Senior Protocol Researcher

ABOUT EIGEN LABS

Eigen Labs is more than just a leading name in the blockchain space. We’re the driving force behind EigenLayer, a game-changing solution that revolutionizes crypto-economic security. Imagine a world where blockchain projects break free from the shackles of the scaling trilemma and capital limitations.  In today's blockchain ecosystem, each service is typically secured by its own tokenized trust-network. With EigenLayer, services can build upon the established security of the Ethereum trust network, unlocking untold scalability while maintaining security and decentralization.

Enter EigenDA: Provisioning data availability is one of the key components for scaling blockchains, and specifically Layer2 rollups. EigenDA is a secure, high throughput, and decentralized data availability (DA) service built on top of Ethereum using the EigenLayer restaking primitive. Developed by Eigen Labs, EigenDA is the first actively validated service (AVS) to launch on EigenLayer. Restakers will be able to delegate stake to node operators performing validation tasks for EigenDA in exchange for service payments, and rollups will be able to post data to EigenDA in order to access lower transaction costs, higher transaction throughput, and secure composability across the EigenLayer ecosystem.

With EigenLayer, building blockchain infrastructure modules (AVSs) in a permissionless manner is no longer a hypothetical—it's our reality. Now, we invite you to be part of this exciting journey.

ABOUT THE ROLE 

This role represents an opportunity to drive the future of our protocol security and design. This role combines cutting-edge cryptographic research with practical implementation, requiring someone who can think both theoretically and pragmatically. You'll work on challenging problems in mechanism design, game theory, and protocol security while having a direct impact on the protocol's evolution. The position offers significant autonomy in research direction while collaborating with top minds in the field. As we expand our protocol capabilities, you'll be instrumental in ensuring we maintain the highest security standards while pushing the boundaries of what's possible in distributed systems. If you're looking to collaborate with a talented team of engineers, driving innovation and inventing groundbreaking technologies, we look forward to hearing from you! 

WHAT YOU WILL DO 

• Advance the protocol’s data availability sampling, decentralization of dispersal, and operator set management capabilities.
• End-to-end protocol design and implementation oversight
• Security review process for protocol updates
• Research roadmap for protocol improvements
• Collaboration with external security auditors
• Technical documentation and specifications
• Mentorship of junior protocol researchers

WHAT YOU BRING 

• PhD in Computer Science or related technical field (e.g., physics or mathematics)
• Background in distributed systems of cryptography research labs
• Proven ability in protocol design and blockchain systems architecture
• Incentive/mechanism design experience
• Adversarial thinking and security analysis 
• Game theory and economic modeling
• Strong mathematical foundation in computer science

BONUS POINTS

• Prior research experience with industry leading cryptography/blockchain projects 

In compliance with local law, we are disclosing the compensation, or a range thereof, for roles in locations where legally required. The annual salary range for this position is $200,000 - $250,000. Other rewards may include short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. In addition, Eigen Labs provides various employee benefits, including:

• Employer-covered Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
• 401k 
• Unlimited Paid Time Off
• 12 weeks of fully paid maternity and paternity leave 

This is not a guarantee of compensation, final offer amounts may vary based on various factors including but not limited to: professional work history/experience, depth of skills demonstrated through interview process, and geographic location

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