IFF Crypto Research Analyst: DeFi Data Specialist

The University of Nicosia (UNIC) is the largest university in Cyprus and the largest in Southern Europe that teaches primarily in English, with more than 14,000 students from over 100 countries, a diverse community of faculty and staff, and an expanding worldwide network. UNIC is driving educational innovation in the wider region, with activities like our dynamic global initiative in blockchain technology and centres of excellence in medicine and online/distance learning. UNIC has been ranked among the top 801-1000 universities in the world, according to the latest edition of the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2021.

The Institute For the Future (IFF) is a cross-disciplinary research institute at UNIC, pursuing world-class research and education at the intersection of exponential technologies, including blockchain, artificial intelligence and augmented/virtual reality. IFF hosts more than 40 faculty, researchers and support staff from UNIC and partner institutions and, among other activities, runs the world’s first full academic program in blockchain education since 2014 (MSc in Digital Currency), hosts a large number of research projects funded by the European Commission and industry, and organizes Europe’s premier annual business blockchain and crypto-currency conference (Decentralized). Recently, IFF has launched a new initiative to foster research on the blockchain-based Metaverse space with launching NFTValuations for calculating market capitalizations for Non-Fungible Token (NFT) collections. The IFF is an equal opportunity employer and all employment is decided on the basis of qualifications and business need.

Job Description

We are looking for a talented Blockchain Data Analyst for Decentralized Finance (DeFi) to join our fast-growing team. The successful candidate will join the DLRC team to perform world-class research of DeFi and the cryptocurrency market, help communicate the risks, opportunities, and developments that emerge from the DeFi space. The DeFi space has a lot of coverage and it is one of the fastest-growing and most exciting areas of the crypto space. There will be a lot to learn, and research along the way with many opportunities for you to grow as a professional researcher in this space.

Responsibilities

• To develop market-leading expertise on the domain of DeFi, and on individual cryptoassets and dApps, including Uniswap, Aave, Synthetix, Maker, and other DeFi-specific blockchain projects and dApps.
• To experiment with smart contracts that support the functions of well-known DeFi protocols.
• To design and create short courses or technical documentation on DeFi, using your research experience.
• To educate students on DeFi, produce in-depth research papers, technical reports, and articles on the space.
• Elaborating insightful and detailed reports on several crypto-assets and blockchain-related projects, as well as, creating and updating full blown models that back those reports.
• To work cross-functionally with the rest of the IFF research team the Executive Director, portfolio management, and sales teams.
• Participating to various scientific and research activities of the IFF research group.

Skills & Qualifications

• Obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Finance/Mathematics, Financial Services, Computer Science with specialization on Data Science or equivalent. A Master’s degree in the field will be considered as an advantage.
• Experience with 2+ years in financial services, investment management, or crypto research, ideally as a data analyst.
• You love wrangling with large volumes of data in R or Python, and you have the ability to drill into the data and gain valuable insights.
• Interest in exploring data from various DeFi protocols and learning their underlying protocols from a practical perspective.
• Experience with decentralized systems, cryptocurrencies, digital tokens and assets, blockchain and decentralized applications will be considered as an advantage.
• Experience with the AWS stack for analytics, data modeling, and dashboard design will be considered as an advantage.
• Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and high-quality output
• In general, you should be fascinated about the crypto space, excited about its potential and aware of its challenges or risks.
• You have excellent communication skills in English.
• Self-motivated and able to tackle challenging, complex problems in an individual or team-based setting

This is a full-time position with the option of remote work

Competitive salary is offered depending on experience and qualifications.

Information and Application

Information and application questions regarding the positions can be directed to:

Dr. Klitos Christodoulou, email: [email protected]

Applicants should submit the following items (in electronic form) through UNIC’s online recruitment system:

• a cover letter (maximum 1 page A4), emphasizing your specific interest, qualifications and motivations to apply for this position;
• a full Curriculum Vitae (CV); contact details of at least two references who worked closely with you;
• if applicable – a list of publications.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. All applications will be treated in confidence.

Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.