Formal Methods Engineer - XSY

Summary

We are seeking a highly skilled Formal Methods Engineer, specializing in security and threat analysis. Upon joining XSY, you will be working on stablecoin and future products, whilst maintaining high quality standards and best practices within the Djed team. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of Plutus smart contracts and the Cardano blockchain. As a Formal Methods  Engineer, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and security of our smart contracts by assisting in writing Plutus smart contract requirements, performing safety and threat analysis on specifications, and writing/reviewing the appropriate tests necessary to show conformity of a smart contract implementation with the specification.   

Your mission

• Assist in writing Plutus smart contract requirements.
• Perform safety and threat analysis on specifications.
• Identify all potential failure modes and ensure that they are properly covered by appropriate mitigations.
• Ensure that at least one property (i.e., to be formally proved or tested), establishing the non-occurrence of an identified failure mode, has been specified.
• Ensure that all identified attack vectors are offset by appropriate security mitigations unless justifications about the unlikelihood of the attacks are clearly stated.
• Perform code review of Plutus smart contract implementation in either PlutusTx or Plutarch.
• Write property-based testing to demonstrate conformity of implementation with the specification.
• Ensure the correctness of Plutus libraries (both imported or implemented).
• Participate in the elaboration/maintenance of formal models showing correctness of specifications.
• Collaborate with software architects and engineers to analyze and refine software requirements, ensuring they are clear, complete, and verifiable.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including software developers, system engineers, and domain experts, to ensure the successful application of formal methods.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and team members in the application of formal methods.
• Maintain detailed documentation of formal methods, processes, findings, and verification results.
• Effective communication skills, including the ability to explain complex formal concepts and findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Requirements

• Understanding of Plutus smart contracts and the Cardano blockchain.

• Proven experience in requirement elicitation.
• Strong understanding of safety and threat analysis methodologies.
• Strong critical thinking skills to challenge specifications.
• Ability to identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities.
• Experience with property-based testing.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Attention to detail and ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Degree in computer science, threat analysis, mathematics or a related field or equivalent experience.

Your expertise

• Proven experience in negotiating and challenging requirements and specifications using techniques such as safety and threat analysis.
• Strong experience in writing unambiguous and observable properties.
• Experience with functional programming languages, particularly Haskell.
• Experience in writing/analyzing Plutus smart contracts in either PlutusTx or PlutArch.
• Previous experience in blockchain and smart contracts security.
• Familiarity with formal verification techniques.
• Understanding of discrete mathematics and formal logics.
• Contributions to open-source projects related to blockchain technology.
• Experience with Github.
• Good understanding of QuickCheck and property-based testing.

Bonus points

• Advanced degree (Phd or Master’s) in computer science, threat analysis, mathematics or a related field.
• Experience in formal verification techniques such as symbolic model checking, SAT/SMT solvers and theorem proving.
• Experience in writing formal specifications of complex systems.

Why Join Us

If you are passionate about blockchain security and have the skills and experience to excel in this role, we encourage you to apply and join our team. We look forward to hearing from you!

Benefits

• Flexible schedule
• Remote work
• Laptop reimbursement
• New starter package to buy hardware essentials (headphones, monitor, etc)
• Learning & Development opportunities
• Competitive PTO 
• Medical Benefits

At IOG, we value diversity and always treat all employees and job applicants based on merit, qualifications, competence, and talent. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.