The Stacks Foundation is a leader within the Stacks Ecosystem; a collection of independent entities, developers, and community members working to deliver on the promises of Web3. We do this by extending what can be built on Bitcoin, thereby unleashing the Bitcoin economy.

We're looking for an experienced engineer to support research and development relating to BitVM and other key infrastructure and methods aimed at improving Stacks network trust assumptions and improving overall security. You must be comfortable working in diverse development ecosystems and have worked independently in a rapidly scaling startup. OSS experience is preferred as work related to BitVM will be open-sourced for the benefit of the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Note: Candidate review and active recruiting will begin in earnest after the Nakamoto upgrade for Stacks has completed. Applicants should expect to hear from leads around that time.

You will:

• Be a major contributor to the BitVM Working Group

• Research and design connective tissue between Stacks and BitVM

• Research, prototype and help implement features and improvements to the Stacks blockchain that leverage BitVM.

• Collaborate closely with Stacks core developers to contribute to the ongoing development and maintenance of the stacks-core reference implementation of the Stacks blockchain.

• Research and help evolve BitVM with an eye towards use-cases relevant to Stacks

• Research and engage with Bitcoin proposals that are relevant to BitVM (such as op_ctv)

Minimum Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in systems programming, with deep involvement in the design, implementation, and testing of at least one non-trivial systems-level software project.

• Wide breadth of knowledge of algorithms and data structures, especially those pertaining to databases, cryptography, and networked systems.

• Strong proficiency in Rust

• Familiarity with Bitcoin and Bitcoin script (Stacks major plus)

• Wide breadth and depth of knowledge of network protocols at every conceptual layer in the OSI model

• Proficiency in algorithm analysis, especially in determining the worst-case algorithm time and space.

• Proficiency in designing, implementing, testing, and debugging peer-to-peer networked systems that operate in wide-area contexts

• Proficiency in at least one UNIX-like operating system.

• Verbal and written fluency in English

• Extensive open source experience, ideally experience as a maintainer or regular contributor

• Experience working on or with remote / distributed teams

• Experience in the crypto/blockchain space or a deep curiosity about the landscape

We’d like to hear from you even if you don’t meet every point.

What we offer:

• Competitive Salary (regardless of location, benchmarked annually against NYC)

• Stacks (STX) token package based on salary and experience

• $500/month co-working space reimbursement

• $1,200/yr budget for learning and development stipend

• Unlimited Vacation Policy

• Health and dependent care (FSA)

• Up to 16 weeks of paid parental leave

• 401k with 3% match

• Your choice of technical setup and equipment

• Fully remote in the US - no physical office

Please note that benefits vary by country, the ones shown above are for our full-time U.S.-based employees. Benefit information for non-US-based positions will be provided to individuals who interview for those roles.

About Us

The Stacks Foundation wants to make it easier for experiments to happen on the road to a better internet on Bitcoin. Our work supports builders, entrepreneurs, researchers, & contributors to the user-owned internet economy. We fund development, education, and community initiatives to build that vision together.

The Stacks Foundation is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, disability, national origin, protected veteran status, age, or any other status protected by law.