Research Scientist, Consensus Protocol

Research Scientist, Consensus Protocol 100% (CH or Remote) Web3 Foundation accelerates the development and adoption of the decentralized web. We’re providing the framework and setting the standards for an ecosystem so that the most cutting-edge projects can work together, multiplying their benefit to society as a whole. We’re building the future of identity, privacy, financial markets and commerce through blockchain and cryptographic technologies. At the core of this work is Polkadot - a platform that enables blockchains of all kinds to interact and communicate with one another. This is an opportunity to work at the forefront of technological development and join in shaping the future of society for the better. Web3 Foundation's multi-disciplinary research team focuses primarily on Polkadot and Kusama blockchain projects, but also designs and implements cryptographic primitives that are useful for Polkadot and Kusama that also may be used for other use cases. Research Scientist, Consensus Protocol We are looking for a research scientist working on consensus protocols to join the W3F research team to help improve Polkadots consensus protocols and its security/performance properties, in particular working on adding Fast Finality. The main part of the role involves theoretical research and protocol design aligned with the currently deployed protocols such as Grandpa, Elves, BABE, and soon Sassafras, but in addition the role also involves working closely with Polkadot implementers to help them deploy improvements and extensions. The former is much like academic research: we expect to produce papers to share this research and the latter is in the form of technical advising. The objective is an eventual contribution to the Polkadot protocol to satisfy and to shape the long-term goals of keeping Polkadot technology state-of-the-art. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to one of the fastest-growing projects in the blockchain ecosystem and shape how the industry understands the future of Polkadot, Kusama, JAM, and Web3 technologies. Responsibilities: - Develop a deep understanding of Polkadot’s architecture and consensus mechanism - Design, analyze, and advise on the deployment of improvements and protocol extensions to Polkadot’s consensus - Stay current with advancements in blockchain consensus research and ongoing Polkadot protocol updates. - Produce technical specifications, research papers, and writeups, and present findings at relevant conferences and forums. Requirements: - PhD or equivalent job experience in relevant field to ensure there is the ability to understand and explain technical concepts clearly - Excellent understanding of how blockchain and consensus works - Experience in protocol design and analysis - Experience in writing clear, structured, and concise technical documentation - Ability to operate independently, take on additional responsibilities as needed, and proactively identify and learn new skills or knowledge to adapt to evolving challenges A Plus: - Understanding of Polkadot and the wider Polkadot ecosystem - Industry knowledge (Blockchains, use cases) - Experience contributing to open-source projects or blockchain communities Benefits: - Make a real impact on the future of a visionary technology organization - Hybrid and flexible / remote work plan opportunity to get involved in one of the leading blockchain communities - Competitive compensation and employee benefits regular company retreats at unique locations around Europe - Opportunity to work in a multinational, high-performance team with diverse backgrounds, where autonomy and self-initiative is encouraged For more information about us, visit us on: Web3 Foundation website: https://web3.foundation/ Polkadot website: https://polkadot.network/ Github: https://github.com/w3f/polkadot-wiki