Protocol Security Researcher

Ethereum Foundation

1d

About The Position

The Protocol Security team at the Ethereum Foundation helps prevent vulnerabilities from reaching Ethereum mainnet. This role involves working across the execution layer, consensus layer, networking, specifications, testing, and client implementations to identify security issues before they become production incidents. The work combines deep protocol knowledge with security research, manual review, fuzzing, AI-assisted analysis, audits, and coordinated disclosure. The team is looking for engineers with deep understanding of Ethereum, ideally with active involvement in Ethereum protocol development and experience in areas such as the execution layer, consensus layer, specifications, testing infrastructure, or other protocol-critical components.

Requirements

• Deep Ethereum protocol experience.
• Deep familiarity with the execution layer or consensus layer.
• Deep familiarity with EL or CL specifications.
• Experience implementing or reviewing protocol changes.
• Strong understanding of Ethereum networking, consensus, or execution internals.
• Security experience including one or more of: AI-assisted security workflows, Protocol security research, Fuzzing, Vulnerability research, Manual application security review, Building security tooling.
• Familiarity with languages such as Go, Rust, Java, C#, Nim, and Python.

Nice To Haves

• Already active in Ethereum protocol development.

Responsibilities

• AI-assisted security research and automated bug discovery.
• Reviewing upcoming hardforks.
• Finding vulnerabilities across Ethereum protocol implementations.
• Building and improving fuzzers.
• Improving the team's automation and security tooling.
• Manual security review of Ethereum protocol changes.
• Working closely with Protocol DevOps, Specifications, researchers, and protocol implementers.
• Coordinating responsible disclosure.
• Supporting external audits and audit competitions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed