Cycles Protocol · 1 month ago
Cryptographer / Protocol Lead
United States
Full-time
Remote
Senior Level, Lead/StaffCycles Protocol is an independent venture backed startup focused on creating a privacy-preserving on-chain protocol for efficient financial interactions. The Cryptographer and Protocol Lead will design, specify, and secure the protocol development, collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative products that transform how users interact with money and payments.
Computer Software
Responsibilities
Own our cryptography, proving, and protocol stack end-to-end
Lead design and implementation of new primitives and protocols
Write specs, develop security arguments, and apply formal methods (where applicable) to ensure soundness and security
Review, audit, and improve existing designs and system implementations for security, performance, and scalability
Collaborate closely with product, engineering, and research teams: translate high-level product requirements into rigorous protocol designs, and partner with engineering to bring them to life
Research new and emerging cryptographic techniques to advance performance,, developer experience, and scalability
Mentor the team by guiding engineers and running workshops and deep dives
Engage with the broader community: publish specs/papers, participate in protocol review cycles, open-source contributions, and stay abreast of state-of-the-art in cryptography and distributed systems
Qualification
Required
Degree in Cryptography, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related field—with a strong publication track record in cryptographic protocols
Deep expertise in cryptographic primitives and protocols (e.g., zero-knowledge proofs, multiparty computation, shielded pool design, circuit design and optimization, etc.)
Hands-on experience designing and implementing production-grade cryptographic systems or protocols at scale, especially decentralized ones
Strong programming background (Rust) and familiarity with cryptographic libraries
Strong ability to write clear specifications, define invariants, reason about correctness, and use formal specification tools where appropriate
Ability to think both abstractly (protocol design, mathematics) and concretely (engineering trade-offs, performance, system integration)
Excellent communication skills: you'll articulate complex cryptographic ideas to diverse audiences (product, engineering, security, external partners)
Passion for pushing the boundaries on what's possible in security, privacy, decentralisation, and the future of cryptographic infrastructure
Company
Cycles Protocol
2-10 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageCompany data provided by crunchbase