Lead Cryptography Researcher (Post-Quantum Cryptography)

Department: Engineering

Location: Remote

Compensation: $180K – $200K

Employment Type: FullTime

Role Overview

As Lead Cryptography Researcher (Post-Quantum Cryptography), you will own the PQ cryptography research roadmap and translate it into protocol designs that can ship. This role is both research- and product-driven: you’ll produce publishable research where appropriate, while also delivering concrete recommendations, specifications, benchmarks, and upgrade strategies that guide implementation.

You will work closely with protocol engineers, security engineers, and leadership to define our cryptographic foundations: PQ algorithm research and selection, signatures, key management, migration strategies, cryptographic agility, and security tradeoffs under realistic constraints.

Research Themes We Care About

PQ Cryptographic Algorithms: Research & Selection

• Continuous evaluation of PQ algorithms (signatures, KEMs, hybrid constructions, emerging variants)

• Comparative analysis: security assumptions, parameter sets, side-channel considerations, implementation maturity

• Selection recommendations aligned with protocol constraints (verification costs, bandwidth, storage growth, latency)

Quantum Money / Quantum Bills (Core)

• Research on quantum-native money primitives (quantum banknotes, quantum tokens, public verifiability)

• Security models: unforgeability, transferability, anti-double-spend properties, loss/robustness assumptions

• Practical verification pathways (device assumptions, verification cost, trust/minimization strategies)

• How quantum money concepts could interface with an on-chain system (e.g., registration, redemption, escrow, auditability, and failure modes)

• Long-term exploration: whether quantum money primitives can enable new consensus/incentive designs (research-only initially)

Post-Quantum Signatures & Identity

• Scheme selection, parameters, performance/security tradeoffs

• Address/account formats, key rotation, wallet compatibility, UX constraints

PQC Migration & Cryptographic Agility

• Hybrid strategies, upgrade pathways, governance and rollout design

• Backward compatibility and long-lived key material risks

ZK Cryptography

• Research and evaluation of ZK proof systems relevant to blockchain constraints (verification costs, recursion, proof sizes)

• Understanding and guidance on PQ considerations for ZK (assumption choices, long-term security posture, migration strategy)

• ZK applications for protocol design: compression/aggregation, auditability, privacy features, or verifiable computation interfaces

Protocol Security & Applied Cryptography

• Threat modeling for chain + wallet ecosystem

• Secure key ceremonies, threshold/aggregation options (where relevant)

• Writing ZK circuits and implementations of algorithms

PQC in Distributed Systems (Nice-to-have)

• PQ-safe randomness assumptions, committee selection, leader election impacts

• Performance implications for consensus and networking

Key Responsibilities

• Own the PQC research roadmap and convert it into implementable protocol decisions.

• Lead PQ algorithm research and selection:

  • recommend primitives and parameter sets

  • assess implementation maturity and operational risk

  • produce clear “why this, why now” security rationale

• Design cryptographic agility and upgrade/migration strategies (hybrid → PQ-first → future upgrades).

• Produce high-quality research outputs:

  • internal memos, threat models, protocol specs, benchmarks

  • (when strategic) preprints, workshop papers, conference submissions

• Collaborate with engineering on reference implementations, benchmarks, and integration constraints (e.g., signature verification costs, storage bloat).

• Define security review checklists and acceptance criteria for cryptographic changes.

• Represent Quantum publicly via conference talks, panels, workshops, and technical writing (as appropriate).

Required Qualifications

• Master's/PhD (completed or in-progress) in Cryptography, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or a closely related field (or equivalent research track record).

• Deep expertise in post-quantum cryptography, including algorithm research/selection and realistic deployment constraints.

• Strong ability to do independent research: reading papers, designing protocols, evaluating tradeoffs, and validating assumptions.

• Excellent technical communication: can write clear specs, security rationales, and research summaries.

Nice-to-Have

• Proven track record of academic publications in cryptography/security venues.

• Experience at a cryptography research lab or security-focused company.

• Programming experience in Rust, Python, TypeScript (or similar).

• Familiarity with blockchain, consensus protocols, and distributed systems.

• Conference speaking experience and comfort representing work publicly.

What Success Looks Like (First 60)

• A clear PQC roadmap with prioritized milestones tied to protocol delivery.

• A concrete proposal for PQ algorithm selection (signatures + any required auxiliary primitives), parameters, and on-chain integration costs.

• A realistic migration + cryptographic agility plan (including governance/rollout considerations).

• Benchmarks and performance constraints documented for engineering decisions.

• At least one credible external research direction (submission plan optional, but research-quality outputs expected).

What We Offer

• $180k–$200k base salary, plus equity/token package and performance bonuses.

• Fully remote, high-autonomy environment with real ownership.

• Conference/training support and access to research resources.

• Direct influence on the cryptographic foundations of a frontier protocol.