Students Program Codex

About Codex Student Program

The Codex Student Program (CSP) is aimed at Master's and PhD students looking to gain experience and do research and development in one of the domains of interest related to the Codex project. The grant is intended to help students gain visibility into their field of interest while also allowing them to learn about standard research and development practices that should be beneficial for their continuing careers.

Research Topics

There are two main projects we are working on: one is about data availability sampling (DAS) in collaboration with the Ethereum Foundation, and the other one is related to the Codex decentralized storage platform. More specifically, the CSP aims to do research and development in, but not limited to:

• Data Availability Sampling for Scaling Blockchains
• Large-scale simulations of distributed systems
• Peer-to-peer overlays and communication protocols
• Statistical testing and property verification
• Data visualization and analysis
• Decentralized storage solutions
• Erasure coding optimizations for large-scale distributed storage
• Proof of data retrievability and other storage-related proofs
• Game theory in the context of incentivized storage
• Storage performance measurement and testing

Research Methodology

A member of the Codex team will be assigned as supervisor of the student for the duration of the CSP. Students will be invited to participate in weekly meetings to discuss progress and raise questions or concerns.

A clear end-of-CSP deliverable will be given to the student, depending on the length and complexity of the project. This could be software, a report, or a talk.

Experience

We expect the students to be proficient in the following topics:

• P2P networking, TCP, UDP, QUIC, and other low-level network protocols.
• Distributed hash tables (DHTs) and distributed storage.
• Databases such as PostgreSQL, Clickhouse, etc.
• Consensus algorithms like GHOST, Casper, and others.
• Blockchain protocols such as Proof of Work and Proof of Stake, etc.
• Multiple programming languages, including Go, Python, Rust, Nim, etc.

Eligibility

This program is available to Master's and PhD students officially enrolled at a university, pursuing their M.Sc. or Ph.D. in the field of Computer Sciences or a related field.

The Grant

The CSP is very flexible and adapts to different levels of experience and various lengths. The following numbers are just indicative, as the final stipend might slightly change depending on the student experience and to adapt to differing regions’ costs. For an officially enrolled PhD student, the CSP offers a stipend in the range of $2,000/month (full-time equivalent).

In addition, the CSP offers some mobility grants to attend meetings and related conferences within the scope of the internship's research field.

Application

To submit your application, please fill out this form providing the following documents:

• Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae
• A cover letter expressing your research interests
• Proof of enrolment in your university
• Reference letter from one of your university professors

Applications will be evaluated a few weeks after submission. Students passing the initial evaluation will be contacted to pass a short interview.

* The fees, duration of the agreement, and deliverables shall be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and as set out in the freelance agreement to be signed by the student. Please consider that once you have signed the freelance agreement, you must comply with the local regulations for the provision of the services that are applicable in your country of residence or nationality.