Protocol Architecture Researcher

March 14

Apply Now

Receive Emails with Similar Jobs

Ethereum Foundation

WebsiteLinkedInAll Job Openings

Ethereum Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting developments and advancements in the Ethereum blockchain ecosystem. It aims to promote decentralized protocols and tools to empower developers to build innovative solutions on the Ethereum platform. The Foundation supports community events, provides resources for educational initiatives, and engages in research and development to ensure Ethereum's growth and sustainability.

201 - 500 employees

Founded 2014

🌐 Web 3

🤝 Non-profit

₿ Crypto

📋 Description

• This is a permanently open position. While we may not always be actively hiring, we continuously seek exceptional talent. If we are not actively searching, the selection process is more competitive, but we encourage applications from outstanding candidates at any time. • About the Robust Incentives Group (RIG): The Ethereum Foundation (EF) is a global non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Ethereum to ensure its long-term success. As part of this mission, EF Research (EFR) is a collection of research teams, including the Robust Incentives Group (RIG). At RIG, we work on the protocol architecture and mechanisms through the lens of game theory, mechanism design, using formal methods, and empirical analysis. While our research has an economic focus, our work is inherently interdisciplinary, drawing insights from economics, computer science, cryptography, and distributed systems. We work and collaborate across these fields to find ways to improve Ethereum. This includes both longer-term foundational research and more immediate proposals for Ethereum mainnet upgrades—with a bias towards the latter. • Our team has contributed to major protocol upgrades such as EIP-1559, the switch to Proof-of-Stake, finding and mitigating attack vectors, out-of-protocol markets for block construction and MEV, and many other efforts. At RIG you will be at the forefront of these conversations. Alongside brilliant researchers, EF collaborators, and the broader Ethereum community you will take part in a dynamic research environment. You will not just be a participant—you will be in the driver’s seat to push Ethereum forward. • Role Overview: We are looking for an exceptional Protocol Architecture research scientist for the Robust Incentives Group. This role is a permanently open position—we are continually looking for the right talent. • In this role, you will have high agency in defining and pursuing research that directly improves Ethereum. You will work closely with researchers, Ethereum core devs, industry experts, and academics on topics such as fee mechanisms, PoS economics, market structure, scaling execution and data of Ethereum, and more. The work is inherently interdisciplinary, demanding a deep sense of curiosity and the ability to think across fields such as economics, distributed systems, and cryptography. You should be able to synthesize theoretical insights with real-world constraints, designing mechanisms that are both rigorous and practical.

🎯 Requirements

• High agency & autonomy: You thrive in an environment that trusts you to identify and deliver high-impact work. You take initiative, own your projects, and are able to navigate ambiguity. You are motivated to design new mechanisms and see them through to their deployment in the Ethereum protocol. • Interdisciplinary mindset: You excel at the intersection of multiple disciplines and collaborate with experts across fields, drawing insights from economics, computer science, cryptography, distributed systems, and other relevant areas. While you value rigorous research, you are driven by its practical application and the tangible progress it brings to Ethereum. • Clear communicator: You revel in peeling back layers and communicating your findings clearly and widely to both technical and non-technical audiences—whether in writing, discussions, or presentations. • Research excellence: You have a strong research background, whether in academia or applied research. Ideally, your experience includes economics, distributed systems, cryptography, computer science, mathematics, or related fields. A PhD is welcome but not required if you have a track record of exploring new fields with an interdisciplinary mindset. • Passion: You care deeply about harnessing decentralized economic systems and are passionate about solving the types of intellectual challenges Ethereum is facing. You are excited to join a group of research collaborators working in the open to advancing technology.

🏖️ Benefits

• Impact: You will join a small, impactful team where you can very quickly help shape the future of Ethereum. You will work at the very frontier of blockchain technology and contribute to foundational infrastructure for economic exchange. • High trust environment: With minimal hierarchy and a culture of autonomy, you will have many degrees of freedom to define your research agenda to deliver high-impact work. • Collaborations: Access to leading collaborators across industry and academia, with the ability to award grants. • Compensation & benefits: Competitive compensation, flexible PTO, and possibility to join Protocol Guild after six months, subject to contributing to public participation in Ethereum core protocol research. • Remote first: Our team is distributed across the globe and remote work from anywhere is possible—with most synchronous time from 2pm UTC onwards. However, we have offices in Berlin or Boulder, and if suitable we can help to facilitate relocation. • Travel: Highly encouraged travel with occasions throughout the year: e.g., conferences, research workshops, offsites. Ample opportunities to share your work with different audiences and whiteboard with your colleagues.