ZK Circuit Security Researcher

About us

Founded in 2015 with the mission to protect the open economy, OpenZeppelin is the world leader in securing blockchain applications and smart contracts. 

Its bedrock open source Contract Libraries are a public good and industry standard for smart contract development.

OpenZeppelin’s professional expertise, unified with the Defender developer security platform, integrates through clients’ development lifecycles, so teams can plan, code, audit, deploy and operate projects faster and more safely.

Please note: Always refer to OpenZeppelin's official job page for the most accurate information about our open roles, as we have seen multiple third party job sites posting inaccurate information.

The ZK Practice

The Zero-Knowledge Practice at OpenZeppelin is responsible for the execution and delivery of cryptography audits and circuit audits for the world’s leading web3 organizations and protocols. The team currently consists of security researchers, applied cryptographers and theoretical cryptographers who perform audits and advisory with direct client contact and conduct independent zk-research that culminates in academic publications [example], blog posts and conference talks.

We are now looking to expand this team by one additional applied cryptographer!

What you'll be doing

• Hands-on line-by-line investigation of source code to analyze the security of ZK-circuits (Halo2, Circom).

• Hands-on line-by-line audits of Solidity smart contracts either stand-alone or as part of a ZK-system.

• Educating the community about zero-knowledge technology and relevant security considerations through series of blog posts.

• Leading research and contributing to OpenZeppelin’s projects and knowledge bases.

• Training new and existing team members in zero-knowledge technology.

• Speaking at ZK conferences around the world.

You have

• Experience writing or reviewing ZK-circuits in Halo2 and/or Circom.

• Experience auditing Solidity smart contracts.

• Intellectual curiosity and the capability to learn complex topics independently.

• An advanced English level and great communication skills (oral and written).

• The ability to work independently, with minimal supervision.

• Passion about the blockchain space and decentralization.

• Ability to work collaboratively in a distributed team.

Nice to have

• Experience analyzing the security of blockchain protocols.

• Experience with static analysis and/or formal verification relevant to circuits.

• Experience working with L2 scaling protocols or privacy applications.

• Experience participating in ZK-themed CTF competitions.

Logistics

Our interview process takes place on Zoom and tends to consist of the following stages:

• Recruiter call (45 minutes)

• Hiring Manager call (45 minutes)

• Team member interview (60 minutes)

• Paid work test (Lasting up to 10 days)

• Reference checks

Please let us know if you require any accommodations for the interview process, and we’ll do our best to provide assistance.

Benefits

• Company in-person gatherings in different locations around the world 😎
• Fully remote work 🌎
• Flexible time off 🏝
• Paid parental leave for primary or second caregiver 💙
• One time work-from-home equipment stipend of up to $500 USD 🪑
• Co-working (up to $250/month) 👩‍💻
• Medical coverage
• Annual Learning & Development budget 🧠
• Referral program
• Work with a global team in a fast-growing industry 🚀

At OpenZeppelin, we are an equal opportunity employer and we value different perspectives. We are committed to building a diverse workforce. This includes but is not limited to gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, national origin and other characteristics that make each one of us unique. In this uniqueness, we find the most value. Come join us!