Lead Specialty Software Engineer (Protocol Engineer)

• Client is seeking a Lead Specialty Software Engineer (Protocol Engineer) to contribute to a next-generation Digital Asset Platform designed to solve the most critical challenge in institutional finance: achieving strict regulatory compliance without compromising transaction confidentiality.
• As a Lead Protocol Engineer, candidates will be responsible for architecting the core settlement engine.
• Candidates will work at the intersection of distributed systems and applied cryptography, translating complex mathematical proofs into high-performance, production-grade Go code.

Responsibilities:

• Core Protocol Development: Architect and build a custom blockchain application using Go, Cosmos SDK, and CometBFT (Tendermint)
• Cryptographic Implementation: Implement and optimize privacy-preserving primitives, specifically Pedersen Commitments and Bulletproofs (Range Proofs), ensuring no trusted setup is required
• Consensus Customization: Engineer custom ABCI++ extensions (specifically PrepareProposal and Vote Extensions) to implement an on-chain Multi-Party Computation (MPC) mixing network
• State Machine Design: Design a custom KVStore state machine that manages homomorphic encrypted balances (Elliptic Curve points) instead of plaintext integers
• Performance Engineering: Optimize cryptographic operations (scalar multiplication, point addition) for low latency and high throughput in a distributed environment
• Auditing Infrastructure: Build secure off-chain query layers and "view key" mechanisms that allow for granular, permissioned regulatory auditing, * Consult on or participate in moderately complex initiatives and deliverables within Specialty Software Engineering and contribute to large-scale planning related to Specialty Software Engineering deliverables.
• Review and analyze moderately complex Specialty Software Engineering challenges that require an in-depth evaluation of variable factors.
• Contribute to the resolution of moderately complex issues and consult with others to meet Specialty Software Engineering deliverables while leveraging solid understanding of the function, policies, procedures, and compliance requirements.
• Collaborate with client personnel in Specialty Software Engineering.

• 5 plus years of Specialty Software Engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education.
• 3 plus years of experience in backend or systems programming, with expert-level proficiency in Go (Golang)
• 6 plus months of experience with Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)
• 1 plus year of experience with BFT consensus algorithms, P2P networking, and state replication; reliable, distributed systems experience.

Desired Qualifications:

• Blockchain Core: Deep experience with Cosmos SDK and CometBFT. Comfort building custom modules and modifying consensus logic, not just deploying smart contracts.
• Pedersen Commitments (Homomorphic encryption properties)
• Zero-Knowledge Proofs (specifically Bulletproofs or Sigma protocols)
• Math-to-Code: Demonstrated ability to read academic whitepapers/preprints and translate mathematical specifications into functioning code.
• Experience with MPC (Multi-Party Computation) or Verifiable Secret Sharing (VSS) schemes.
• Familiarity with the Ristretto255 curve or libraries like gnark-crypto.
• Background in FinTech, payment systems, or high-frequency trading platforms.
• Understanding of the Account Model vs. UTXO Model trade-offs in privacy-preserving ledgers.

Top Skills:

• YugaByte/Postgres and/or Liquibase, * 4 plus years of Specialty Software Engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work or consulting experience, training, military experience, education.