Head of Research - Crypto

Career Renew is recruiting for one of its clients a Head of Research - Crypto - this is a fully remote role, but candidates need to be based in Eastern US or EU.

Join an exceptional team of leaders (CEO, CTO, CISO) and experts (Software, Cryptography, and Security Engineers) to build the leading blockchain wallet infrastructure for the next financial era. We are hiring a Head of Research to lead efforts into areas such as algorithms, asymmetric cryptography, threshold cryptography, multi-party computation, post-quantum cryptography, and advanced signatures. As Head of Research and Lead Cryptographer, you are expected to drive the research, development and implementation of novel cryptographic solutions, working closely with peers and leadership to define security standards and guide critical research initiatives. Your goal is to create secure innovations that expand the possibilities of blockchain applications while contributing to academia and state-of-the-art research.

Responsibilities

• Design and build cryptographic tools for blockchain components, such as keys, wallets, proofs, and digital signatures.
• Develop new cryptographic methods to improve product security.
• Collaborate with engineers to integrate cryptography into libraries and applications.
• Identify security gaps and design robust systems to minimize risks.
• Review security protocols, report threats, and propose solutions.
• Ensure cryptographic protocols are secure and reliable across all products.
• Conduct security audits and analyze vulnerabilities in cryptographic protocols and implementations; write security proofs.
• Develop new MPC protocols with ZKP to enhance transaction privacy.
• Work on end-to-end data integrity of our platform, including tools for validating data authenticity and consistency.
• Create and deploy threshold encryption and decryption protocols.
• Achieve FIPS 140-3 certification for an MPC library to meet security standards.
• Use formal methods to validate the security and correctness of TSS.
• Investigate a blockchain-based KMS for decentralized, tamper-proof key management.
• Research and prototype quantum-resistant MPC and TSS.
• Manage communication with researchers and address reported vulnerabilities.
• Share cryptographic research through academic papers, blog posts, and conferences.
• Write and maintain documentation for both internal and external use.
• Train teams on cryptography and secure system design.
• Stay updated on advances in cryptography and blockchain technology.

Requirements

PhD in Computer Science, Cryptography, or similar fields.

6+ years of experience in applied cryptography, ideally in blockchain or fintech.

Experience publishing in peer-reviewed conferences and journals.

Hands-on expertise with cryptographic protocols.

Familiarity with multi-party computation, threshold cryptography, zero-knowledge proofs, elliptic curve cryptography, and advanced signature schemes.

Benefits

• Salary: $220,000-260,000 per year (full-time work contract).
• Equity: 900-1,200 stock options (i.e., 0.3-0.4%) vested over 4 years.
• Location: Eastern US (fully remote with optional access to office)
• Equipment: MacBook Pro and other work essentials.