Senior Software Engineer, Protocol (Rust)

Job description

OP Labs builds Optimism, an open-source blockchain network that powers the next generation of financial infrastructure. Hundreds of companies, from the world's largest enterprises like Sony, Coinbase, Kraken, Uniswap, OKX, and Bitpanda to the most ambitious early-stage builders, use the OP stack to launch their own blockchains and bring their users onchain. Today, over 65% of Layer 2 activity on Ethereum runs through the OP stack. We are a small team building at the speed of the ecosystem we support. We’re remote-friendly but the NYC office is our center of gravity. We've raised $178M from a16z, Paradigm, and others. We have our work cut out for us and are looking for exceptional people to join us. OP Labs builds the OP Stack, powering over 50% of Ethereum's L2 activity. Our Protocol Team designs and operates the core specifications and clients defining the stack. We are also building OP Enterprise, which enables major institutions inside and outside crypto—including Sony, Kraken, and Bitpanda—to launch and operate OP Stack chains. This creates opportunities to improve the underlying protocol while developing differentiated capabilities for enterprise chain operators. Near term projects may cover: - Developing kona-node and related Rust-based consensus-client infrastructure as a fully compatible and production-ready alternative to op-node - Implementing native account abstraction across the stack. - Developing premium protocol capabilities that support OP Enterprise We are seeking mission-driven contributors who thrive on tackling complex computer science challenges while delivering high quality code with high-velocity. What are the role responsibilities? - Own features through the full lifecycle: from architecture, implementation, and docs to deployment and monitoring. Working cross functionally to create maximum impact. - Build rigorous conformance and adversarial tests to ensure implementation compatibility. - Execute safe protocol upgrades and resolve complex availability/performance issues. - Use AI-assisted engineering tools effectively while maintaining rigorous standards for correctness, security, review, and technical ownership. Skills and Experience - Professional record of shipping production software and maintainable Rust systems. - Deep knowledge of Ethereum (EVM, JSON-RPC, clients) and distributed systems. - Ability to navigate ambiguity and communicate complex design decisions effectively. - (Preferred) Familiarity with op-node, kona, or Reth implementations. - (Preferred) Ability to read and navigate production Go code while migrating behavior into Rust. - (Bonus) Proficiency in Solidity for system-level smart contracts. We are aware of fraudulent individuals falsely claiming to represent OP Labs in recruitment activities. Please note: - All official communication will come from an @oplabs.co http://oplabs.co email address, or from a verified Linked profile. - We will never ask for payment, banking information, or personal identification details at any stage of our hiring process. - All current openings are listed exclusively on our official careers page https://www.optimism.io/careers and linked from our verified social profiles. - If you’re ever unsure about a communication that claims to be from OP Labs, please contact us directly at people@oplabs.co to verify authenticity. Your safety and trust are very important to us. Thank you for helping us prevent fraud.