Cryptography Researcher

About us

Flashbots started in 2020 as a research and development organization formed to mitigate the negative externalities and existential risks posed by Maximal Extractable Value (MEV). Since then, we have had an immense impact on the world of crypto through mev-geth, Flashbots Protect, MEV-Boost, MEV-Share, our open research and soon-to-be SUAVE.

Our mission is clear: illuminate, democratize and distribute.

We seek to ensure that the value created on decentralized, public blockchains is transparent and distributed. We do this by conducting cutting-edge research, building mission-critical products, and coordinating a diverse community with competing interests.

Our vibe is irreverent, anarchic, excellent, autonomous. We’re explorers, hackers, builders, thinkers. We are relaxed, composed, and at ease in the world, but beneath our suave exterior, we do not have the time or inclination to be anything but the best.

We are seeking a researcher with a PhD (or nearing completion) to join the cryptography and privacy team within Flashbots Research.

We would like to meet you if you have experience doing research on topics including:

• Multi-Party Computation (MPC)

• Trusted execution environments (TEEs)

• Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE)

• Zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs

• Operating Systems (OS) and CPU architectures

• Security of distributed/decentralized systems

• Multi/threshold-signature schemes
  
  

What to Expect in the Role:

• You will be supported to identify interesting research problems, work toward solutions alone or with collaborators, and publish your findings in industry and academic venues

• You will experience maximum autonomy, allowing you to claim ownership of research areas, set goals, and deadlines without needing constant supervision

• You will be expected to make your voice heard and navigate the organization to gather information or make decisions as needed

• You will establish and maintain academic collaborations to broaden our research horizons
  
  

What You’ll need:

• A PhD (or nearing completion) with work in a relevant area

• Excellent communication skills: You will need to communicate asynchronously within the team, as well as present your work externally and to other members of the organization

• Experience in a startup environment and working with cross-functional teams

• The ability to write technical reports and publish research findings

• Knowledge of common Web3 tech stacks, such as Ethereum

• Our team operates in a fully remote environment, so you should be comfortable with that setup and effective in communicating asynchronously

• - Ability to dissect and understand cryptographic protocols from theoretical descriptions

• Experience identifying interesting research problems, completing research projects, and presenting results formally verbally and in writing
  
  

Nice to have:

• Proficiency in software development, particularly in Python and Rust

• Experience in security analysis, designing security and privacy attacks

• Experience in remote-first environments, focusing on open, honest, and transparent communication

• Exposure to the Maximum Extractable Value (MEV) problem space
  
  

Details that matter

• Significantly above market rate equity compensation package

• Unlimited PTO with a high level of freedom and autonomy for your work

• Attractive health coverage package for US employees

• $3000 Yearly budget for your individual learning and development goals

• Work alongside the brightest minds in the crypto space

• Help save the world by ensuring crypto remains decentralized, permissionless and censorship-resistant

• Remote working - work from anywhere in the world

• Paid travel - 2 x team on-site in different parts of the world per year plus periodic travel to events
  

At Flashbots, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, or disability status.