a task, you get it done, and proactively troubleshoot problems blocking your path.

Your values align with the Ethereum ecosystem.

• You are passionate about open source collaboration, decentralization, and playing positive-sum games.
• You truly want to see Ethereum succeed, not just for your professional or financial benefit, but because you believe it is good for the world.

Position Details

• Full-time contract position
• Fully remote
• Flexible hours with a need to accommodate scheduling across international time zones

To apply to this position, please include a brief cover letter explaining your qualifications, why you care about Ethereum, and public goods, along with a resume or CV.