Senior Software Engineer, Protocol (Rust)

OP Labs created Optimism, a Layer 2 blockchain network that processes over 65% of all Ethereum Layer 2 activity. The company powers financial infrastructure through the OP Stack, a framework enabling enterprises like Sony, Coinbase, and Uniswap to launch their own blockchains. With backing from a16z and Paradigm, OP Labs is a fast-moving team headquartered in New York that's scaling the next generation of onchain systems.

The Protocol Team at OP Labs designs and operates the core specifications and client implementations that define the OP Stack. You'll contribute to foundational infrastructure work while building capabilities tailored for enterprise chain operators. Current priorities include developing kona-node as a production-ready Rust consensus client alternative to op-node, implementing native account abstraction across the stack, and developing premium protocol features for OP Enterprise.

What you'll do

• Own features across the entire lifecycle: architecture, implementation, documentation, deployment, and monitoring, working across teams to maximize impact

• Design and execute rigorous conformance and adversarial tests to verify implementation compatibility

• Manage safe protocol upgrades and resolve complex availability and performance issues in production

• Leverage AI-assisted engineering tools effectively while maintaining strong standards for security, correctness, and technical ownership

• Navigate ambiguous requirements and communicate complex design decisions clearly to stakeholders

What you'll bring

• Proven track record shipping production software and maintainable Rust systems at scale

• Deep understanding of Ethereum architecture, including the EVM, JSON-RPC, and client implementations

• Strong foundation in distributed systems design and problem-solving

• Ability to work through technical ambiguity and lead design discussions

• Experience reading and navigating production Go codebases (preferred)

• Familiarity with op-node, kona, or Reth implementations (preferred)

• Solidity proficiency for system-level smart contracts (bonus)

What we offer

• Fully covered health insurance including medical, dental, and vision plans

• 401(k) with 4% company match

• $2,000 annual wellness stipend, $1,000 WFH setup stipend, and $1,000 learning budget

• Flexible time off with 14 paid holidays plus two company-wide Collective Pause weeks each year

• Competitive compensation with performance bonus and token grants

• Four-week sabbatical after three years (three weeks paid) with continuous equity and token vesting

• Location flexibility for engineering roles, or hybrid in New York if preferred; travel budget for remote team members to visit office and attend twice-yearly company offsites