Lead Cryptographer

About

Dfns is a cybersecurity company providing crypto wallet infrastructure. We develop the leading wallets-as-a-service platform of the digital asset industry. Enterprises and financial institutions use Dfns to create, integrate and manage programmable wallets at scale, secured by state-of-the-art cryptography. Founded in August 2020 in Paris, Dfns is SOC 2 Type II certified firm employing 25 people across the EU and the US.

ABN AMRO, Fidelity, Zodia Custody and many other financial organizations have created over 10 million wallets and secured over 1 billion dollars in transaction value with Dfns. Since inception, Dfns has been incubated through Techstars, Station F and raised over $20M with White Star Capital, ABN AMRO, Bpifrance, Coinbase, Semantic, Wintermute, Figment, Motier, Hashed, 6MV, Susquehanna and other great investors.

Job Description

Help us build the leading wallet infrastructure for the multi-trillion-dollar digital asset industry. Work closely with our top leadership, including the CTO, CPO, and Head of Security, and collaborate with a talented team of Cryptographers, Security Engineers and Protocol Engineers. We’re looking for a Lead Cryptographer with expertise in developing secure, efficient cryptographic protocols focused namely on multi-party computation, threshold cryptography, and post-quantum cryptography. You will collaborate with library developers and solutions architects to enhance our cryptographic solutions, aligning them with the company's needs and objectives.

As a Lead Cryptographer, you will:

  • Carry out fundamental and applied research with the research team.

  • Act as a powerhouse of ideas on all cryptographic and research issues.

  • Collaborate with the research and engineering team on technical research tasks. 

More information on Dfns Labs and its affiliated projects: dfns.co/labs

Preferred Experience

Responsibilities

Your main objective is to research, innovate and develop cryptographic protocols that align with customer requirements and business objectives.

Example of a primary metric could be Publication Per Year.

Your daily tasks will involve:

  • Designing and implementing cryptographic solutions applied to blockchain services (e.g., keys, wallets, signatures).

  • Driving innovation in cryptographic methods to improve product security.

  • Testing cryptographic theories based on product security needs and developing proof-of-concepts for MPC, threshold cryptography, zero-knowledge proofs and more.

  • Leading the development of post-quantum threshold signature protocols.

  • Collaborating with engineering teams to integrate cryptographic solutions into libraries and applications.

  • Presenting cryptographic research and findings through articles and blog posts and collaborating with external partners on cryptographic projects.

  • Authoring and updating internal and external documentation.

  • Identifying weaknesses and designing robust security systems to mitigate new risks.

  • Analyzing security protocols, reporting threats, and developing countermeasures.

  • Ensuring the security and integrity of cryptographic protocols across our product lines.

  • Conducting security assessments and vulnerability analysis of cryptographic implementations.

  • Handling communications with independent researchers and designing strategies to mitigate reported vulnerabilities.

  • Training staff on cryptography and secure system development.

  • Staying updated on cryptography and blockchain technology advancements.

Requirements

  • PhD in Computer Science, Cryptography, or a related technical field.

  • 5+ years of cryptography experience, preferably in fintech.

  • Strong understanding of both theoretical and practical aspects of cryptography.

  • Experience publishing in peer-reviewed conferences and journals.

  • Hands-on experience with cryptographic protocols.

  • Knowledge of MPC, zero-knowledge proofs, zk-STARKs, zk-SNARKs, bulletproofs, elliptic curve cryptography, and prominent signature schemes.

  • Experience with key management and secure storage solutions.

  • Familiarity with authentication methods and standards (OAuth, WebAuthn, etc.).

  • Knowledgeable about blockchains and underlying technologies.

  • Knowledge of cybersecurity best practices and compliance.

  • Excellent communication skills for collaboration with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

  • Superior written and verbal communication skills.

  • Strong problem-solving skills and ability to advocate for ideas.

  • Entrepreneurial mindset with a professional demeanor.

  • [Bonus] Proficiency in Rust, C++ or Haskell programming.

Recruitment Process

Process

  • Intro call with Co-CEO (30 min).

  • Personality and cognitive tests.

  • Focus interview with hiring panel (90-120 min).

  • Reference calls and background checks.

Terms

  • Title: Lead Cryptographer

  • Salary: €90,000-140,000 per year (full-time permanent work contract).

  • Equity: 100-500 stock options vested over 4 years.

  • Location: France or other EU countries (excluding UK, Iceland and Switzerland)

  • Work essentials: MacBook Pro, AirPods, and other necessary equipment.

Additional Information

  • Contract Type: Full-Time
  • Location: Paris
  • Education Level: PhD and more
  • Possible full remote
  • Salary: between 90000€ and 140000€ / year
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