Cryptographer

Cryptographer

Shielded Labs is seeking an experienced cryptographer to help develop and evaluate some of Zcashs’ most ambitious technical initiatives. You will work closely with Shielded Labs researchers and engineers, as well as our peers throughout the Zcash ecosystem, to defend and advance Zcash. Zcash is already at the cutting-edge of protecting and empowering users, and we want your help to make it even better.  

Responsibilities

• Help design user-empowering, decentralized upgrades focused on security and user experience, using the best cryptographic tools for the purpose.

• Analyze proposed protocol changes and provide independent cryptographic review.

• Evaluate the assumptions underlying new designs and identify areas that require further research.

• Assess the security implications of major initiatives being developed at Shielded Labs and within the Zcash ecosystem.

• Review technical proposals and contribute feedback during the design process.

• Support engineers and researchers as they move ideas from concept to implementation.

• Participate in discussions related to future cryptographic upgrades, including post-quantum migration.

• Engage with researchers from across the ecosystem to strengthen the quality of technical decision-making.

Qualifications

• Strong background in cryptography, mathematics, computer science, or a related field.

• Experience analyzing cryptographic constructions or security-sensitive systems.

• Familiarity with zero-knowledge proofs and modern cryptographic protocols.

• Ability to reason carefully about assumptions, tradeoffs, and failure modes.

• Track record of research, engineering, auditing, or open-source contributions relevant to the role.

• Familiarity with Zcash is preferred.

Key Traits

• Naturally skeptical of unproven assumptions.

• Thoughtful and intellectually rigorous.

• Comfortable questioning consensus when the evidence warrants it.

• Able to communicate complex ideas clearly to both researchers and engineers.

• Motivated by the challenge of building Unstoppable Private Money

About Shielded Labs

Shielded Labs is an independent, donation-funded organization dedicated to supporting the long-term success of Zcash. Based in Switzerland and operating as a fully remote team, our mission is to build unstoppable private money that empowers human freedom and self-sovereignty.

We focus on initiatives that strengthen the sustainability, security, and scalability of the Zcash network. Our current areas of focus include the Network Sustainability Mechanism (NSM), Crosslink, Dynamic Fees.