External Audit - FSO Blockchain - Senior

EY•San Francisco, CA

7d•$79,200 - $148,500•Hybrid

About The Position

You will be a part of the Digital Asset Research Center, an innovative and collaborative group of software developers, financial auditors and technology consultants who are dedicated to developing the deep technical understanding, methodology and tools required to deliver a variety of Assurance services to companies that hold and transact in digital assets. You will have the opportunity to research the latest public blockchains, smart contracts and digital assets, as well as serve the clients that drive this exciting and disruptive industry forward. The EY organization serves a wide range of companies in the digital asset ecosystem, such as well-known global digital asset exchanges, custodians, miners/validators, payment providers, investment managers and broker-dealers. To provide Assurance services including financial audits, audit-readiness, forensic investigations and related due diligence, we must have a technical understanding of the wide variety of public blockchains, smart contracts and the digital assets native to these platforms, along with the relevant risks and controls involved. We also must develop tools and methodology to assess our clients’ activities in this sector. The Digital Asset Research Center makes this possible. We are a small, focused team that is rapidly growing. You will be exposed to and involved with all levels of business management and have numerous opportunities for personal growth and career development. While the Digital Asset Research Center primarily focuses on US clients, you will be collaborating with similar teams in other regions in Europe, India, Asia-Pacific and the Americas.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
Must have 2+ years of experience in external audit, assurance, or a related professional services role.
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification, or eligibility to sit for the CPA exams with demonstrated progress toward passing the exams.
Strong understanding of audit fundamentals, including financial statement assertions, risk assessment, control and information produced by the entity (IPE) concepts.
Experience auditing public companies, banks, digital asset exchanges, or financial services including venture capital and hedge funds.
Experience in the use of audit documentation software.
Foundational knowledge of blockchain technology, including a working understanding of wallet/address structures and transaction mechanics (e.g., interpreting on-chain details such as transactions, quantity, and timing), smart contract and DeFi concepts and how they can hold/transfer value, and custody/private key management models.
Ability to analyze blockchain data and reconcile on‑chain activity to client records.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills for technical writing and client presentations.
Intellectual curiosity and willingness to continuously learn in a rapidly changing digital asset landscape.
The ability and willingness to travel and work in excess of standard hours when necessary
Access to reliable transportation to/from the EY office and client sites. A driver’s license is strongly recommended as ride share and public transportation options may not be available in all locations

Nice To Haves

Auditing or supporting audits involving digital assets, cryptocurrencies, or blockchain‑based transactions.
SOX reporting and control environments related to digital asset companies.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted digital asset assurance subject matter expert for audit and advisory engagements with material digital asset exposure, supporting every stage of the audit cycle.
Support audit teams by designing and executing audit procedures over digital assets, including existence, valuation, rights and obligations, completeness, and presentation/disclosures.
Lead and perform digital asset evaluations, including research, documentation, and analysis of blockchain-based assets, protocols, smart contracts, and associated audit risks impacting financial reporting.
Interpret blockchain transaction data and independently verify on-chain activity using public block explorers, internal analytics, and specialist methodologies to obtain audit-ready evidence and conclusions.
Collaborate with engagement teams, managers, and senior leadership to translate technical blockchain concepts into clear, audit-relevant conclusions, including risk assessments, scoping, and documentation support.
Contribute to the development and enhancement of custom tooling, methodologies, and leading practices (including automation and blockchain analytics) to improve audit quality, consistency, and efficiency.
Keep up-to-date on emerging industry trends, protocols, custody models, evolving regulatory frameworks, and leading practices in this fast-growing area and proactively identify opportunities to apply new practices to active engagements.
Work effectively with cross-functional client service teams with diverse skills and backgrounds, teaming effectively and fostering an innovative and inclusive environment while meeting deadlines and quality expectations.