Research Lead, Tandem

Offchain Labs has developed a suite of scaling solutions for Ethereum. This includes Arbitrum, an Optimistic Rollup, that instantly scales apps, reducing costs and increasing capacity, without sacrificing Ethereum's security. Porting contracts to Arbitrum requires no code changes or downloads since it’s compatible with existing Ethereum developer languages and tooling. Arbitrum today is the leading Ethereum scaling solution with dominant market share including hundreds of apps on the platform and over 40% of all rollup liquidity. Offchain labs also contributes to the Ethereum core protocol with the Prysm consensus client.

Our team is extremely passionate and works tirelessly to bridge the gap between what blockchain is and what blockchain can be. We strive to maintain an atmosphere that fosters innovation and new ideas through collaboration, research, and deep discussions. After raising an initial round of $3.8M in seed funding in January 2019 and a $20M series A, as well as a $100M series B in 2021, we are ready to hire additional team members who have an interest in working in the blockchain space and a knack for approaching problems in unconventional ways.

As the Research Lead for Tandem, you will be a senior member of our team, bringing technical expertise and a wealth of experience in protocol design. Your primary responsibility will be to drive technical collaboration across a portfolio of teams, leveraging existing research work and areas of team expertise to fundamentally guide new projects and position them for success. Additionally, you will serve as the face of our partner studio, representing our company in various forums and industry events, and holding a strong responsibility for identifying and partnering with promising new teams.

What You’ll Do:

• Forge strategic research collaborations with teams building blockchain scaling solutions and fundamental technical infrastructure while balancing commercial considerations.
• Drive analysis and research work internally and in collaboration with portfolio teams, contributing to protocol design and refinement, development and delivery of design specifications, and prioritization across multiple projects.
• Assist with identification and evaluation of potential projects and teams for Tandem, based on their technical merit, innovation, and alignment with our strategic objectives.
• Provide hands-on guidance and mentorship to partners, helping them refine their ideas, design robust protocols, and navigate technical challenges.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing within Tandem, facilitating research partnerships and cross-team initiatives.
• Actively participate in industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities to promote Tandem and attract top talent.
• Collaborate with our executive team to develop and execute a comprehensive partner development strategy, including resource allocation and milestone tracking.

Who You Are:

• Extensive experience in protocol design and development, with a strong technical background in blockchain technologies.
• Proven track record of acquiring and guiding successful projects or teams in the blockchain space, with a focus on innovation and research collaboration, or experience bringing crypto products to market.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker with a deep understanding of market trends and ecosystem dynamics in the blockchain industry.
• Strong leadership abilities, with a passion for mentoring and empowering emerging talent.
• Previous experience in a senior leadership role within a high-growth technology company or startup environment, or managing a portfolio investing in crypto or blockchain, is highly desirable.

Perks :

• Remote first global workforce.
• Accrued Time off for Vacation and dedicated Sick Leave.
• Industry or role-based conference attendance support.
• Ergonomic Equipment Matching Program.
• Company issued laptop.
• Annual Company Offsite.

Attention Offchain Labs Job Seekers:

Please be advised that there has been a rise in fraudulent recruiter activities, particularly within the Web3 space. If you would like to confirm whether someone is an OCL employee or the legitimacy of an offer you received, please email [email protected]

At Offchain Labs, we believe that diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are essential to our success. We are committed to building a welcoming and supportive workplace for all employees, regardless of their background or identity. We strive to create an environment where everyone feels valued and has an equal opportunity to succeed and thrive. We encourage candidates from all walks of life to apply and join our team.