Director of Research

Stellar Development Foundation • San Francisco, CA

13d • $210,000 - $365,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) is seeking a Director of Research to advance open technology that supports equitable access to the global financial system. SDF Research focuses on practical and long-term challenges in distributed systems, cryptography, mechanism design, and the societal impact of decentralized technologies. This role involves defining and growing a research agenda rooted in open research, open standards, and open-source software. The Director will collaborate with academic and industry partners, guide a diverse research team, and contribute to the technical foundations of inclusive financial infrastructure. This is a mission-driven opportunity to apply deep research experience with real-world impact.

Requirements

• PhD in Computer Science, Cryptography, Distributed Systems, or a related field.
• 10+ years of research experience in academia (e.g., tenured or tenure-track faculty) or industry (e.g., senior research scientist or director-level role).
• Strong track record of high-impact contributions, such as peer-reviewed publications, patents, open-source projects, or foundational technical work.
• Demonstrated experience leading research programs or teams, including setting strategy and managing multi-year initiatives.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in both academic and applied research settings, with an ability to translate deep technical insights into practical impact.
• Familiarity with open-source software development practices and/or participation in open standards communities (e.g., IETF, W3C).
• Proven ability to collaborate across disciplines and institutions, including with academic labs, research consortia, and industry partners.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage technical and non-technical stakeholders, represent the organization publicly, and contribute to technical and policy discussions.
• Commitment to mentoring and supporting researchers across career stages, and to fostering a collaborative and inclusive research culture.
• Interest in or experience with the societal, economic, and ethical dimensions of decentralized systems, particularly in the context of financial access and inclusion.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead a long-term scientific research agenda that supports SDF’s mission and contributes to broader conversations in computer science and decentralized systems.
• Identify mission-aligned applied challenges and foundational open problems to guide internal research and community engagement.
• Build strong, lasting partnerships with top researchers, labs, and institutions.
• Support initiatives that lead to joint publications, open-source contributions, and shared advancement of knowledge.
• Oversee a portfolio of research efforts ranging from mission-critical applications to blue-sky investigations in areas such as cryptography, distributed systems, and incentive design.
• Champion rigorous thinking that leads to practical outcomes and advances the state of the art.
• Recruit and develop a diverse group of research scientists and applied researchers.
• Create a supportive environment where a range of perspectives, backgrounds, and research styles can thrive.
• Ensure that research outcomes inform product strategy, ecosystem standards, and protocol development.
• Represent SDF at conferences, academic workshops, and standards bodies.
• Contribute to the broader discourse on decentralized systems and financial inclusion through publications, presentations, and thought leadership.

Benefits

• Competitive pay with a base salary range for this position of $210,000 - $365,000 depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and location.
• Lumen-denominated grants
• Competitive health, dental & vision coverage with most plans covered at 100% for the employee + any dependents
• Flexible time off
• 15 company holidays including a company-wide holiday break
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for both non-birthing and birthing parents
• Up to 14 weeks of paid pregnancy leave for birthing parents
• Gym reimbursement ($80 per month)
• Life & ADD (up to $50K)
• Short & Long term disability
• 401K with 4% match
• Health & Dependent Care FSA Accounts
• Commuter benefits with $250/month employer contribution
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with monthly employer contribution
• Family building benefits through Kindbody
• Wellbeing benefits (One Medical, Rightway, Headspace)
• L&D budget of $1,500/year
• Daily lunch and snacks in office
• Company retreats

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree