Lead Protocol Engineer (Go / Cryptography)
Wells Fargo22 days ago
Base Salary
$159k - $305k/yr
Responsibilities
- Architect and build a custom blockchain application using Go, Cosmos SDK, and CometBFT.
- Implement and optimize privacy-preserving cryptographic primitives, including Pedersen Commitments and Bulletproofs.
- Engineer ABCI++ consensus extensions, including PrepareProposal and Vote Extensions, for an on-chain MPC mixing network.
- Design a KVStore state machine managing homomorphically encrypted balances represented as elliptic-curve points.
- Optimize scalar multiplication and point addition for low latency and high throughput in distributed environments.
- Build secure off-chain query layers and view-key mechanisms for granular, permissioned regulatory auditing.
- Make architectural decisions involving cryptographic curves, libraries, and design patterns.
Requirements
- 5+ years of specialty software engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrated through work experience, training, military experience, or education.
- 3+ years of backend or systems programming experience with expert-level Go proficiency.
- At least 6 months of elliptic-curve cryptography experience.
- At least 1 year of experience with BFT consensus algorithms, P2P networking, state replication, and reliable distributed systems.
- Desired experience with Cosmos SDK and CometBFT, including custom modules and consensus-logic modifications.
- Knowledge of Pedersen Commitments, homomorphic encryption properties, and zero-knowledge proofs such as Bulletproofs or Sigma protocols.
- Ability to read academic whitepapers or preprints and translate mathematical specifications into functioning code.
- Experience with MPC or Verifiable Secret Sharing schemes is desirable.
- Familiarity with the Ristretto255 curve or libraries such as gnark-crypto is desirable.
- Background in FinTech, payment systems, or high-frequency trading platforms is desirable.
- Understanding of Account Model versus UTXO Model trade-offs in privacy-preserving ledgers is desirable.
Benefits
- Hybrid work schedule.
- Base pay range of $159,000.00-$305,000.00, with potential incentive opportunities.
- Health benefits, 401(k) plan, paid time off, disability benefits, life insurance, critical illness and accident insurance.
- Parental leave, critical caregiving leave, commuter benefits, tuition reimbursement, dependent-child scholarships, adoption reimbursement, and discounts and savings.
- Relocation assistance is not available.
- Multiple listed work locations in Columbus, Ohio; Concord, California; Iselin, New Jersey; and New York, New York.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is a U.S.-based financial services firm providing consumer and commercial banking, mortgages, credit, and wealth/investment services to individuals, small businesses, and enterprises. It earns revenue from interest income and fees across retail banking, payments, lending, and capital markets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, it is publicly traded on the NYSE (WFC) and operates nationally with offices in multiple countries.