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Director of Engineering - Cryptography (Proofs and SNARKs)

Space and TimeFull-time$100k - $230k*Remote; United StatesApr 21, 2022

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At Space and Time, we are solving Web3’s toughest data analytics challenges at planetary scale with decentralized, peer-to-peer technology. Apps built on top of Space and Time become blockchain interoperable, crunching SQL + machine learning for enterprises and any decentralized applications that need verifiable tamperproofing, blockchain-security, or enterprise scale. We turn any major blockchain into a next-gen database by connecting off-chain storage with on-chain analytic insights. Our team is growing fast, backed by some of the top blockchain orgs and VCs.

A career at Space and Time is lucrative, fast-paced, and very creative. We value you (and all your ideas) like family and we bring an endless supply of perks. This includes flexible workweeks + flexible vacation, add-on bonuses for hard work, we attend exciting events/conferences/parties, we’re headquartered on the beach near LA (but don’t mind you working remote), and most importantly- we provide analytics technology to the largest dApps, DAOs, DeFi/DEXs, GameFi, NFT platforms, enterprises, etc. We are committed to growing a diverse and welcoming team in a safe space to be yourself and learn from the most innovative minds in blockchain and data warehousing. Help us invent the first decentralized supercomputer!

As the Engineering Director for our Proofs Engineering team you will be leading highly skilled Rust engineers, cryptographers, mathematicians, and tech leads responsible for developing high-performance in-database mechanisms to verify that the SQL results returned to a client are tamperproof and cryptographically guaranteed. 

Your team will be architecting and developing a novel Proof of SQL mechanism (effectively a specialized SNARK) which ensures that results of outsourced SQL jobs can be loaded into smart contracts via a decentralized oracle network, while also minimizing attack surfaces. This is an extremely math/cryptography-heavy leadership role, and thus we expect competency (and a professional or academic background) in applied cryptography or related mathematical fields and preferably experience or familiarity with at least one argument scheme, such as bulletproofs, IOPs, KZG-based schemes, etc. Experience with high-performance distributed computing is a plus. We also expect a willingness to learn and research novel algorithms and techniques. This role is vital to our organization and will report to exec leadership and senior engineering leadership.

Responsibilities

  • Managing a team of cryptographers and Rust software engineers writing new code to build a bigger, better, faster, more optimized SQL Proofing mechanism
  • Leading architecture development, research, execution around the problem set
  • Building strategies, tools, platforms and database integrations to rapidly test and iterate on various cryptographic techniques / commitment schemes / database designs / algorithms for outsourced Proofs of SQL
  • Solving problems scaling up from “laptop scale” to “cluster scale” (and eventually many clusters with 100’s of terabytes of data each)
  • Working with Decentralized Oracle Networks (such as Chainlink) to develop cryptographic commitments for data and consensus-based validations of proofs, as well as working with clustered data warehouses for storing and processing the commitments
  • Codifying best practices for future reuse in the form of accessible, reusable patterns, templates, and code bases to facilitate meta data capturing and management
  • Interacting with exec team and senior engineering leadership to define, prioritize, and ensure smooth deployments with other operational components
  • Foster a culture of creativity and innovation while also promoting practical/agile decision-making
  • Grow the team by recruiting, interviewing, and hiring new team members

Skills & Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in math, computer science, computer engineering, or related technical field. Masters or PhD strongly preferred.
  • 6+ years software engineering experience (or academic research) around applied cryptography and preferably experience or familiarity with at least one argument scheme, such as bulletproofs, IOPs, KZG-based schemes, etc.
  • Some experience leading/growing high-performance software eng teams or PhD-level academic research/leadership
  • Ready to jump in with recruiting and leading technical teams in a demanding talent market
  • Rock solid engineering fundamentals; algorithm development/design, high-performance distributed computing
  • Rock solid cryptography fundamentals; hashing, elliptic curves/pairings, field/group theory, etc.
  • High-level understanding of distributed computing, column-based database cluster fundamentals (such as Apache Spark, Snowflake, Apache Arrow, etc) and OLAP query processing
  • Passionate about Web3, blockchain, decentralization, and a strong understanding of how SNARKs and arguments play into this
  • Ability to engage senior business leaders and translate between the needs of the business and the demands of / capacities of technology or cryptography techniques
  • If remote, willingness to let us fly you into Southern California to meet with the leadership team up a few times per quarter (to connect in-person for a few days)
Benefits

˖ Ultra competitive salaries

˖ Medical, dental, and vision insurance, disability/life insurance

˖ 401(k) Plan

˖ Aggressive bonus structure and/or Space and Time token allocations (similar to stock options)Very flexible PTO and paid holidays and flexible workweek

˖ Very flexible remote work options

˖ A massive list of perks including discretionary add-on bonuses for hard work, attending exciting  events/conferences/parties, we’re headquartered on the beach near LA (but don’t mind you working remote) 

Space and Time is an EOE and committed to building a diverse team

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